Did Play ransomware infect your network? If so, it may be an emergency, but don’t panic. We are here to provide you with all the resources you need about Play decryption, recovery, removal and statistics. Go through our detailed ransomware recovery process or get a FREE quote now.
Don’t wait before it causes more damage to your network.
Play Ransomware are Trojans that encrypt your entire network or specific machines of value. Upon notice of an attack, you are then given instructions of paying a specific amount in ransom to decrypt your files.
First identified circa 22nd June, 2022, the gang behind this virus had similar TTPs to Hive and Nokayawa ransomware families, which deploys Ransomware-as-service model to distribute exploit kits, attack unprotected RDP servers, and install backdoor payloads.
Compared to other ransomware variants, the ransom amounts demanded by Play attackers can vary largely. The cyber criminals use a dark web browser known as TOR to automate their operations and manage affiliates.
But that doesn’t mean that these hackers do not have the gumption to demand a hefty extortion amount based on organizational size. The average Play ransom amount is somewhere between $250,000–$2,000,000, with some victims reporting demands well into the millions of dollars. But it isn’t limited to the ransom demand.
Victims are faced with unexpected costs in buying and transferring bitcoins, mostly the 10% exchange fees applying to the quick buy methods of Paypal and/or Credit Cards. Along with potential threats to have their personal and business information leaked or sold on the internet if demands are not met.
The Play ransomware downtime is a relatively shorter than normal ransomware attacks, since most attackers use automated TOR sites to expedite the process.
Depending on your company size and how often you use IT-systems in your daily business, this is the most expensive part of this incident. Additional to the unavailability of your IT-systems, this is damaging your company reputation.
You need to get your systems back up and hit the ground running as soon as possible. We’ll ensure minimum downtime once you let experts like BeforeCrypt to manage your situation and recover data.
There is a high chance to get a working Play decryptor after paying the attackers. This is because they use an automated process to accept payments and deliver the decryption tool. But there’s never a guarantee to get a working decryption key at all.
Most of the victims have reported getting a decryption key successfully on getting their data in original form.
Unsecured Remote Desktop Protocols, phishing emails and executing malicious files. These are the primary reasons of how Play infects and encrypts your system.
| PLAY RANSOMWARE SUMMARY | |
|---|---|
| Name | Play Virus - Play Ransomware |
| Danger level | Very High. Advanced Ransomware which makes system changes and encrypts files |
| Release date | June 22nd, 2022 |
| OS affected | Microsoft Windows |
| Appended file extensions | ".PLAY" |
| Ransom note | "ReadMe.txt" |
| Contact email address | TOR chat site and custom email addresses |
This is an average Play ransomware TOR site.
Almost always, there is a * .txt file in every folder that has been encrypted. The text file usually has the name “ReadMe.txt” and contains all the necessary information to contact the Play Ransomware attackers to get your data back. It’s usually safe to open this file, just be sure the full file extension is *.txt.
The only way to know precisely how much ransomware response will cost is to contact us for a free consultation.
Ransomware response cost varies according to the type of attack, how much data is affected, the number of computers infected, and your local environment (computer performance, servers, operating systems). The response includes removal of the ransomware, negotiations with attackers and transferring payment if necessary, restoring data, patching the vulnerability that led to the attack, and preparing all documentation for legal compliance and insurance claims. The course of action our clients choose also affects the overall cost.
The minimum cost for small companies generally starts around several thousand euros, including the cost of the ransom. However, if at all possible, we strongly recommend avoiding paying the attackers. Paying the attackers encourages them to harm more people. However, if it is not economically feasible, we handle fully legally compliant payments to attackers. The overall expense depends a lot on the ransom amount demanded, and how successful negotiations are. We maintain a database on ransomware gangs to negotiate more effectively. In some cases, negotiations can result in a significant reduction in the ransom payment.
We have a greater than 98% success rate.
In the case of most of our clients who have cyber insurance, their coverage pays the cost of our services, as well as the ransom, if necessary.
If you can afford it, having staff or hiring a dedicated service to monitor network traffic can also help to detect unusual activity and prevent ransomware attacks. Ransomware attackers usually do a lot of surveillance on a network before attempting a hack. This “reconnaissance” phase has certain tell-tale signs. If you can catch these early, it’s possible to detect the attacker early and deny them access to the network.
If you get hit by ransomware, a professional ransomware recovery service can help to identify and patch security gaps.
BeforeCrypt is founded, established, licensed and registered in Germany as an GmbH business with worldwide operations. We have a full-time team of staff, contractors and cybersecurity consultants ready to work with you round the clock.
Although based in Germany, our support is available 24/7 and in 20 languages. You can use our contact form here to submit a ransomware ticket.
We are always happy to assist our clients and get them back up and running in minimal time as possible.
In emergencies, we can start with the ransomware data recovery immediately. Since our support team operates 24/7, we can reduce your downtime to a minimum by working non-stop to recover your data.
