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Free Decrypter Released for the TargetCompany Ransomware

 

Good news for the TargetCompany victims, Czech cybersecurity software firm Avast has recently released a free decryptor tool that will facilitate victims of the TargetCompany (Tohnici) ransomware in recovering files without paying the ransom demand. 

Initially discovered in June 2021, the Tohnici ransomware group has wreaked havoc on its victims ––companies and consumers alike, despite being one of the smaller ransomware gangs that are active presently. 

The Czech cybersecurity has confirmed that it has created the app, called a decrypter after one of its customers was breached by the ransomware attack and needed a way to recover their files. However, the organization has warned its customers that the free utilities (decryptor tools) are limited; the features can only be used to recover encrypted files “under certain circumstances.” 

The firm further said that the victims who want to recover their files should keep in mind that the process of recovering files is resource-intensive and time-consuming too. 

“During password cracking, all your available processor cores will spend most of their computing power to find the decryption password. The cracking process may take a large amount of time, up to tens of hours...,” Avast said. "...On the final wizard page, you can opt-in whether you want to backup encrypted files. These backups may help if anything goes wrong during the decryption process.” 

In order to bring the decrypter tool, Avast reported to the press that it has reverse-engineered the TargetCompany ransomware, and its novel encryption scheme has been made up of a mix between the ChaCha20, AES-128, and Curve25519 algorithms. 

If you are the victim of the TargetCompany ransomware attack, you can recover your files without paying anything. Just download the decryption tool from Avast’s servers (64-bit or 32-bit) and both servers will work for versions of the TargetCompany ransomware that encrypted files with the architek, brg, exploit, and mallox file extensions.

Czech Republic's Intelligence Agency Reveal on Russian And Chinese Spies Posing an Imminent Threat to The EU Member's Security

 


The Czech Republic's intelligence agency recently revealed that Russian and Chinese spies posed an up and coming threat to the EU member's security and other key interests the previous year. 

The annual report of the Security Data Administration (BIS) said the intelligence services of Russia and China took up a rather significant role in further advancing their interests and options abroad.

All Russian intelligence services were rather active on Czech territory in 2019. Spies with a strategic and diplomatic cover zeroed in on further advancing Russia's interests and the Kremlin's views, just as boosting Russia's reputation in the Czech Republic. 

"The key difference is that Russia seeks to destabilise and disintegrate its opponents, while China is trying to build a Sinocentric global community wherein other nations acknowledge the legitimacy of China's interests," BIS said. 

The Chinese spies’ agents utilized covers as diplomats, journalists, or scientists and "utilized the receptiveness of the Czech environment to the offer of Chinese investment," BIS said. 

They focused on the tech area, the military, security, infrastructure, the health sector, the economy, and environmental protection and searched for ways to paint a positive portrait of China. 

BIS added that the foreign spies additionally focused on Czech cyberspace with attacks focused on the foreign ministry and diplomatic missions abroad, yet additionally the infrastructure of Czech anti-virus software maker Avast.

It said Russian and Chinese services were behind these attacks, adding that phishing and spear-phishing emails were the most frequently utilized tactic.

Hackers attacked hospitals in the Czech Republic: Russia is suspected


According to the Lidové noviny newspaper, a foreign state may be behind the cyberattacks, and hacker groups from Russia may be involved.

"The organizer is a foreign country. It is beginning to become clear that Russia may be behind this. IP addresses lead there," a high-ranking officer who is part of the team of investigators told the newspaper. His words were confirmed by a member of the Czech Security Council.

Last week, hackers tried to hack into hospital networks in the Czech Republic. According to Health Minister Adam Vojtech, all attacks were repelled, "but other attacks may follow."

Attacks to the Czech Republic, caused during the pandemic, was mentioned in a speech last weekend by US Secretary Mike Pompeo. He warned that such attacks will not go unpunished.

"I highly appreciate the support of the United States and all its allies who are helping to ensure our country's cybersecurity. Cyberattacks on Czech medical institutions during the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic are similar to the behavior of hyenas. I hope our experts will soon find those who are interested in the defeat of the Czech Republic in the fight against infection,” said Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petrsicek, in turn.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Embassy in the Czech Republic said that they condemn cyberattacks on Czech medical institutions, which is especially cynical during pandemics: "Ukraine, which has been facing Russia's war for six years, including the cyberwar, stands in solidarity with its Czech friends and will share its experience in fighting the aggressor."

The Russian Embassy on its Facebook page called the publications "fake news".

"In this regard, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Czech Republic would like to emphasize that parasitising the topic of the coronavirus epidemic ... goes beyond all possible moral and ethical limits."

The Czech Republic again accused Russia of hacker attacks


The representative of the Czech National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) during a report to the Senate Defense and Security Committee stated that hacker attack on the network of the Czech Foreign Ministry in June this year was organized by a foreign state.

NUKIB on Tuesday provided the results of the investigation of a DDoS attack, which reported that the Russian GRU attacked the computer network of the Foreign Ministry. “The GRU and their hacker group APT28 / Sofacy are behind this attack.”

"The Czech Foreign Ministry was again attacked by hackers from the Russian GRU. Therefore, I understand that we are conducting an open hybrid war with Russia. This espionage should not go unanswered", — Chairman of the party "Elders and Independents" Vit Rakushan commented on the situation.

Prime Minister Andrei Babish said that the Czech Foreign Ministry should focus on strengthening the security of its computer network.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek, in turn, said that he had already appealed to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic for additional funding for his Department. The requested funds will be used to implement measures aimed at strengthening cybersecurity. The Minister intends to inform the government about cyber attacks on the Foreign Ministry.

According to Babish, the topic of cyber attacks on the Foreign Ministry will be one of the topics of discussion at the next meeting of the State Security Council. It will take place after August 26, when the holidays of most members of the Cabinet of Ministers will end.

It was previously reported that a criminal case was opened on the fact of a cyber attack on the Foreign Ministry. Hackers didn't manage to steal secret information. They gained access only to a few e-mail boxes of employees of the Ministry, but could not hack the server through which official correspondence is carried out.

Recall that in 2016, the Czech Foreign Ministry was also subjected to hacker attacks. Then the hackers got access to 150 email addresses of employees of the Ministry. The June attack this year led to failures in the internal computer network of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs