{
  "family": "paradise",
  "sample_count": 4,
  "category": "ransomware",
  "description": "Ransom:Win32/Paradise is a prolific crypto-ransomware family operating under a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. It allows affiliates to distribute the malware while the core developers maintain the payment portals and decryption infrastructure. It is characterized by appending the `.paradise` (or similar variations) extension to encrypted files and dropping an HTML ransom note.<br><br><b>Understanding Paradise (Ransomware-as-a-Service)</b><br>To an end-user, Paradise represents a catastrophic loss of access to all personal and business files. For an enterprise, an infection often indicates a broader failure in email filtering (as it is heavily distributed via malspam) or a failure to secure remote access points. Because it operates as a RaaS, the initial access techniques can vary wildly depending on which affiliate is conducting the attack.<br><br><b>Execution and Extortion Mechanics</b><br>Paradise is frequently delivered via spear-phishing campaigns containing malicious IQY (Internet Query) files, macros, or `.js` scripts that download the payload (`T1566.001`). Upon execution, Paradise often attempts to disable antivirus software and services related to SQL databases or Exchange servers to ensure those files are unlocked for encryption (`T1489`). It achieves persistence via Registry Run keys (`T1547.001`). Before encrypting, it executes commands to delete Volume Shadow Copies (`vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet`) (`T1490`). It uses strong encryption (often RSA-1024 or Salsa20) (`T1486`), iterating through local drives and network shares, explicitly targeting high-value data files while avoiding critical Windows system files to keep the OS bootable so the victim can view the ransom note.<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The impact is severe data encryption and operational downtime. Host-based IoCs include files renamed with the `__{ID}_{Email}.paradise` format, EDR alerts for `vssadmin.exe` execution, and the sudden termination of database processes. The presence of the ransom note (often `Instructions with your files.txt` or `.html`) on the desktop is a definitive indicator.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1486",
    "T1489",
    "T1490",
    "T1566.001"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1486",
      "name": "Data Encrypted for Impact",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1490",
      "name": "Inhibit System Recovery (Deleting Shadow Copies)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1489",
      "name": "Service Stop (Stopping databases to encrypt them)",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1566.001",
      "name": "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Immediately sever the network connection of the infected endpoint to prevent the ransomware from traversing SMB shares and encrypting network drives.",
    "Identify the initial delivery vector (e.g., a specific phishing email) and purge similar emails from all corporate inboxes.",
    "Do NOT reboot the infected machine if possible; capture a live memory image (RAM dump). Some older variants of Paradise had cryptographic flaws where keys could be recovered.",
    "Initiate recovery procedures from isolated, offline backups."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not pay the ransom without exhausting all other options; funding RaaS operations encourages further attacks, and affiliates often fail to provide working decryptors.",
    "Avoid reconnecting restored servers to the network until the initial vulnerability (e.g., lack of MFA on RDP or poor email filtering) is resolved."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}