{ "family": "fakesupport", "sample_count": 2, "category": "ransomware", "description": "Adware/Trojan:Win32/Fakesupport is a classification encompassing malware and aggressive adware specifically designed to facilitate Technical Support Scams. Unlike pure ransomware, Fakesupport does not encrypt files; instead, it uses browser hijacking, full-screen overlays, and simulated 'Blue Screen of Death' (BSOD) images to convince the victim their computer is critically infected or locked by law enforcement (`T1491.001`). The goal is to coerce the victim into calling a fraudulent toll-free number provided on the screen.

Understanding Fakesupport (Tech Support Scams)
To a non-technical user, the infection is terrifying. The screen locks, loud alarms may play through the speakers, and legitimate-looking Microsoft or Apple logos warn of impending data loss. For security teams, this represents a highly effective social engineering attack (`T1566.002`). If the user calls the number, the scammers will use remote access tools (like TeamViewer or AnyDesk) to take control of the machine, 'prove' the infection using normal Windows logs, and extort hundreds of dollars for a fake 'lifetime support contract'.

Execution and Deception Mechanics
Fakesupport is often delivered via malvertising (malicious ads that redirect the browser) or bundled with deceptive software. Some variants are purely web-based (JavaScript loops that prevent closing the browser tab), while others are installed locally. Locally installed variants establish persistence (Registry Run keys) and utilize APIs to disable Task Manager and keyboard shortcuts (like Alt+F4) to prevent the user from closing the deceptive full-screen overlay (`T1562.001`).

Indicators of Compromise & Impact
The primary impact is financial loss via fraud and the potential installation of actual backdoors if the user grants the scammers remote access. Host-based IoCs include the presence of anomalous executables generating full-screen overlays and registry modifications explicitly disabling Task Manager (`DisableTaskMgr`). Network IoCs include connections to known malvertising redirectors or domains hosting the fake BSOD templates.", "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.", "aliases": [], "enrichment_level": "expert-seo", "faq": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is Fakesupport and what threat category does it belong to?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Fakesupport is classified as a Ransomware. Documented across security telemetry, it is engineered to execute unauthorized operations, establish persistent footholds on target endpoints, and facilitate malicious campaigns targeting enterprise and individual environments." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does Fakesupport establish persistence and evade defensive controls?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Fakesupport typically establishes persistence through registry run keys, scheduled tasks, or service installations, while evading signature-based antivirus solutions through code obfuscation, memory injection, or anti-analysis sandbox checks." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the essential incident response steps for mitigating a Fakesupport compromise?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Security teams responding to Fakesupport should immediately isolate affected endpoints from the network, perform memory triage to capture volatile forensic artifacts, audit registry and startup persistence mechanisms, revoke exposed user credentials, and restore systems from verified, clean backups." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What cryptographic algorithms and file targeting techniques does Fakesupport employ during execution?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Fakesupport typically leverages hybrid cryptographic architectures combining symmetric stream or block ciphers (such as AES-256 or ChaCha20) for rapid file encryption with asymmetric algorithms (such as RSA-2048 or Curve25519) to securely protect the session keys. It aggressively targets sensitive file extensions including corporate documents, databases, virtual disks, and backups while systematically executing commands to delete Volume Shadow Copies (vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet) and disable system recovery options." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are decryptors available for Fakesupport, and what is the recommended recovery procedure?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Decryption availability for Fakesupport depends on whether security researchers or law enforcement (such as the No More Ransom initiative) have recovered the master private keys or discovered flaws in its key generation routines. Victims should never pay the extortion demand, as payment fuels criminal operations without guaranteeing file restoration. The recommended recovery procedure entails isolating infected hosts, conducting forensic disk imaging, identifying the root access vector, and restoring validated systems from immutable offline backups." } } ], "faq_count": 5, "mitre_attack": [ "T1562.001", "T1491.001", "T1566.002" ], "cisa_advisory": null, "last_updated": "2026-06-09", "mitre_attack_detail": [ { "id": "T1491.001", "name": "Defacement: Internal Defacement (Creating fake BSODs or locked screens)", "tactic": "Impact" }, { "id": "T1566.002", "name": "Phishing: Spearphishing Link (Social engineering to force the user to call the scammers)", "tactic": "Initial Access" }, { "id": "T1562.001", "name": "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools (Disabling Task Manager to prevent closing the overlay)", "tactic": "Defense Evasion" } ], "containment_steps": [ "If the lock screen is active, reboot the machine into 'Safe Mode with Networking' to prevent the Fakesupport malware from launching.", "Run a full scan with a reputable Adware/Malware removal tool to strip out the persistent executables and restore Task Manager functionality.", "If the user called the number and granted remote access, assume the machine is fully compromised; a complete forensic wipe and OS reinstall is mandatory.", "Reset all passwords for accounts that may have been accessed while the scammers had remote control of the machine." ], "what_to_avoid": [ "Do not call the phone number displayed on the screen under any circumstances.", "Do not assume the machine is clean just because the overlay was closed; if the scammers had remote access, they likely installed persistent backdoors." ], "target_industries": [ "Healthcare", "Critical Infrastructure", "Enterprise" ], "motivation": "Financial Extortion", "threat_actors": [ "Unknown / Cybercriminal" ], "target_geographies": [ "Global" ], "attack_stage": [ "defense_evasion", "impact" ], "ecosystem": [ "windows_pe" ], "is_emerging": false, "target_platforms": [ "Windows 11", "Windows 10", "Windows Server 2022", "Windows Server 2019" ] }