‘Patcher’ a new ransomware family has been discovered that targets MacOs users. Antivirus company ESET has just discovered the new MacOS ransomware that is dangerous and bad news in general. A badly coded ransomware is being spread through torrents and other piracy websites. It was found on BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer distribution site.
Next time when you download Adobe Premiere Pro and Microsoft Office for Mac from BitTorrent or other torrent download website make sure you are giving an open invitation to this ransomware. Currently, being distributed as a cracked or pirated version of popular software, Patcher brings a bad news to the end users.
Patcher Ransomware for Mac
Patcher is poorly coded ransomware as per ESET security researchers. It does not communicate with author nor sends any decryption key to the author. Upon activation, it asks for 0.25 Bitcoin as a ransom. However, the really story starts here. Since the author do not know decryption key, there is no way you can decrypt the file.
You would not only end up paying a ransom to the author but also end up not being able to decrypt any file. The patcher disguise itself as a patching or cracking module in popular software.Disguised as an executable patching file, upon running it will display an image with no background.
Patcher Encryption
When you click on “Start” button, the encryption process begins encrypting all your files. It uses long 25 characters encryption key that it uses in the process. Since it lacks the ability to communicate with the author, the author does not have any clue about the decryption key that needs to decrypt file.
The worst part is that since the encryption is 25 characters long, it is almost impossible for any brute force software to guess the key. It could take years to decrypt it making it next to impossible to decrypt it. It adds .crypt extension at the end of the file. Upon activation, it locks each and every file one by one with same encryption key. Moreover, it also locks /Users and /Volumes network storage drives.
Like with all the ransomware, there is a READM!.txt file created for the end users with the necessary instruction to decrypt the file. It essentially contains bitcoin address and ransom amount you need to pay. Paying ransom will not bring back your files.
Hopefully, the post will make everyone aware of this worst situation. This is a worst case scenario where you as a sufferer pay amount and still do not get back your files. Such act should be condemned and should not be supported. Having said, MacOS ransomware is emerging and it is likely to increase this year.
Downloading pirated software is a bad practice. Users should be extra careful when downloading pirated software especially from the unknown source or channels. It is highly recommended that you take offline backup of all your important data. Taking a backup on external disk is highly recommended.
Cerber has slowly becoming famous. As of writing this, Cerber version 5 is already out in the wild. The new iteration of ransomware RANSOM_CERBER.F117AK has left the security products untouched. It has baffled security researcher. Moreover, this looks more like a challenge to antivirus and firewall company as cerber could encrypt files right under their nose.
Trend Micro research team has already mentioned about it. The new version mocks all security software by not touching its file and snooping around the system files. It encrypts all the files without touching the security software folder. Much to despise of anti malware and antivirus software, cerber ransomware decrypts all the possible extension and deletes shadow copy to make recovery impossible.
While there is no other information available, it seems that Cerber ransomware author are much more active than before. They keep improving their ransomware to cope up with all the latest patches. It is well known how quickly Cerber 3x patch was quickly patched by the creator.
As of writing this article, Cerber is now in v5. The above code (mentioned in the screenshot) shows how it does not touch Firewall, antispyware and antivirus product. There is no solution available to this ransomware. As per the report over 50% of users end up paying the ransom due to sensitivity of the data. Cerber is a big headache as it pardons no one. Since there is no solution available to decrypt the files for free, users end up paying ransom.
However, the good thing about them is that they are pretty quick in responding to user’s query. Victim can send them email or chat with them. Trend Micro and other researchers says that this is useless and Cerber do not encrypt exe, dll files and other applications in program files folder.
In case, if there is any solution made available to Cerber, we will let you know. Since it sends encryption key to the author, it makes pretty much difficult to trap it. Are you the victim of Cerber ransomware?
Cerber was first noticed in 1st quarter of 2016 and since then, it spread rapidly within no time with the help of Ransomware-as-a-Service [Raas]. Recently, Microsoft reported that Cerber is on the top position in Ransomware families infecting more than thousands of systems around the world every day!
And it seems like Cerber isn’t going to stop any more as Nemucod Ransomware-as-a-service appears to be yet another RaaS to distribute Cerber freshly! According to Cyren blog, it might be the newer version of Cerber or it might be freshly released by using Raas. Nemucod is a popular malware distribution tool which has already been used in the past to distribute ransomwares.
Nemucod Ransomware-as-a-service for Cerber Distribution
There are various ways through which the Ransomware is distributed around the world! Nemucod seems to be the best way for Cerber Ransomware as it’s a well known malware distribution tool. Once the user installs the exe file of Cerber, here’s what the note appears on the victims PC.
According to Cyren blog, “The attack is based primarily on email messages with zipped JavaScript attachments with filenames conforming to “DOC{10 digit}-PDF.js” and various invoice-related subjects.”
Two major variants of Nemucod were detected by Cyren in their research which are JS/Nemucod.GE!Eldorado and JS/Nemucod.ED1!Eldorado. It is also said that Nemucod is also responsible to distribute the 2nd most dangerous ransomware, Locky!
JS/Nemucod.GE!Eldorado code is detected as shown in the below given image.
JS/Nemucod.ED1!Eldorado code that affects your system are as shown below.
By this, it’s quite clear that Nemucod Ransomware-as-a-service is going to be dangerous if it outbreaks fresh Cerber ransomware around the world. It’s difficult to say up to what extent this RaaS is going to continue but if it continues for even 1 or 2 months, Cerber might top the charts in Ransomware family for ever!
We will keep you updated as more details come in! Till then, keep an eye on Ransomware section and do spread the word on Facebook & Twitter!
With the technology pacing with rapid acceleration, the threats are equally growing at the same rate as the benefits in every aspect, and when we consider the security, the scenario is the same. Last year, nearly 200 malware were discovered in the form of ransomware on the dark web, and the growth of which the wild samples are growing is two holds.
Used to grab data from personal computers to the distributed networks, the ransomware is developed by the cyber criminals to victimize people and then demand a ransom amount to decrypt the encrypted files of the specific data. Fortunately, the Avast developers across the world, with a positive outlook, have been developing many decryption tools to protect the users against Ransomwares.
Ransomware Decryption Tools by Avast
While installing the anti-spyware tools, restoring the system to a specific restoration point are few significant measures to fight the ransomware, best that can be done is to offer free decryption tools to the victims on the constant basis. The reason, new decryption tools are required every now and then is because not all the encrypted files contain the same format and with each new ransomware found, there will be new encryption methods and formats. Avast, being the prominent security service provider has released three decryption tools to the domain of its ransomware decryption tools.
Released for few months, all the three decryption tools are active with different inner algorithms and changing keys for various active ransomware. Apart from being compatible with the latest encrypted data, the time needed for the decryption is also enhanced along with the brute-force password process.
Image Source: Blog.Avast.com
#1 HiddenTear
If you’re not new to the ransomware codes, HiddenTear is the first open-sourced code that was found two years ago, on GitHub. Ever since thousands of variants have been generated using this code. The HiddenTear code uses the AES encryption to encrypt the files and changes them into files with extensions showing .locked, .krypted., .Hollycrypt, . saeid, .unlo etc. After the files are encrypted, you will receive a text file on the desktop asking you to read it (READ_IT.txt, MSG_FROM_SITULA.txt, DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES.HTML_). Using HiddenTear Decryption tool you can decrypt such kind of encrypted files without any hassles.
Almost a year back, the serial ransomware has been found after the famous movie character name, “The Jigsaw Killer.” All the variants use his picture on the ransom screen, and the encrypted files are in the form of .btc, .porno, .payms. .pornorans, .payransom, .gws, .kkk, .payrms, .fun, .hush etc. Once your files are encrypted, few messages appear on your desktop asking you to pay the ransom money. Instead you can use the Jigsaw free decryption tool in order to safeguard your computer against it.
Found in July last year, Stampado has gained importance on the dark web because of the low price it offers. New variants have been popping up ever since, and one of the versions also came into limelight with the name ‘Philadelphia.’ It is currently still unknown if the variants are submitted by the same developer. Following the AES encryption, the file names come with the extensions like .locked, .kek, .WifiHack etc. The worst feature of Stampado is the Russian Roulette with an incrementing file deletion behavior where each encrypted file is deleted in 6 hours, and a number of encrypted files will be doubled each time a deletion is complete. Therefore, download the Avast Stampedo free decryption tool to get rid of the ransomware corruption.
Released last year, the ransomware is usually stored in the C:\Program Files (x86)\windowsupdate.exe folder. Whenever you start the computer it creates an autorun under the name ‘Windows Update Svc, ‘ and as soon as you log into the Windows it will encrypt all the files on your computer except the ones in the Windows or the ones with few extensions like .msi, .bin, .dat, .tmp etc. It adds an extension .encrypted to the file and generates a new encrypted file name with a ransom message and note saying, template [filename].How_To_Decrypt.txt. Download the Apocalypse free decryption tool and prevent it from taking hold of your data entirely and then open your computer in safe mode once you’re done or try restoring it to uninstall the Apocalypse.
Called as Mircop, it has been growing with many variants and new versions. Crypt888 also has a doppelganger known as Petya, and the reason behind its hype is the specific file encryption methodology using the ‘lock’ of the hex code to identify the data. It also has the capability of stealing login details, credentials and passwords of the web browsers including Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and Skype. The ransomware targets the primary folders and encrypts all kind of file types by adding .encrypted extension or .crypt888 extension to the files. The new AVG Crypt 888 tool helps you in decryption of these files in real time and help you get rid of the ransomware without any loss.
Legion adds many extensions to your files after encrypting the content refraining you from accessing them. It locks your documents, changes your wallpaper and gives you a popup about the encryption with an email address to demand the ransom pay for the files. The Avast Legion Decryption tool helps you in recovering these files with a wizard interface and a step by step guidance. You just need to know what locations of the computer have been affected significantly through granting Admin privileges in order to recover all the files effective immediately.
A different yet strong malware, the TeslaCrypt affects all the files including videos, photos, game files, documents and disables the user to have access to them. It demands a ransom amount from the victim that too within a time limit. In case if the victim fails to pay the amount within that time, the files will be lost, or else you will get a decryption key to restoring them. Avast has developed a solution as a TeslaCrypt free decryption tool in order to empower the victim in decryption of the files and circumvent the TeslaCrypt malware with an ease.
Having said that, download any of these free decryption tools based on the type of encryption and the extension file format that has been followed by the ransomware which affected your computer and decrypts/recover your data the best you can in a go. If you have any issues regarding the downloading/decryption process; approach us for further guidance in resolving the issue.
The ransomware storm ain’t gonna stop in 2017! Ransomware attacks are increasing rapidly and 2016 year saw 200% growth in the attacks. And with the kind of services created by hackers like Ranion RaaS, Ransomware is going to grow rapidly. It is believed that everyday, 4,000 attacks happen only in USA. With an intention to collect a ransom amount smoothly, Spora Ransowmare attackers are now providing 24/7 customer support with a very well-designed payment page!
Spora Ransomware Customer Support
Spora is making it’s name silently in the dark web! It’s capability to bluff users with Chrome Font Pack recently has made itself even dangerous. The working of recent Spora Ransomware is pretty simple. The hackers inject a code on a particular website and upon open that particular website on Chrome, it asks to change the browser font in order to see the page clearly.
In most of the cases, users prefer the install the Chrome Font Pack which is Spora Ransomware. This is the easiest way to bluff Chrome users and within no time Spora Ransomware will encrypt all the files in your system. And then, the ransom amount comes into play in the form of Bitcoin.
This is how the Spora Ransomware works and demands users for a ransom amount. 99% of the users are not familiar with these kinds of attacks and payment types. In order to process the payment smoothly, Spora Ransomware support for the victims carries out the work very smoothly.
According to the MalwareHunter researchers, they have spotted few conversations that are being discussed between the victims and Spora Ransomware support system. And the way the hackers are dealing looks like, they are pretty much experienced in handling a successful ransomware campaign.
There are few users who don’t have any idea about the payment type which is Bitcoin. The professional ransomware attackers have created a separate video to guide victims about all the basics of Bitcoin, how to buy them and how to pay the attackers online.
This clearly indicates that Spora Ransomware support is taking the online attacks to the next level by providing great customer support. By this, you can also analyze that Spora Ransomware attacks have been increasing rapidly in the past and the attackers are making it easier for victims to pay the ransom amount.
Spora Ransomware is slowly growing but it’s still not spreading as rapid as Cerber 3/4 Ransomware or Locky Ransomware. If we compare last week’s data, Cerber & Locky are the most infected ransomwares around the world!
To prevent the ransomware affecting your systems and encrypt your important data, I have listed many decryptor tools which might help you to remove ransomware from your system without paying any ransom amount to hackers.
For more updates on Ransomware, keep visiting our blog! Be safe! Do share this with your loved ones so that none of them would be infected with Spora Ransomware!
Ever heard of CryptoMix Ransomware? Being popular among the world of ransomware, it has been updated to CryptoShield Ransomware when Kafeine, a security researcher found it. As we all know, that a ransomware distributes data from different computers or distributed networks; CryptoShield 1.0 is one such ransomware spread using exploit kits.
The malware encrypts data after infiltration through the RSA-2018 cryptography and adds .CRYPTOSHIELD name to each file as an extension. Once the encryption is done, the data is created in two files in the form of #RESTORINGFILES #.TXT and #RESTORINGFILES #.HTML in a folder.
What is CRYPTOSHIELD Virus?
These both files contain the same message with the ransom demand identity saying that the files are encrypted using an RSA-20148 algorithm and to decrypt that data (similar to Locky Ransomware), you need a private key stored on the server controlled by the developers of CryptoShield ransomware. Therefore, you need to pay some ransom payment to receive the key as a victim by contacting the developers through email to get the instructions.
The payment cost is not confirmed yet, but it has been shown in the transactions that the cybercriminals demand around $1500 or less and that it should be paid in two days before it gets doubled. The victims are allowed to attach a file that needs to be decrypted to make sure that the developers can decrpyt the files before paying the amount.
However, as we all know that the cyber criminals can’t be trusted; the victims are often ignored after the payment is done and therefore it’s not safe to blindly trust them. There are no tools that are yet developed to decrypt the RSA-20148 cryptography and the only way one can solve this issue is by restoring the system/files by backing up the data.
How did CryptoShield Got into your Computer?
CryptoShield ransomware is very much alike other ransomware viruses and malware viruses say, Erebus, Samsam or Stan. This malware makes demands after encrypting the data. The two major differences you can find between CryptoShield and other ransom viruses is that the cost of decryption is touching the sky and the type of RSA-2048 Cryptography used (asymmetric).
The distribution methods, on the other hand, are simple and common through networks (Torrents, eMule), Third party sources (Free download sites, Free hosting sites), Trojans, Fake Software tools, Spam emails, P2P networks et.al. It has also been observed that there are many platforms such as Ranion RaaS that distributes the ransomware for educational purposes. Therefore, if you have important files, be careful while downloading files, opening spam mails and make sure that all your applications are updated from original sources.
In case if you come across a bug or flaw, immediately uninstall the program which created it and install it after employing a proper anti-virus/anti-spyware software.
Files Infected by CryptoShield Virus
CrytoShield Virus got a new update from CryptoMix and the files infected by this ransomware has increased in number as compared to CryptoMix & Cerber virus. Here’s the list of files that can be infected by CryptoShield Ransomware.
CryptoShield Ransomware has left no stone unturned. It has almost infected all types of files. If your system is infected with CryptoShield Virus, here’s the detailed procedure on how to remove CryptoShield Ransomware from your system.
Credits: @Kafeine
How to Remove CryptoShield Ransomware?
To be frank, there are numerous ways to remove CryptoShield Ransomware but not all the methods work perfectly. The below given methods are tested by experts so that you can decrypt CryptoShield files without any hassles.
Opening computer in Safe Mode
Always start your computer in safe mode. This can be done while starting the computer and pressing F8 multiple times till you get the Windows Advanced Menu and then select Networking>Safe Mode from the menu. If you’re a Windows 8 or Windows 10 user, you can try pressing F5 during the starting process to open the computer in safe mode.
Use an ‘Anti-Spyware’ Tool
After opening the computer in the safe mode, log in to the user account that got infected by the CryptoShield ransowmare. Now, open any Internet browser (Google Chrome or Mozilla) and try downloading a legit anti-virus or anti-spyware software. Update it and then perform a full device scan until you get hold of the threats. Remove the detected entries using a particular spyware software. A very good example of the anti-spyware software is SpyHunter. Purchase the product and agree to ‘Terms of use’ to free scan the malware virus and to remove the detected infections.
Do a System Restore
Another option of removing the virus is by restoring your system. During the start, press F8 multiple times and open the ‘Windows Advanced’ option.
Select ‘Safe Mode’ as mentioned above along with the ‘Command Prompt’ and click ‘Enter.’
Boot your computer to load the Command Prompt and enter ‘: cd restore: and press ‘Enter.’
Now type, “rstrui.exe” and press ‘Enter’. A window opens asking you to click on ‘Next.’
Select a restoration point to a particular earlier date and time before you thought that your computer is not infiltrated by the CryptoShield virus.
Run the system restore by selecting the specific point.
Now, download the Malware removal tool and scan the PC to eliminate any remaining data.
To restore the files that are affected or encrypted by the CryptoShield ransomware, you can use the Windows Previous Versions option.
This method is relatively effective if you have the System Restore function already enabled on the operating system.
But an important thing to notice is that the CryptoShield is designed in order to remove the shadow copies of many files and therefore, this option might not work very well with every computer.
You can also restore the file by right clicking it, access the ‘Properties’ and selecting the previous versions and click ‘Restore’ button to a relevant restoration point.
Using Shadow Explorer
If you can’t open the computer in Safe mode, you can try booting the computer using a backup disk as the ransomware can disable the safe mode making the removal of it, all the more complicated. To do this, you need another computer to use the Shadow Explorer and regain the files that are being encrypted.
Conclusion of CryptoShield Ransomware
That being said, there are many other reputable programs and tools that can guard your device against CryptoShield Ransomware by implanting artificial policy objects to block all kinds of rogue elements entering the device. The optimized way to avoid any further damage of the files from any kind of ransomware viruses is to update your device constantly and backup the data with regular intervals.
You can find many other data recovery tools and backup solutions on the internet which can keep your data safe online. In case if you come across any issues regarding the removal of the CryptoShield ransomware or in the recovery of files through above methods, approach us through the comment section so that we can help you with it. Do visit our Decryptor section to know more about various ransomware decryptors that are available for free!
Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) portals have been creating havoc for a while now whenever they were launched. To an average person, cyber crime is known to be associated with theft, stealing of money or data which can be sold for profit. These threats are prevalent, and people should be aware of being precocious.
What is an RaaS?
However, it’s a misjudgment to say that the hackers only deal with money. Extortion has been hiking up recently where the cyber criminals started stealing the data and the scams that involve the theft of data are called ransomware thefts which involve a software or a kind of free Login generator that can encrypt the files of a network or computer and then demand the victim to pay the price. Ransomware-as-a-Service implies coders selling the required data to normal individuals by creating different forms of malware.
Ranion, a new Ransomware
One such portal has been recently launched which is accessing a distribution network through the Dark Web. This Ranion ransomware is fully working and therefore is selling the required information for an extremely low price. Known as Ranion, this new RaaS service has been discovered by a researcher, Daniel Smith of Radware Security.
He indexed this particular RaaS on the Dark Web through the URL indexing service. When inquired, it has been claimed that the RaaS is created for ‘Educational Purposes’. The hacker group involved in designing this RaaS is now selling the access to the distribution network for very low prices say $960/year and $605/6 months which are less than 1 Bitcoin.
Extraction of Data through Ranion
According to the crew, each buyer of the Ranion will receive immediate access to the distributed network which is pre-configured and which works on 32 and 64 bit Windows devices. They can also additionally gain access to a Backend panel that is being hosted on (.onion site) Tor hidden service. Ransomware.exe will encrypt all the files irrespective of the formats within a PC (usually it searches for the files used on C-Z HDDS) using a key AES256 which will be sent to your Dashboard.
When done, it will create various README files on your desktop in different languages right from English, Russian, Germany, French, Italian along with a banner message that gets executed when you boot the device. The Ransomware is not designed to destroy the PC even when it is a malware and it encrypts the .exe files as they won’t be encrypted without your permission.
Data formats Supported by the Ranion
The Ranion as a RaaS, targets particular file formats of the user data. It has been said that the formats were limited before and are recently extended and listed with new extensions. They include:
The Ranion developer gang says that it goes undetected even with the finest of the Antivirus products and can only be restrained by the few best antivirus software. Also, the RaaS doesn’t take anything from the payments of the buyers but usually gains from the service task which ranges between 20% and 60% from the payment on the top of the rental fee.
It’s because of the cheaper and optimized business model, it started attracting buyers, and the RaaS started gaining the limelight. To avoid it turn out into a scam and to dispell the rumors, the crew is also allowing buyers test the service first before buying which rather is a brave move.
Decryption and Encrypted Data through Ranion
The buyers are also provided with information including the workstations’ usernames, AES decryption keys of every victim and also the infected computer IDs’. If the victim pays, the RaaS gives another decrypter than ables the user to recover the files. The Ranion customers can also customize the ransomware by sending the details to the authors like the Bitcoin address to pay the ransom and also the email address where they can be reached out.
The payment through Bitcoins allows the ransomware bypass the antivirus software, and once the transaction is done, the customer will be provided with two links. One link that gives the access to the backend panel and another to download the binary with settings and the decrypter to unlock the files.
Conclusion
So RaaS is already making it’s way to turn out most dangerous way to spread Ransomware around the world at low price. The service is being sold at low prices and the sellers say that it’s just for educational purposes. Keep visiting our Ransomware News section to stay updated with latest Ransomware.
A county in Ohio,US, is a latest victim of a ransomware attack. In fact, their entire IT infrastructure has been shut down due to a ransomware outbreak. All computers and phone are inaccessible as a result of this attack. Licking county had to shut down all the computers to prevent further spreading of the ransomware.
The issue was found Tuesday early morning when all the computer files and phone system was inaccessible. Only later they found out that they have been a victim of the new ransomware. Little information is made available regarding the same but as a precaution they have shut down the entire system. Although there isn’t much information on how they managed to get ransomware, but it could be due to someone downloading some spam email or could be because of login phishing scam like Netflix.
Licking County Ransomware
Fortunately, the county government’s 911 system is up and ready to serve the people, but all the landline phone remains dead. It is expected to remain shut down till the weekend. Public can call 911 for all emergency and the operation would be normal.
As you would see in any ransomware attack, the Ohio county government was asked to pay ransom amount to get back all their data. Details are sparse about the amount they have been asked and what they intend to do if their IT cell do not manage to get rid of the ransomware. The county has already called their cyber security experts to look into the issue but we are little bit skeptical about it. FBI has also been alerted about the situation.
Last week, Texas police department fall victim of the same. They refused to pay the ransom and ended up losing 8 years worth of data. It shut down all the security camera and surveillance system but Texas police department refused to knee down against such cyber criminals.
Cryptocurrency like Bitcoin is becoming more popular as a result of increased ransomware attacks. In most of the cases with ransomware attack, Bitcoin is a preferred currency. In such a precarious situation, it is necessary to take a regular online as well as offline backup. Online real time backup can make the things worst as in few of the cases, ransomware managed to get into online system as well.
The increased amount of ransomware attacks is expected to increase further in 2017-18. The attacks are quadrupled in 2016 and is expected to increase more this year. Our duty is to make everyone aware of the ransomware attacks so people do not fall victim of it. Keep reading ransomware news in order to know all the latest news about ransomware. According to a recent data, almost 50% of the victims end up paying the ransom amount. It gives courage to the cyber criminals. Such funding can then used further to harass more people.
Here in this article, you will know how to remove Potato ransomware from your computer. For your reading convenience, I have split the content into several sections.
The sneakers have found the best way to make money by exploiting the security of people. They develop ransomware to threaten people by encrypting necessary documents. And, it displays a message on your computer screen to send them money in the form of bitcoins in order to get the files decrypted.
The truth be told, no one knows whether your files get to the normal state or not, even after sending them the money they want. That’s why removing the ransomware or decrypting the affected files is the best way to get your data back.
Not talking much about the risks and dangers, let’s now see what is Potato Ransomware and how does it gets into your system! Later on I will also share a detailed guide on how to remove Potato Ransomware and decrypt Potato virus infected files with ease, without paying any ransom. 😉
What is Potato Ransomware?
Potato ransomware is similar to another locky ransomware threats and Cerber ransomware. Once it infects a computer, it will scan all your files and connected cloud sources.
The developers have specified the type of files to be affected by the ransomware. When it finds such files, it will encrypt them using AES-256 algorithm. No one can see the original files after this. All you see are files with .potato extension with random names.
As you know, there is no software available to open such files. Along with the encryption, the ransomware creates two files on the desktop as well; README.png and README.html.
Both the files include instructions to decrypt your files, but in a manner unhealthy to you. If you follow that method, you will have to send the proposed money (somewhere between $500-1500).
You shouldn’t send them any money. As I said earlier, there’s no guarantee that they will stick to their words. After all, the people behind ransomware are criminals. So, they care less about their victims.
How does Potato Virus Get into My System?
There are multiple ways available for cyber criminals to inject a ransomware into your computer. The most commonly seen one is via a mail stating about you, winning a contest, giving away free paid account accesses online or getting huge chunks of money.
Along with the mail, you will find an attachment as well. We all know that .exe is the most dangerous file extension. Most viruses come in the form of a useful .exe file. But we don’t know the fact that a virus can also be integrated to seem-to-be-harmless files like a PDF or DOCX document.
For the same reason, most people open attached documents. As a result, Potato gets into their systems.
This is not the only way hackers inject potato ransomware into a computer. We all know that there are thousands of people who search for free cracks and keygens for premium tools. Most of them turn their antivirus off while using cracks as well.
When a ransomware is attached to a crack, it will be easy to get affected, with antivirus software in the deactivated state.
So, I recommend you don’t open attachments from unknown email IDs. Moreover, no one is ever going to pay you hefty amount of money for free. So whenever you get an email about a free payment, you should overlook the email.
Moreover, don’t go for cracked software. You can find some free alternatives on the web for any tool. Download them from the official website. You will not suffer later. Follow the same method if you system is affected with CryptoLocker Ransomware.
How to Remove Potato Virus from Your Computer?
You can download some ransomware removing tools from the web to get rid of Potato from your computer.
Method 1: Hitman Pro
Hitman is a security tool, which can remove ransomware.
Step 1: First, you have to install the software. Use the link given below to download the installer.
Step 2: I hope you won’t find it difficult to install Hitman. Just open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. You can do it just like installing any other software.
Step 3: Once the installation finishes, the software will start scanning your entire system for security threats. It may take a while depending upon the number and size of your files.
When it displays the scanning results, you have to specify actions for each malicious item and then hit Next.
Step 4: Though Hitman Pro is a paid tool, you can use it free for 30 days. So choose the free license for 30 days. There you go.
Restart your computer.
Method 2: Malwarebyte’s Anti-malware
Step 1: You have to download the setup file first. An internet connection with decent speed is recommended.
Step 2: Then, you must open the setup to kick-start the installation. Don’t worry! The process is the same as that of the installation of any other tool. Follow the on-screen instructions. That’s all.
Step 3: After installing the software, you have to open it. On the interface, you can see a Scan Now button. Pressing on it will start scanning all your files.
Step 4: You will get the results soon after the scanning completes. Select all threats there and choose remove. There you go.
You may be asked to restart the system. Just do it.
How to Decrypt Potato Ransomware Affected Files?
If you are in decrypting the affected files, you can follow the method given below.
Step 1: The tool we want here is Shadow Explorer. Download it.
Step 2: Then, install the software by opening the setup and following the on-screen instructions.
Step 3: Now open the newly installed Shadow Explorer interface. You will have to select a drive and then a date (we are going to restore the files into a previous state). Make sure you select a date before the system got affected by Potato ransomware.
Step 4: Here, you have to select the target to save the previous versions of files.
There you go! You can also use default restoration tools as well.
Wrapping Up
You know how to remove Potato ransomware and decrypt the files affected by it, don’t you?
If you have any doubts regarding this or any other ransomware, don’t forget to leave a comment below. I will reach out to you at the earliest.
The internet has always been the mix of good and evil. Of course, you can do tons of useful tasks using the web. On the other hand, there are many hidden snares to trap you as well.
Relatively new to this range of online threats is ransomware. Most of you are hearing this name for the first time. In this article, you are going to read about a special type of ransomware. Hence, it is important for you to know what it is.
Simply put, a ransomware is a type of virus. On contrary to the functioning of ordinary malicious programs, a ransomware either locks files or restrict the access to them and demand some monetary amount (ransom) to revoke the affected state. In case you don’t give them money (mostly in the form of bitcoins), you will lose the files forever. It’s not just the PC users but Netflix users are also in trouble with the latest ransomware.
I hope you got a brief idea about ransomware now. Let’s move on to CryptoLocker.
What is CryptoLocker Ransomware/Virus?
As I said earlier, CryptoLocker is a type of ransomware that demands money to revoke file access.
Once CrptoLocker gets into your system, it scans for different types to encrypt them. For each file it encrypts, it generates a random key and locks the content using AES algorithm. Then, it makes everything complicated by encrypting that random key with RSA algorithm and finally, the main key is added to the encrypted file.
The effective way to crack such a code is bruteforce attack. But it will take more than thousand years for a personal computer to get the correct key through this attack.
Only the owner of KryptoLocker gets the random key for decryption. Even a computer forensic expert can’t figure out the key because the data on the system is regularly overwritten. Now you know what a CryptoLocker virus is, right? Let’s move on to the next section then.
How Does CryptoLocker Virus Get into my System?
There may be many methods through which CryptoLocker ransomware gets into a computer. But the most seen method is the one given below.
As in the case of many malicious programs, the most possible way for the CryptoLocker virus to get into your system is emails. Yeah, you read it right!
You will get see-to-be genuine mail from a logistics company. There would be a zipped file as an attachment. In order to increase the credibility, the file has a password, which you can get from the mail itself.
Once you open the zipped file, you will see a harmless file like PDF or JPG. Truth be told; the real executable extension (.exe) will be hidden. As you open the file, CryptoLocker permanently stick to your computer and starts working.
How Does CryptoLocker Virus Work?
Now that you know what CryptoLocker is and how it gets into your computer, I want you to have an idea of its working as well.
When you open the PDF or JPG file from the zipped archive, CryptoLocker does three things on your computer.
Triggers two CryptoLocker processes. One is the main one and second makes sure the primary program doesn’t get terminated.
Adds a registry key to ensure the ransomware is started every time you boot up your computer.
Stores the pivotal files to a folder inside user.
For the first time, it scans your computer for the specific types of files (included in the algorithm of the ransomware). It follows the above given method to encrypt each file. Due to the double encryption, cracking the key becomes impossible.
The registry key it creates is HKCUSoftwareCryptoLockerPublic. Moreover, it creates another registry key to log the details of the encrypting files. Such details are logged into HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareCryptoLockerFiles.
Once the program finishes scanning your entire system for the files, it will show a wizard with a countdown. Usually, you will get about three days of time to pay the requested amount in the form of bitcoins. In the wizard, you can also read that the private key needed for decryption gets destroyed soon after you try to remove or damage the CryptoLocker ransomware program.
Types of Files Affected by CryptoLocker Ransomware
As I said earlier, CryptoLocker doesn’t lock every single file on your computer. The developer of the ransomware should have specified the file types. The common types of files that can be affected by CryptoLocker are given below.
I know these are a lot. And, I hope you got the idea of the range of CryptoLocker virus now The files encrypted by Cerber ransomware are almost similar to CryptoLocker virus.
CryptoLocker Removal Tool & Guide
Considering the risk level of the CryptoLocker ransomware, I don’t think there is a single tool that can get rid of it from the root. Here I use a combination of a couple of antimalware tools to remove it.
Step 1: First, you have to log into safe mode with networking. Doing the same in earlier versions of Windows (XP, Vista and 7) is easy. Restart your computer and while it boots up, you have to press F8 (F10 for some systems) to get a CMD-like window. Choose Safe Mode with Networking from there.
If you are a Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 user, you have to hit Win key+ R. Then, enter msconfig into the field and press Enter. On the new wizard, access Boot tab. Under boot options, check Safe mode and turn on Network. Finally, restart your computer.
Step 2: Once the system starts up, you have to download and install a program called RogueKiller. You must know the architecture of the OS (x32 or x64). Then, download the right one.
Don’t forget to proceed to the installation just like you do for any other software as well. (I hope you don’t need a guide for installation provided there is nothing complicated in it).
Step 3: Open the software after finishing the installation. As you are running it for the first time, you will see it prescanning. Wait some time to get it completed.
Then, click on Scan to kick-start the analysis for malicious files.
Step 4: When it is completed, you have select and hit Delete to remove them.
Not a single antimalware tool is perfect. For the same reason, I want you to install another desktop app as well.
Step 6: Open the software after you complete the installation. Then, choose Quick Scan and hit Scan button to start scanning for malicious files.
Step 7: When the window finishes the scanning, you have to hit Ok once and on the following screen, you should click on Show results.
Step 8: At this step, you will get the details of all the infected files. Just select all the files and, click Remove selected. There you go.
Step 9: Finally, you have to press Yes to restart your computer to see the malware removal in effect.
How to Decrypt CryptoLocker Infected Files
In the above section, you read how to remove CryptoLocker. Here you will get to know how to restore the infected files.
Step 1: The software we use here is ShadowExplorer. Obviously, you have to download and install this. (There is a portable version available to be used just in case you blocked from installing anything).
Step 2: Open the software after installing or downloading the portable version. First, you have to choose the drive in which the folder/file you want is present.
The next dropdown menu is used to choose the date. You should choose a date prior to that of CryptoLocker infection.
Step 3: Now you have to choose the exact folder or file from the main window on the right side.
Then right- click on it and choose Export.
Step 4: Finally, it will ask you for a target folder into which the file/folder will be saved. Once you do it, hit Ok. There you go!
Conclusion of CryptoLocker Virus Removal Guide
I hope I gave you complete information about CryptoLocker ransomware. Though I haven’t stepped much into the technical aspects, you know what it is and how to remove it, don’t you? You can also go through ODIN removal guide to know more about ransomware family!
Like they say prevention is better than cure. So, I strongly recommend you shouldn’t open attachments from strange email addresses. Moreover, approach official and reliable sources to download desktop applications.
Every time you use internet, stay alert & don’t get yourself into online traps. Stay tuned to our ransomware news for more updates!
