Zepto Ransomware Spreads Through Emails with .docm Attachments

A .docm file attached to the message from any sender shall undergo extra verification. You may believe the document comes from the entity that you know too well to expect any fraud. Please note the hackers nowadays often resort to targeted attacks using viruses hidden in .docm files.

.docm file attachment with ransomware

Targeted attacks imply they learn extra details on the potential victims. For instance, they may compromise some old account. People often abandon even the basic security measures. They may log in from a public machine and does not sign out as they leave. The crooks thus may access their account and derive the list of contacts. They may immediately circulate the infected email to all the contacts from the address book. Hence, if you believe you know the sender, beware of the hackers compromising the accounts.

A .docm file as such is not a virus. Microsoft introduced this format back in 2007. It refers to the Word document with macros embedded. Initially, the macro runs by default. The macro enables the user to perform some tasks in MS Word automatically.

The hackers immediately learned that. They released a number of malicious macros. Their execution typically dropped some viral or otherwise malicious script. Hence Microsoft promptly updated DOCM settings to prevent automatic execution of the macros.

The format still remains one of the main infection vectors for critical threats such as ransomware. The propagation of Locky extortion Trojan leverages .docm file vulnerabilities. Its latest modification called Zepto also resorts to the macros based introduction.

The schemes push the user to open the email attachment, which seems to come from a trusted source. That does not lead to immediate invasion. A victim still needs to extract the files. A Word document does not run the malicious script automatically. As the user sees some badly encrypted set of digits, the macro prompts for activation. It pretends to transform the data into a readable format. Instead, the ransomware installation begins in the background.

Docm file virus refers to a range of infections, among which there are ransomware, banking Trojans, adware. This propagation method features threats of extra severity. Avoid opening contents marked .docm and running the macros without additional security verification.

Automatic removal of .Docm ransomware

The benefits of using the automatic security suite to get rid of this infection are obvious: it scans the entire system and detects all potential fragments of the virus, so you are a few mouse clicks away from a complete fix.

  1. Download and install recommended malware security suite
  2. Select Start Computer Scan feature and wait until the utility comes up with the scan report. Proceed by clicking on the Fix Threats button, which will trigger a thorough removal process to address all the malware issues compromising your computer and your privacy.

Unlock .Docm encrypted files files

.Docm represents a unique category of malicious software whose attack surface reaches beyond the operating system and its components, which is why removing the virus itself is a part of the fix only. As it has been mentioned, it encrypts one’s personal information, so the next phase of the overall remediation presupposes reinstating the files that will otherwise remain inaccessible.

  • Launch data recovery software

    Similarly to the rest of its fellow-infections, .Docm most likely follows an operational algorithm where it erases the original versions of the victim’s files and actually encrypts their copies. This peculiarity might make your day, because forensics-focused applications like Data Recovery Pro are capable of restoring the information that has been removed. As the virus further evolves, its modus operandi may be altered – in the meanwhile, go ahead and try this.

  • Take advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service

    This technique is based on using the native backup functionality that’s shipped with Windows operating system. Also referred to as Volume Snapshot Service (VSS), this feature makes regular backups of the user’s files and keeps their most recent versions as long as System Restore is on. Zepto virus hasn’t been found to affect these copies therefore the restoration vector in question is strongly recommended. The two sub-sections below highlight the automatic and manual workflow.

  • a) Use Shadow Explorer

    Shadow Explorer is an applet that provides an easy way of retrieving previous versions of files and folders. Its pro’s include an intuitive interface where the computer’s entire file hierarchy is displayed within one window. Just pick the hard disk volume, select the object or directory to be restored, right-click on it and choose Export. Follow the app’s prompts to get the job done.Shadow Explorer

  • b) Use file properties

    Essentially, what the above-mentioned Shadow Explorer tool does is it automates the process that can otherwise be performed manually via the Properties dialog for individual files. This particular approach is more cumbrous but just as effective as its software-based counterpart, so you can proceed by right-clicking on a specific file, which has been encrypted by .crypt ransomware, and selecting Properties in the context menu. The tab named Previous Versions is the next thing to click – it displays available versions of the file by date of the snapshot creation. Pick the latest copy and complete the retrieval by following the prompts.Previous Versions

  • Data backups work wonders

    Ransomware like .Docm isn’t nearly as almighty and destructive in case you run regular file backups to the cloud or external data media. The virus itself can be completely removed in a matter of minutes, and the distorted information can then be just as easily recovered from the backup. Luckily, this is a growing trend, so ransom Trojans are hopefully going to become less subversive in the near future.

Verify thoroughness of the removal

Having carried out the instructions above, add a finishing touch to the security procedure by running an additional computer scan to check for residual malware activity

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