Researchers unleash free decryption tool for all version of GandCrab ransomware

• It is estimated that over 1.5 million Windows users have been infected by the ransomware since it first emerged in January 2018.
• The key works for all the versions of ransomware - from 5.0 through 5.2.

Good news for the victims of GandCrab ransomware. A decryption tool that allows victims to unlock files encrypted by the ransomware has been released recently. The key works for all the versions of ransomware - from 5.0 through 5.2.

The big picture

Cybersecurity firm Bitdefender in partnership with Europol, DIICOT, FBI and the Metropolitan Police has released a free decryptor for the GandCrab ransomware. The tool is available for download on both Bitdefender Labs and the No More Ransom project.

"We can safely assume that 5.2 will be the last ransomware version ever from the GandCrab team", Bogdan Botezatu, director of threat research and reporting at Bitdefender, told ZDNet.

The new decryption key has been issued shortly after the creators of the ransomware announced that they plan to retire. The creators had cited that they had earned hundreds of millions from the malware.

It is estimated that over 1.5 million Windows users have been infected by the ransomware since it first emerged in January 2018.

Worth noting

Several free decryption tools have been released to beat the infamous GandCrab ransomware over the past 18 months. These tools have helped over 30,000 victims in unlocking their files while preventing more than $50 million being paid to the attackers.

The bottom line

To avoid falling prey to ransomware attacks, researchers recommend users to patch all software applications with the latest versions. It is also advised that organizations should back up their data frequently so that if a ransomware infection does occur, the network can be restored from a recent backup.