A new variation of the Chaos ransomware attacks Minecraft players who are trying to get their hands on alternate options to cheat or bypass bans. Microsoft-owned Minecraft is one of the most popular games of recent times, though its popularity has also led to an influx of cheaters on the platform. Although Minecraft catches and bans cheaters on a regular basis, many rely on alternate accounts or "alternatives" to continue their deplorable activities. Recently, cybersecurity researchers at Fortinet Labs discovered a variation of Chaos ransomware hidden in a file that claimed to contain a list of these alternative Minecraft accounts.
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In an article detailing the activity, Fortinet scholars Shunichi Imano and Fred Gutiérrez state that the ransomware appears to be targeting Minecraft players in Japan. When examining the variation, scholars point out that the ransomware searches for and encrypts any and all files smaller than two MB. However, larger files of certain file types are overwritten with random data, making them unrecoverable even after payment of the fee. On top of this, while the malware doesn't infiltrate encrypted data, it does delete snapshots of compromised machines, further complicating restoration. The attackers demand a cryptocurrency worth 000 yen or around €XNUMX. “Despite its affordable ransom demand, its ability to destroy data and make it unrecoverable makes it more than just a prank to harass Japanese Minecraft players…. it was supposed to be played, ”the scholars conclude. Use the best endpoint protection tools to add another layer of defense against this type of file-borne cyberattack.