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vxCrypter Ransomware not only encrypts your computer, it also deletes duplicate files.  According to Lawrence Abrams, creator and owner of BleepingComputer, the vxCrypter Ransomware could be “the first ransomware infection that not only encrypts a victim's data, but also tidy's up their computer by deleting duplicate files.” vxCrypter is based on an older ransomware called vxLock that never saw fruition. At first, Abrams believed the duplicate file deletions to be a bug in the encryption code.  Collaboration with Michael Gillespie, a ransomware researcher at BleepingComputer, the file deletions were deliberate and targets a multitude of file extensions including: .txt .doc .docx .xls .xlsx .ppt .pptx .sqlite .odt .jpg .jpeg .bmp .gif .png .csv .sql .mdb .sln .php .asp .aspx .html .xml .psd .xsd .cpp .c .h .hpp .htm .py .reg .rb .pl .zip .rar .tgz .key .jsp .db .sqlite3 .sqlitedb .bat .bak .7z .avi .fla .flv .java .mpeg .pem .wmv .tar .tgz .tif .tif It leaves duplicates for other files such as .exe or .dll. Though the exact reason behind the deletion process is unknown, it may increase the efficacy and tempo of the virus encryption process.
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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent 20+ years professionally at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential issued by the Cyber AB and leads Petronella as a CMMC-AB Registered Provider Organization (RPO #1449). Craig is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE) and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. He also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served hundreds of regulated SMB clients across NC and the southeast since 2002, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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