Prometheus

Prometheus Ransomware: In-Depth Analysis, Detection, and Mitigation

Summary of Prometheus Ransomware

Prometheus ransomware first emerged in February 2021. Prometheus practices double extortion – demanding payment for a decryptor, as well as for the non-release of stolen data.  Prometheus payloads are derived from the Thanos ransomware builder.  Actors behind Prometheus claim to have ties to the REvil ransomware group.

What Does Prometheus Ransomware Target?

Prometheus ransomware targets a wide range of industries including healthcare, finance, government, education and manufacturing.

How Does Prometheus Ransomware Spread?

Prometheus is delivered in multiple ways: through Cobalt Strike or a similar framework, and through email phishing. Additionally, actors behind Prometheus campaigns have been observed gaining initial access through RDP brute-force attacks.

Prometheus Ransomware Technical Details

Prometheus is a Thanos-derived ransomware family. Payloads are based on the Thanos Builder’s output.  Prometheus hosts a TOR -based blog used for publicizing victime data. The Prometheus group is indiscriminate when it comes to targets. They have successfully targeted entities in the government, healthcare, oil and gas spaces, and more. Upon execution, Prometheus attempts to disable (taskkill) multiple services and processes which may interfere with the encryption process. This includes common security tools, backup utilities, and database applications. The malware also attempts to delete shadow copies and takes additional measures to inhibit the recovery process.  There are multiple, 3rd party, decryptor tools for Prometheus ransomware.  Prometheus threat actors have utilized the Sonar tool to facilitate data exfiltration and exchange.

How to Detect Prometheus Ransomware

• The SentinelOne Singularity XDR Platform can identify and stop any malicious activities and items related to Prometheus ransomware.

In case you do not have SentinelOne deployed, detecting ransomware requires a combination of technical and operational measures designed to identify and flag suspicious activity on the network. This allows the organization to take appropriate action, and to prevent or mitigate the impact of the ransomware attack.

To mitigate the risk of this Ransomware without SentinelOne deployed, it is important to take a multi-layered approach, which includes the following steps:

1. Use anti-malware software or other security tools capable of detecting and blocking known ransomware variants. These tools may use signatures, heuristics, or machine learning algorithms, to identify and block suspicious files or activities.
2. Monitor network traffic and look for indicators of compromise, such as unusual network traffic patterns or communication with known command-and-control servers.
3. Conduct regular security audits and assessments to identify network and system vulnerabilities and ensure that all security controls are in place and functioning properly.
4. Educate and train employees on cybersecurity best practices, including identifying and reporting suspicious emails or other threats.
5. Implement a robust backup and recovery plan to ensure that the organization has a copy of its data and can restore it in case of an attack.

How to Mitigate Prometheus Ransomware

• The SentinelOne Singularity XDR Platform can return systems to their original state using either the Repair or Rollback feature.

• Public Decryption Tool(s)
  • https://www.nomoreransom.org/en/decryption-tools.html
  • https://github.com/cycraft-corp/Prometheus-Decryptor (Cycraft)_

In case you do not have SentinelOne deployed, there are several steps that organizations can take to mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks:

1. Educate employees: Employees should be educated on the risks of ransomware, and on how to identify and avoid phishing emails, malicious attachments, and other threats. They should be encouraged to report suspicious emails or attachments, and to avoid opening them, or clicking on links or buttons in them.
2. Implement strong passwords: Organizations should implement strong, unique passwords for all user accounts, and should regularly update and rotate these passwords. Passwords should be at least 8 characters long, and should include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
3. Enable multi-factor authentication: Organizations should enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts, to provide an additional layer of security. This can be done through the use of mobile apps, such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator, or through the use of physical tokens or smart cards.
4. Update and patch systems: Organizations should regularly update and patch their systems, to fix any known vulnerabilities, and to prevent attackers from exploiting them. This includes updating the operating system, applications, and firmware on all devices, as well as disabling any unnecessary or unused services or protocols.

Implement backup and disaster recovery: Organizations should implement regular backup and disaster recovery (BDR) processes, to ensure that they can recover from ransomware attacks, or other disasters. This includes creating regular backups of all data and systems, and storing these backups in a secure, offsite location. The backups should be tested regularly, to ensure that they are working, and that they can be restored quickly and easily.