The threat described is a variant of the Locky ransomware, identified around September 11, 2017. Locky ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts victims' files and demands a ransom payment for the decryption key. This particular variant is associated with the identifier "M2M - Locky 2017-09-11/11" and includes a component or file extension ".lukitus". The campaign appears to use social engineering tactics by masquerading as a legitimate email from "Bankwest" with a subject line indicating a new eStatement, directing victims to a "/statement.html" link. This lure aims to trick users into opening malicious attachments or links that trigger the ransomware infection. Although no specific affected software versions are listed, the threat is categorized as malware and ransomware, with a low severity rating at the time of reporting. There are no known exploits in the wild beyond the ransomware's typical infection vectors, which commonly include phishing emails and malicious attachments. The technical details indicate a moderate threat level (3 out of an unspecified scale) and limited analysis information. The absence of CWE identifiers and patch links suggests this is a malware campaign rather than a software vulnerability. Locky ransomware historically encrypts a wide range of file types, causing data loss and operational disruption until ransom demands are met or backups are restored.

For European organizations, the impact of this Locky ransomware variant can be significant despite the initial low severity rating. Ransomware infections can lead to the encryption of critical business data, resulting in operational downtime, financial losses due to ransom payments or recovery costs, and potential reputational damage. Sectors such as banking, healthcare, and public services are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on timely access to data and the sensitivity of their information. The use of a banking-themed phishing lure (Bankwest eStatement) indicates targeting of financial sector employees or customers, which could lead to breaches of financial data confidentiality and integrity. Even if the ransomware variant itself is not highly sophisticated, the social engineering aspect increases the risk of successful infection. European organizations with inadequate email filtering, user awareness training, or endpoint protection may be more susceptible. Additionally, the presence of ransomware can trigger regulatory concerns under GDPR if personal data is affected, potentially leading to legal and compliance consequences.

To mitigate this threat effectively, European organizations should implement targeted measures beyond generic advice: 1) Enhance email security by deploying advanced phishing detection solutions that analyze email content and URLs for banking-themed lures and suspicious attachments. 2) Conduct regular, scenario-based user awareness training focusing on recognizing phishing emails that impersonate financial institutions and the risks of opening unexpected attachments or links. 3) Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect and block ransomware behaviors such as mass file encryption and creation of ransom notes with unusual extensions like ".lukitus". 4) Maintain and regularly test offline, immutable backups to ensure rapid recovery without paying ransom. 5) Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound connections or communications with known ransomware command and control servers. 6) Apply strict access controls and network segmentation to limit ransomware spread if an infection occurs. 7) Collaborate with financial institutions to verify legitimacy of eStatements and educate employees about official communication channels. These focused steps help reduce the risk of infection and improve incident response capabilities.