Researchers at Uptycs have discovered a new cyber threat associated with the Cyclops ransomware. The group behind Cyclops has developed a multi-platform ransomware that targets Windows, Linux, and macOS systems.
In a surprising twist, the Cyclops group is also offering a separate information-stealer malware, built with Go, that specifically targets files on both Windows and Linux.
The Cyclops group is actively promoting their ransomware on various cybercrime forums and requesting a share of the profits from those utilizing their malware for financially motivated attacks. The ransomware employs a complex encryption process, combining asymmetric and symmetric encryptions.
After encryption, CRC32 and file markers are appended to the encrypted files to prevent re-encryption. The Linux file marker is identified as “00ABCDEF,” while in Windows, it’s “000000000000000000000000.”
The Windows version of the info-stealer can be downloaded from the Cyclops admin panel as an archive containing “stealer.exe” and “config.json.” This executable binary, designed for x64 systems, extracts system information from infected machines.
By enumerating directories and checking for specific file extensions, the stealer creates a new password-protected zip file containing an exact copy of the identified file and its folder structure, which is then exfiltrated to the attacker’s server.
Similarly, the Linux version of the info-stealer is obtained from the Cyclops admin panel and functions similarly to the Windows version. Interestingly, the researchers observed similarities in encryption techniques between the Cyclops ransomware and the Babuk ransomware, as both leverage Curve25519 and HC-256 for Windows encryption, as well as a combination of Curve25519 and ChaCha.
The executable strings are encoded and stored as a stack string within the Cyclops ransomware. This discovery emphasizes the evolving sophistication of cyber threats and underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
