"Free Decryptors Released for BianLian, MegaCortex Ransomware"

Avast and Bitdefender have recently released decryptors to help victims of BianLian and MegaCortex ransomware recover their data for free. BianLian, written in Golang, emerged in August 2022 and has been used in targeted attacks against entertainment, healthcare, media, and manufacturing organizations. Researchers noted that once it has been executed on a victim’s machine, the malware identifies all available drives to find files and encrypt them. BianLian targets a total of 1,013 file extensions and features a particular encryption routine: it does not encrypt data at the beginning of a file nor data at its end. The ransomware is known for its fast encryption capabilities. Once the encryption process has been completed, the malware deletes itself. Avast warns that its decryption tool only works with files encrypted with a known variant of BianLian and that victims of more recent versions of the ransomware might need to provide a malware binary to be able to recover their data for free. The BianLian decryptor is available on Avast’s website. The MegaCortex ransomware initially emerged in January 2019 but did not rise to fame until May of that year, when it was used in a global attack campaign. The malware was used by the same cybercriminals who also distributed the Dharma and LockerGoga ransomware and who are believed to have infected roughly 1,800 victims, primarily companies. Bitdefender announced the availability of a free decryption tool for MegaCortex victims, built in cooperation with the NoMoreRansom Project, Europol, and Swiss law enforcement. The decryptor is available on Bitdefender’s website, and the company also provides a step-by-step guide to using the tool.

SecurityWeek reports: "Free Decryptors Released for BianLian, MegaCortex Ransomware"