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GoodWill Ransomware: Malicious Software With Good Intentions

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- Updated: 25th May 2022, 08:54 IST
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    What does the GoodWill ransomware do?

As with earlier ransomware, this new one causes headaches for its victims in India, reports claim. This ransomware, on the other hand, has a more altruistic motive. According to digital risk management company CloudSEK, the GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate clothing to the homeless. It provides money to those who can’t afford medical care, and feed children at pizza parlours. ‘GoodWill ransomware,’ according to the firm, may cause data loss, both temporary and permanent.

Researchers from CloudSEK discovered GoodWill malware in March 2022. In a report, ClouSEK said that the company’s activities aim to promote social fairness rather than traditional commercial motives.

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What does the GoodWill ransomware do?

GoodWill ransomware

As soon as the GoodWill ransomware activates, it locks up the victim’s data and prevents them from accessing it without a decryption key. Apparently, in return for the decryption key, the actors demand that their victims do three social actions.

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To name just a few, you could take five less fortunate children to a local Domino’s or KFC for a treat, record the experience and share it on social media, donate new clothes to the homeless, record the event and share it on social media, and offer financial support to those in need of immediate medical attention (but cannot afford it) by bringing them to a nearby hospital.

It then encourages victims to post on social media about “how you turned yourself into a compassionate human being by being the victim of a ransomware called GoodWill” if the tasks are completed. Next, the ransomware operators check the media files and social media postings that the victims have posted.

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The report stated that they then provide a comprehensive decryption kit that includes the primary decryption program, password file, and a video lesson on how to retrieve all crucial data.



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Highlights of the Story

  • GoodWill ransomware encourages victims to support anybody who needs urgent medical care and provide clothing and pizza to youngsters.
  • GoodWill ransomware encrypts documents, photographs, movies, databases, and other vital items.
  • Ransomware operators evaluate victims’ media files and then distribute a decryption kit.