Ransomware Research
About Ako
Ako
Ako was first discovered in January 2020 in enterprise cloud environments. Ako is found in environments with a number of different names, including Ako Doxware, MedusaReborn, etc. For a full list of all names, please see below.
| Name | Ako |
|---|---|
| AKA |
|
| First Seen | January 2020 |
Genealogy
To better understand Ako, we can trace it’s origins. Below is a snapshot of Ako’s genealogy.
| MedusaLocker » Ako » Ranzy Locker |
Targeting
Behavior of Ako
Ako is known to target specific file types. Below are all known file types that Ako is known to infect.
In some cases, ransomware will update the modified date, when it encrypts files. Ako updates the last modified date of the file it targets.
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Characteristics of Ako
Here are some of the unique characteristics that are helpful to know about Ako.
Suffixes
Some ransomware will change or append a suffix to the end of the file after they are encrypted, including changing the extension of a file. Here are some of the possible suffixes that Ako ransomware is known to change.
| Suffixes | /.[A-Za-z0-9]{6}$/, .AKO |
|---|
Ransomware Notes
Not all ransomware leaves a note. However, some ransomware leaves the infected party instructions on what the user should do to get rid of the ransomware, or satisfy the ransom. This often involves transferring money, often bitcoin or another cryptocurrency to a designated wallet.
Below are the type(s) of notes, content, and typical locations where Elastio has found ransom notes from Ako.
| Type | file |
|---|---|
| File Name | Ako-ReadMe.txt |
| Location | EveryFolder |
| Type | file |
|---|---|
| File Name | AkoReadMe.txt |
| Location | EveryFolder |
| Type | file |
|---|---|
| File Name | AkoReadMe.html |
| Location | EveryFolder |
Executables
These are the names of the executables that contain the undetonated ransomware payload for Ako.
| Executables | 43657_locker.exe, asu.exe |
|---|
External Pages
Ransomware often links to external pages such as payment pages, telegram contacts, etc. Below are some of the URLs Elastio has found to be associated with Ako.
| External Pages |
|
|---|
How Elastio can help
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