FBI Flash: Master Decryption Keys for GandCrab, Versions 5 through 5.2

The FBI has issued a FLASH message advising on the release of a decryption tool applicable for all versions of the GandCrab ransomware. The FBI was part of the effort to make available the decryption tool, and it notes that it hopes the release of the master keys will facilitate development of additional decryption tools. As first reported in the June 4 Security and Resilience Update, the purveyors of GandCrab, which has operated as a “ransomware-as-a-service,” announced they are shutting down the operation as they had made enough money. With the release of this decryptor for the latest versions of GandCrab, the life of the ransomware is officially over and users can now retrieve their files for free. Despite the end of GandCrab, ransomware remains a large threat to organizations, with several high-profile attacks in recent months highlighting the danger.