The provided information pertains to a malware threat identified as "Locky" ransomware, specifically a sample or variant dated November 9, 2017. Locky is a well-known ransomware family that encrypts victims' files and demands ransom payments for decryption keys. The description references an offline sample with an identifier "Affid=3" and a file named "ABY001234.doc" associated with the "Documents" folder, suggesting that the malware targets document files for encryption. Locky ransomware typically spreads via malicious email attachments or compromised websites, encrypting a wide range of file types and appending unique extensions to encrypted files. The sample is tagged with "tlp:white" indicating low sensitivity of the information, and the severity is marked as low. No affected product versions or patches are listed, and no known exploits in the wild are reported for this specific sample. The threat level is indicated as 3 (on an unspecified scale), and the analysis level is 1, suggesting limited technical detail is available. Overall, this entry documents a known ransomware strain with low immediate threat impact based on the provided metadata, but Locky historically has been a significant ransomware threat due to its widespread infection and file encryption capabilities.

For European organizations, Locky ransomware poses a risk primarily through the encryption of critical business documents and data, potentially leading to operational disruption, data loss, and financial costs related to ransom payments or recovery efforts. Although this specific sample is marked with low severity and no active exploits in the wild, the broader Locky ransomware family has caused significant incidents globally, including in Europe. The impact includes loss of data confidentiality and availability, as encrypted files become inaccessible without the decryption key. Organizations in sectors with high reliance on document integrity and availability, such as finance, healthcare, and public administration, could face operational and reputational damage if infected. The low severity and offline status of this sample suggest limited immediate threat, but the presence of Locky variants in the threat landscape necessitates vigilance.

To mitigate Locky ransomware threats, European organizations should implement targeted measures beyond generic advice: 1) Employ advanced email filtering and attachment sandboxing to detect and block malicious documents, especially those with suspicious extensions or macros. 2) Enforce strict macro policies in office applications, disabling macros by default and allowing only digitally signed macros from trusted sources. 3) Maintain comprehensive, immutable backups of critical data with offline or air-gapped storage to enable recovery without paying ransom. 4) Conduct regular user awareness training focused on phishing and social engineering tactics used to deliver ransomware. 5) Utilize endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying ransomware behaviors such as rapid file encryption and unusual file extension changes. 6) Apply network segmentation to limit lateral movement if an infection occurs. 7) Monitor threat intelligence feeds for emerging Locky variants and Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) to update defenses promptly.