The provided information describes a malware threat identified as Locky ransomware variant active around September 20, 2017. Locky is a well-known ransomware family that encrypts victims' files and demands ransom payments for decryption keys. This particular instance is referenced with an offline affiliation ID 3 and uses a file extension ".ykcol" for encrypted files, which is a reversed form of "locky". The mention of "New voice message..." and a compressed archive file "msg0321.7z" suggests that the infection vector may involve social engineering tactics, such as phishing emails containing malicious attachments disguised as voice messages. The ransomware encrypts user data, rendering it inaccessible without the decryption key, thereby impacting confidentiality and availability of data. The threat level is indicated as 3 (on an unspecified scale), and the severity is rated low by the source, with no known exploits in the wild beyond the malware itself. No specific affected software versions or patches are listed, indicating this is a generic ransomware threat rather than one exploiting a particular vulnerability. The technical details and tags confirm this is a ransomware threat, consistent with Locky's known behavior of encrypting files and demanding ransom.

For European organizations, the impact of Locky ransomware can be significant, especially for entities lacking robust backup and incident response capabilities. The ransomware compromises data availability by encrypting critical files, potentially disrupting business operations, causing financial losses, and damaging reputation. Sectors such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and public administration are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on continuous access to data and services. Although the severity is rated low in this report, the actual impact depends on the infection scale and the organization's preparedness. Locky infections historically have led to costly downtime and ransom payments. Additionally, the social engineering vector (phishing emails with malicious attachments) remains a common attack vector in Europe, where email remains a primary communication channel. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests this is not an active zero-day threat but rather a continuing risk from phishing campaigns distributing ransomware payloads.

European organizations should implement multi-layered defenses against ransomware like Locky. Specific recommendations include: 1) Enhance email security by deploying advanced spam filters and attachment sandboxing to detect and block malicious archives such as .7z files containing ransomware; 2) Conduct regular user awareness training focused on recognizing phishing emails, especially those impersonating voice messages or urgent notifications; 3) Maintain regular, tested offline backups of critical data to enable recovery without paying ransom; 4) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying ransomware behavior patterns early; 5) Implement application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized binaries; 6) Restrict user permissions to limit the ability of ransomware to encrypt network shares; 7) Keep all systems and security software up to date to reduce exposure to other vulnerabilities that could facilitate ransomware delivery; 8) Develop and regularly test incident response plans specific to ransomware scenarios.