{
  "family": "lockcrypt",
  "sample_count": 2,
  "category": "ransomware",
  "description": "Ransomware:Win32/Lockcrypt is a destructive ransomware family that encrypts user data and demands payment for the decryption key. Unlike 'spray-and-pray' ransomware distributed via massive spam campaigns, Lockcrypt is frequently deployed manually by attackers who have already compromised the target network, often via brute-forced RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) connections (`T1133`).<br><br><b>Understanding Lockcrypt</b><br>To an end-user, Lockcrypt is devastating; their files become inaccessible, their extensions are altered (often to `.lock`), and a ransom note appears on the desktop demanding cryptocurrency. For an incident response team, a Lockcrypt infection signifies a total breach of the network perimeter. The attackers had interactive access, navigated the network, likely escalated privileges, and manually executed the ransomware payload across multiple systems simultaneously (`T1486`).<br><br><b>Execution and Encryption Mechanics</b><br>Initial access is often achieved by scanning the internet for exposed RDP ports (TCP 3389) and brute-forcing weak credentials (`T1110.001`). Once inside, the attackers disable endpoint security tools (`T1562.001`) and use tools like PsExec to distribute the Lockcrypt payload. Upon execution, Lockcrypt terminates processes associated with databases (SQL, Exchange) to ensure those files are unlocked and available for encryption (`T1489`). It deletes Volume Shadow Copies (`vssadmin.exe delete shadows`) (`T1490`) to prevent easy recovery. It then encrypts files using strong cryptography, appending a specific extension to the locked files, and drops a ransom note (e.g., `Restore_Files.txt`).<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The primary impact is the complete loss of data availability and severe business disruption. Host-based IoCs include the presence of the encrypted files, the ransom note, event logs showing the deletion of Shadow Copies, and EDR alerts for the manual execution of the ransomware binary (often from a temp directory or desktop). Network IoCs are critical for tracing the initial access: look for massive amounts of failed RDP login attempts followed by a successful login from a foreign IP address.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Lockcrypt and what threat category does it belong to?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Lockcrypt 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 Lockcrypt establish persistence and evade defensive controls?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Lockcrypt 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 Lockcrypt compromise?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Security teams responding to Lockcrypt 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 Lockcrypt employ during execution?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Lockcrypt 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 Lockcrypt, and what is the recommended recovery procedure?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Decryption availability for Lockcrypt 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": [
    "T1133",
    "T1486",
    "T1490",
    "T1562.001"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1486",
      "name": "Data Encrypted for Impact (The core ransomware behavior)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1133",
      "name": "External Remote Services (Initial access via compromised RDP)",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1490",
      "name": "Inhibit System Recovery (Deleting Volume Shadow Copies)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1562.001",
      "name": "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools (Manually disabling AV before execution)",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Immediately isolate affected machines from the network to prevent the ransomware from encrypting mapped network drives.",
    "Identify and sever the attacker's point of entry; if RDP was exposed to the internet, disable the port at the firewall immediately.",
    "Do not reboot infected servers if possible; capture a live memory image (RAM dump), as the encryption keys might still reside in memory.",
    "Initiate the organization's Disaster Recovery (DR) plan; restore data from offline, immutable backups."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not pay the ransom. Paying funds criminal enterprises and there is no guarantee the attackers will provide a working decryptor.",
    "Avoid exposing RDP (TCP 3389) directly to the internet; always mandate VPN access and MFA for remote administration."
  ],
  "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"
  ]
}