A safe, educational simulation of how real malware prioritizes and steals sensitive files.
Built for cybersecurity students, defenders, and curious developers – never for malicious purposes.
This script simulates the decision‑making logic behind modern info‑stealers and ransomware.
Instead of actually exfiltrating data, it:
- 🔍 Scans a local test folder (placed next to the script).
- 🏷️ Assigns a priority score to every file based on:
- File extension (e.g.,
.pdf,.docx,.txt). - Location (e.g.,
DesktoporDocuments). - Content keywords (e.g.,
password,api_key,secret). - File size (small files get bonus, huge files get penalty).
- File extension (e.g.,
- 📊 Outputs a sorted JSON report (
priority_report.json) showing which files would be stolen first.
No network calls. No real encryption. No harm.
Just pure logic – perfect for understanding attacker tactics.
- ✅ Kill‑switch – asks for confirmation before running.
- ✅ Extensible – easily add your own keywords, extensions, or scoring rules.
- ✅ Cross‑platform – works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ✅ No third‑party libraries – uses only Python’s standard library.
your-project/
├── target.py # Main script
├── test/ # ⬅️ Target folder (create this)
├── passwords.txt
├── secret.pdf
- Python 3.8 or later installed on your system.
git clone https://github.com/Arad883/RiskRanker.git3️⃣ Set Up the Test Environment
Create a folder named test right next to the script:
mkdir testPlace some sample files inside (text files, PDFs, Word docs, etc.) – these will be scanned and scored.
4️⃣ Run the Scanner
python priority_scanner.pyWhen prompted, type yes to proceed. After completion, open priority_report.json to see the ranked list.
🛡️ Safety First – Important Warnings
This is a simulation, NOT a real malware.
· 🚫 Never use this code on any system you do not own. · ⚖️ Understand that creating or distributing real malware is illegal in most countries. · 🎯 The sole purpose is education and defense awareness – use this knowledge to protect, not to harm.
🧪 Customization Ideas
Want to make it more realistic? Try adding:
· 📦 ZIP archiver – compress the top‑scored files into a single archive. · 📤 Mock exfiltration – move the top files to a hidden subfolder instead of just listing them. · 🧩 Keyword discovery – automatically add new keywords from the files you find. · 📈 Progress bar – use tqdm for a live scanning indicator.
Feel free to fork and experiment – but always stay ethical!
🤝 Contributing
Found a bug or have a cool improvement? Open an issue or submit a pull request. All contributions that keep the tool educational and safe are welcome.
📄 License
This project is licensed under the MIT License – see the LICENSE file for details.
🙏 Acknowledgments
Inspired by real‑world malware analysis and defensive security courses. Special thanks to the open‑source cybersecurity community for promoting safe learning.
Remember:
“The best way to defend is to understand the attacker’s mind – but never become one.” Happy learning! 🛡️