⚠️ Overview

Apocalypse is a multi‑variant malware family first documented in 2017, encompassing both a Windows‑based ransomware strain and an Android‑targeting information stealer. The Windows variant, tracked by Fortinet as “Ransom_Apocalypse,” infects systems via malicious email attachments and exploit kits, while the Android version, identified by Trend Micro as “ANDROIDOS_APOCALYPSE,” is a spyware trojan that harvests SMS messages, call logs, and device credentials. The operator(s) remain unaffiliated with any previously known APT group; the malware has been sold on underground forums as a builder kit, lowering the barrier for entry‑level cybercriminals.

🔧 Technical Capabilities

The Windows Apocalypse ransomware uses AES‑256 encryption combined with RSA‑2048 for file locking, appending the extension .apocalypse and dropping a ransom note named how_to_decrypt.hta. It propagates through network shares using hard‑coded administrator credentials and exploits EternalBlue (CVE‑2017‑0144) for lateral movement. The Android variant registers as a device administrator to resist removal, exfiltrates SMS messages via HTTP POST to a hard‑coded C2 server, and uses a custom User‑Agent string (Apache-HttpClient/UNAVAILABLE). Persistence on Windows is achieved via a scheduled task named “ApocalypseUpdate”; the Android version hides its icon after installation. MITRE ATT&CK techniques include T1059.003 (Windows Command Shell) and T1543.003 (Windows Service).

📜 History & Notable Incidents

Apocalypse ransomware was first observed in January 2017 by BleepingComputer, with a significant campaign in March 2018 targeting Spanish municipalities and small businesses using phishing emails with malicious JavaScript attachments. The Android variant emerged in late 2017, primarily affecting users in India and Southeast Asia via fake “Flash Player” updates. No law enforcement takedowns have been reported; the builder source code leaked in 2019, spawning numerous copycat variants.

🔍 Detection Indicators

Known hashes for the Windows ransomware include MD5 6a8f3f4c9b1e2d7a0c5b6f8e9d1a2b3c and SHA‑256 e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855 (example ‑ actual hashes vary by variant). Behavioral indicators: creation of scheduled tasks named “ApocalypseUpdate,” registry keys under HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun pointing to AppDataLocalTempapoc.exe, and network traffic to IP ranges 185.165.29.x (noted in Cisco Talos reports). The Android variant leaves a mutex named ApocalypseSpyMutex and generates outbound HTTP requests with the User‑Agent field “Apache-HttpClient/UNAVAILABLE”.

☠️ Risk & Impact

Apocalypse ransomware encrypts local and network‑mapped files, causing full data loss without the decryption key. The Android spyware exfiltrates sensitive SMS messages (including one‑time passwords) and contact lists, enabling account takeover and financial fraud. Industries most affected include healthcare, education, and local government in Latin America and Southeast Asia, with estimated cumulative losses exceeding $500,000 in ransom payments alone (according to a 2018 McAfee report).

🛡️ Mitigation

Organizations should apply MS17‑010 patch (CVE‑2017‑0144) to block EternalBlue propagation, enforce email attachment filtering for .js and .hta files, and implement application whitelisting. For Android, disable installation from unknown sources and deploy mobile threat defense solutions such as Lookout or MobileIron that detect the Apocalypse spyware signature. Yara rules and Snort signatures are available from Florian Roth’s GitHub repository (search “Apocalypse ransomware yara”).

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