• Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
MUST READ

Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack

 | 

Iranian group Pay2Key.I2P ramps Up ransomware attacks against Israel and US with incentives for affiliates

 | 

Hackers weaponize Shellter red teaming tool to spread infostealers

 | 

Microsoft Patch Tuesday security updates for July 2025 fixed a zero-day

 | 

Italian police arrested a Chinese national suspected of cyberespionage on a U.S. warrant

 | 

U.S. CISA adds MRLG, PHPMailer, Rails Ruby on Rails, and Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

IT Worker arrested for selling access in $100M PIX cyber heist

 | 

New Batavia spyware targets Russian industrial enterprises

 | 

Taiwan flags security risks in popular Chinese apps after official probe

 | 

U.S. CISA adds Google Chromium V8 flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

Hunters International ransomware gang shuts down and offers free decryption keys to all victims

 | 

SECURITY AFFAIRS MALWARE NEWSLETTER ROUND 52

 | 

Security Affairs newsletter Round 531 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

 | 

North Korea-linked threat actors spread macOS NimDoor malware via fake Zoom updates

 | 

Critical Sudo bugs expose major Linux distros to local Root exploits

 | 

Google fined $314M for misusing idle Android users' data

 | 

A flaw in Catwatchful spyware exposed logins of +62,000 users

 | 

China-linked group Houken hit French organizations using zero-days

 | 

Cybercriminals Target Brazil: 248,725 Exposed in CIEE One Data Breach

 | 

Europol shuts down Archetyp Market, longest-running dark web drug marketplace

 | 
  • Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
  • Home
  • Breaking News
  • Cyber Crime
  • Malware
  • Sodinokibi ransomware uses MS API to encrypt open and locked files

Sodinokibi ransomware uses MS API to encrypt open and locked files

Pierluigi Paganini May 11, 2020

Researchers warn of a new feature implemented in the Sodinokibi ransomware, the threat can now encrypt open and locked files.

The Sodinokibi ransomware (REvil) continues to evolve, operators implemented a new feature that allows the malware to encrypt victim’s files, even if they are opened and locked by another process.

Many applications lock files to prevent that they could be modified by two processes at the same time. Opened and locked files could no by encrypted by ransomware without first killing the process that locked the file.

For this reason, most of the ransomware shut down popular applications such as DBMS and mail servers that lock files.

Now experts from cybercrime intelligence firm Intel471, discovered a new variant of the Sodinokibi ransomware, namely version 2.2, that leverages the Windows Restart Manager API to close processes or shut down Windows services that locked a file to encrypt them.

“One of the more interesting new features of REvil version 2.2 is the use of the Windows Restart Manager to terminate processes and services that can lock files targeted for encryption. If a process has an open file handle for a specific file, then writes to that file by another process (in this case, a ransomware) it will be prevented by the Windows operating system (OS).” reads the analysis published by Intel471. “To circumvent this, the REvil developers have implemented a technique using the Windows Restart Manager also used by other ransomware such as SamSam and LockerGoga”

The following portion of the ransomware code show the use of the Windows Restart Manager:

Sodinokibi ransomware lock

Microsoft implemented the Restart Manager API to eliminate or reduce the number of system restarts that are required to complete an installation or update. 

Other ransomware uses the same Microsoft API for the same purpose, including the infamous SamSam and LockerGoga malware.

“The primary reason software updates require a system restart during an installation or update is that some of the files that are being updated are currently being used by a running application or service.” states Microsoft’s API documentation. “The Restart Manager enables all but the critical system services to be shut down and restarted. This frees files that are in use and allows installation operations to complete,”

The popular malware researcher Vitali Kremez noted that the REvil Decryptor v2.2 also leverages the Windows Restart Manager API to shut down any process that could prevent a file being decrypted.

2020-05-08: 🆕👿#REvil #Ransomware Decrypter v2.2
💨Added Process & Service Killer |

Restart Manager Processor via Rstrtmgr.dll
*RmGetList
*RmRegisterResources

h/t @malwrhunterteam pic.twitter.com/2UGb8iVaYa

— Vitali Kremez (@VK_Intel) May 8, 2020

Researchers also shared Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) for the new variant of the ransomware, version 2.2.

Please vote Security Affairs for European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards – VOTE FOR YOUR WINNERS
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8AkYMfAAwJ4JZzYRm8GfsJCDON8q83C9_wu5u10sNAt_CcA/viewform

[adrotate banner=”9″][adrotate banner=”12″]

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – Sodinokibi ransomware, hacking)

[adrotate banner=”5″]

[adrotate banner=”13″]


facebook linkedin twitter

it security it security affairs it security news malware Pierluigi Paganini ransomware Security News Sodinokibi ransomware

you might also like

Pierluigi Paganini July 09, 2025
Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack
Read more
Pierluigi Paganini July 09, 2025
Iranian group Pay2Key.I2P ramps Up ransomware attacks against Israel and US with incentives for affiliates
Read more

leave a comment

newsletter

Subscribe to my email list and stay
up-to-date!

    recent articles

    Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack

    Data Breach / July 09, 2025

    Iranian group Pay2Key.I2P ramps Up ransomware attacks against Israel and US with incentives for affiliates

    Malware / July 09, 2025

    Hackers weaponize Shellter red teaming tool to spread infostealers

    Malware / July 09, 2025

    Microsoft Patch Tuesday security updates for July 2025 fixed a zero-day

    Security / July 08, 2025

    Italian police arrested a Chinese national suspected of cyberespionage on a U.S. warrant

    Intelligence / July 08, 2025

    To contact me write an email to:

    Pierluigi Paganini :
    pierluigi.paganini@securityaffairs.co

    LEARN MORE

    QUICK LINKS

    • Home
    • Cyber Crime
    • Cyber warfare
    • APT
    • Data Breach
    • Deep Web
    • Digital ID
    • Hacking
    • Hacktivism
    • Intelligence
    • Internet of Things
    • Laws and regulations
    • Malware
    • Mobile
    • Reports
    • Security
    • Social Networks
    • Terrorism
    • ICS-SCADA
    • POLICIES
    • Contact me

    Copyright@securityaffairs 2024

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT