STOP ransomware is using adware installers disguised as cracks as a new method of distributing itself to unsuspecting users.
According to Bleeping Computer creator and owner Lawrence Abrams, websites known for distributing software cracks, or software which has been modified to remove or disable certain features, commonly use adware bundles to generate revenue. These bundles generally push out unwanted programs and cryptocurrency miners, he notes. It’s less common for them to include ransomware.
Even so, Abrams explains in a blog post that STOP ransomware has used this exact means of distribution to become one of the most prolific families he’s seen in some time: