How to remove PoisonFang Ransomware from the system?

What is PoisonFang?

PoisonFang is a harmful program that is categorized as a ransomware. This piece of code was developed as an academic research project at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. Omer Cohen and Tal Porat developed the Poisonfang Ransomware as part of a ransomware project.

As nothing is termed safe on the internet, cyber criminals managed to steal this project. PoisonFang ransomware is used by these criminals to threaten innocent computer users for ransom by encrypting their files.

This is a new threat which does not share any links with code from other popular ransomware. Poisonfang ransomware is distributed using Spam email attachments, malicious links, Torrents and Peer-to-peer networks etc. The attachments contained in the spam emails download the PoisonFang Ransomware virus payload into the system once it is opened.

Malicious links and fake websites can be used to infect the system with Poisonfang ransomware. Torrents can be used to embed the file into the software that you are trying to download or you can end up downloading a fake file.

PoisonFang Ransomware – Threat behavior

PoisonFang Ransomware is made without using code from other popular ransomware, but the ransomware engine was found to be modular in nature that allowed addition of code into the virus sequence. It enabled the hackers to customize their attacks for their intended targets.

Once the PoisonFang ransomware successfully installs the virus payload into the system, it starts gathering private and sensitive information related to the user and the system. The data collected contains usernames, passwords, address, locations, IP address, OS Version, etc.

The PoisonFang Ransomware encrypts user’s files with a strong AES encryption cipher. The User is shown a message which contains the details about its creators. It targets music, videos, documents, images, and other files. It creates a lock screen message that blocks access to the system.

The message informs the user that PoisonFang Ransomware was created by students in Israel. It also shows their contact emails. The users are left with no choice but to contact them if they want to decrypt their files. The ransomware program includes sections of payment and decrypt files which can be filled by the group that stole the PoisonFang Ransomware with their own ransom note that demands cryptocyrrency in exchange for the decryption key.

The information collected is used to bypass the security settings on the user’s system. PoisonFang Ransomware can disable or imitate the anti-virus signatures to make them believe that it is a legitimate program on the system.

After getting a free reign into the system Poisonfang ransomware can attach to other programs and system services, even the ones having administrative privileges. It can launch more processes and commands that can hog system memory. Once it does this, it becomes difficult to contain this infection from getting a strong foothold into the system.

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