Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Mitigate Ransomware "WannaCry"

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Firewalling
    26 Posts 13 Posters 8.6k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • GruensFroeschliG
      GruensFroeschli
      last edited by

      Keep in mind that this killswitch is only valid for earlier version(s) of Wcry.
      At least one currently circulating version doesn't have this killswitch anymore.

      We do what we must, because we can.

      Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        "At least one currently circulating version doesn't have this killswitch anymore."

        That they would include a killswitch in the first place seems odd.. Why would I want to kill something that is meant to make me money ;)

        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GruensFroeschliG
          GruensFroeschli
          last edited by

          Was wondering the same ^^"

          I could imagine that quite some parts of it are copy/paste code…

          We do what we must, because we can.

          Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • jimpJ
            jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
            last edited by

            If they deployed it but they found that it wasn't working like they wanted, they could stop it and make changes before it spread too far and reduced their chances of a bigger payout by going undetected for a longer period. So a kill switch makes sense, but they didn't bother to actually register their killswitch domains, so…

            Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

            Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

            Do not Chat/PM for help!

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • N
              NOYB
              last edited by

              @jimp:

              If they deployed it but they found that it wasn't working like they wanted, they could stop it and make changes before it spread too far and reduced their chances of a bigger payout by going undetected for a longer period. So a kill switch makes sense, but they didn't bother to actually register their killswitch domains, so…

              I was thinking it was their way of preventing a boomerang affect on them and their cohorts.  In which case there would be no need to register the domains.  Just make them available in environments they don't want affected.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                "Just make them available in environments they don't want affected."

                Wouldn't you just make sure places you don't want to be affected are updated against whatever exploit your using.  I guess if you were using an exploit that was not patched ;)  having a way to kill it would be good.  And Jimp makes a good point as well.

                Both very viable answers to reason for killswitch - thanks.

                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • N
                  NOYB
                  last edited by

                  @johnpoz:

                  "Just make them available in environments they don't want affected."

                  Wouldn't you just make sure places you don't want to be affected are updated against whatever exploit your using.  I guess if you were using an exploit that was not patched ;)  having a way to kill it would be good.  And Jimp makes a good point as well.

                  Both very viable answers to reason for killswitch - thanks.

                  In addition to perhaps a not yet patched exploit.  Perhaps the environments not to be affected are vast and not under direct control for patching.  A domain/web site based kill switch could also be used for targeting attack (exclude non targeted environments).  For instance nation states and cyber warfare.

                  Though it could also be just as simple as an oversight to remove test/debug/example code.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • jimpJ
                    jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                    last edited by

                    They could also sell the killswitch to some places for more $$$

                    Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                    Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                    Do not Chat/PM for help!

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • N
                      NOYB
                      last edited by

                      @jimp:

                      They could also sell the killswitch to some places for more $$$

                      Yup, lots of possibilities.

                      What made me think of cyber warfare was a top 20 chart I saw with one particular nation affected way more than any other.  Another thought on cyber warfare could be nation C trying to stoke animosity between nations A and B.

                      General public pawns will probably never know much of any of this.  But it is fun to speculate.

                      Hmmm.  They would only be able to sell the kill switch once.  Then everyone would have it.  Also, why two kill switches?  Seems to me that may indicate targeting.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • N
                        NOYB
                        last edited by

                        The simple reason so many companies were hit by the WannaCry 2.0 ransomware

                        Daniel Howley
                        Technology Editor

                        Yahoo FinanceMay 16, 2017

                        https://finance.yahoo.com/news/simple-reason-many-companies-hit-wannacry-2-0-ransomware-192836300.html

                        Excuses, excuses.  It's their job/responsibility to operate a secure environment.  If they are unable or unwilling to allocate the necessary resources to accomplish that then it is their fault, and stupidity for taking the associated risk without being prepared to deal with the possible consequences.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Z
                          zoro_2009
                          last edited by

                          <interrup>Whats a killswitch ?</interrup>

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • jimpJ
                            jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                            last edited by

                            @zoro_2009:

                            <interrup>Whats a killswitch ?</interrup>

                            It's a condition that, if met, causes a program to stop executing.

                            In this case, the malware checks to see if one of the domains is live (attempts an HTTP connection to it). If this succeeds, then it does not attempt to spread itself further.

                            So by making sure the malware can access these "killswitch" domains, you effectively stop it from infecting more machines, giving you more time to get your systems patched/configured/etc to properly prevent them from being exploited, and to clean up existing infections.

                            Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                            Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                            Do not Chat/PM for help!

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • F
                              fredfox_uk
                              last edited by

                              For a really good explanation of the killswitch take a read of this https://www.malwaretech.com/2017/05/how-to-accidentally-stop-a-global-cyber-attacks.html

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Z
                                zoro_2009
                                last edited by

                                thanks

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • M
                                  Mr. Jingles
                                  last edited by

                                  @jimp:

                                  It does not require any specific response, only that it can make an HTTP request to those domains.

                                  []
                                  DO NOT BLOCK THESE DOMAINS, blocking solves nothing. It is not a C&C server, but a killswitch.

                                  Dear Jim,

                                  Could I ask why blocking the domain doesn't solve anything? In my humble view of the world, if it can't connect to it because it's blocked, it can't make a HTTP request?

                                  Thank you :)

                                  6 and a half billion people know that they are stupid, agressive, lower life forms.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • DerelictD
                                    Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                                    last edited by

                                    How about you read jimp's post again.

                                    Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                                    A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                                    DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                                    Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • M
                                      mrgoogleip
                                      last edited by

                                      I know some people that pay bitcoins for his information  :'(

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • johnpozJ
                                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                        last edited by

                                        Exactly - pay attention to this part

                                        " It is not a C&C server, but a killswitch."

                                        This is why do not block the domain… But bring the domains online and let it make a http connection.

                                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • First post
                                          Last post
                                        Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.