G-Data recently published an analysis of a new ransomware called Spora, that appeared in January. It was first spotted by the folks over at ID Ransomware, and was mainly affecting Russian users, but it is venturing out into other areas of the globe now.
Spora function very similarly to other variants of ransomware. Once a computer system has been infected it searches for certain types of files, encrypts them, and then demands payment for their safe return.
There are a few things that set Spora apart from other ransomware variants though. For a start, it can still function if your computer is offline. Even if you quickly realize that you’ve fallen victim to a phishing attack and disconnect from the Internet, your files can still be encrypted.
Spora is also smart enough to leave files in certain important folders untouched. Why? Because its creators know that if a computer is unable to boot normally that their chances of extracting payment from a victim decrease drastically.
This new variant of ransomware should reinforce the need for a solid backup solution – get your backups done NOW!