{
  "family": "redeye",
  "sample_count": 2,
  "category": "ransomware",
  "description": "Ransomware:Win32/Redeye is a destructive ransomware variant that encrypts user files and demands payment (usually in cryptocurrency) for the decryption key (`T1486`). Beyond simple encryption, Redeye is notable for its aggressive tactics aimed at completely disabling system recovery options and maximizing the victim's panic and operational downtime.<br><br><b>Understanding Redeye (Aggressive Ransomware)</b><br>To an end-user, a Redeye infection results in the immediate loss of access to all personal files (which are appended with a specific extension, like `.redeye`), replaced desktop wallpaper, and a prominent ransom note demanding payment. For an incident response team, Redeye represents a critical security failure, as it actively destroys local backups before initiating encryption.<br><br><b>Execution and Destruction Mechanics</b><br>Redeye is typically deployed post-compromise by a threat actor who has gained network access via RDP brute-forcing or phishing. Once executed, its first priority is to neuter the system's ability to recover. It executes commands to delete Volume Shadow Copies (`vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet`), disable Windows Startup Recovery (`bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No`), and clear Windows event logs to hinder forensic analysis (`T1490`). It then utilizes a strong encryption algorithm (e.g., AES + RSA) to encrypt documents, databases, and media files. Finally, it drops the ransom note (`T1491`) and may play a sound or aggressively change the desktop background to alert the user.<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The primary impact is total data loss and severe operational disruption. Host-based IoCs are blatant: files appended with the Redeye extension, the presence of `vssadmin.exe` execution in the process command-line history (a massive red flag), and the sudden appearance of ransom note text/HTML files in every encrypted directory. Network IoCs may include the initial burst of traffic to a C2 server to transmit the generated encryption keys before the system is locked.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Redeye and what threat category does it belong to?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Redeye 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 Redeye establish persistence and evade defensive controls?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Redeye 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 Redeye compromise?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Security teams responding to Redeye 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 Redeye employ during execution?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Redeye 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 Redeye, and what is the recommended recovery procedure?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Decryption availability for Redeye 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": [
    "T1070.001",
    "T1486",
    "T1490"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1486",
      "name": "Data Encrypted for Impact (Core ransomware payload)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1490",
      "name": "Inhibit System Recovery (Deleting Volume Shadow Copies via vssadmin)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1070.001",
      "name": "Indicator Removal: Clear Windows Event Logs (Hindering incident response)",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Immediately disconnect the infected machine from the network (unplug the Ethernet cable) to prevent the ransomware from encrypting network shares.",
    "Do NOT reboot the system if it is currently encrypting; a live memory capture might contain the encryption keys.",
    "Identify the initial entry vector (e.g., exposed RDP port 3389) and close it immediately across the enterprise.",
    "Restore data from offline, immutable backups that the ransomware could not reach."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not pay the ransom; it funds criminal enterprises and there is no guarantee the decryptor will actually work.",
    "Avoid relying solely on local Windows backups (like Shadow Copies), as Redeye actively deletes them."
  ],
  "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"
  ]
}