Decryption-Facilitation Code for Ransomware Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ransomware encryption poses significant challenges due to strong encryption algorithms, making it difficult to recover encrypted files without paying the ransom, and traditional security systems often fail to detect ransomware until files are already encrypted.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that identifies untrusted applications using known cryptographic functions, hooks these functions to execute decryption-facilitation code, detects encrypted data, and recovers unencrypted data using a decryption technique that reduces the difficulty of decryption, such as by supplying or capturing keys or reducing randomness in encryption processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional security systems are used to detect ransomware, then the system is simple and easy to implement, but the detection capability is insufficient and files are encrypted before detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by hooking cryptographic functions before ransomware can encrypt files. The decryption-facilitation code is installed and activated in advance, capturing encryption keys and reducing key space randomness before the harmful encryption process begins, enabling detection and prevention capabilities to be established proactively rather than reactively
2Strength
If strong encryption algorithms are used by ransomware, then the encryption strength is high and security is improved, but the difficulty of decryption without the key becomes exponentially difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary decryption-facilitation code that acts as a mediator between the ransomware encryption process and the decryption process. This intermediary captures encryption keys, reduces key space randomness, and stores decryption information, creating a bridge that allows decryption without requiring brute-force breaking of the strong encryption algorithm itself
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful strong encryption into a benefit by capturing the encryption keys and reducing the key space during the encryption process itself. The same cryptographic functions that create strong encryption are leveraged to facilitate decryption, turning the ransomware's own encryption mechanism into a tool for recovery
3Productivity
If ransomware encrypts files quickly, then the encryption speed is high and productivity is maintained, but the time available for detection and prevention is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the hooked cryptographic functions and decryption-facilitation code throughout the entire encryption process. Rather than performing discrete detection actions, the system continuously monitors and captures encryption operations as they occur, ensuring that decryption capability is maintained without interruption regardless of encryption speed
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed computer-implemented method for recovering encrypted information may include (i) identifying an untrusted application that uses a known cryptographic function, (ii) hooking the known cryptographic function used by the untrusted application to execute decryption-facilitation code when the untrusted application attempts to encrypt data, where the decryption-facilitation code reduces the difficulty of later decrypting data encrypted by the untrusted application, (iii) detecting encrypted data produced by the untrusted application, and (iv) recovering unencrypted data from the encrypted data produced by the untrusted application using a decryption technique facilitated by having executed the decryption-facilitation code that reduced the difficulty of later decrypting the encrypted data encrypted by the untrusted application. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.