Flotera ransomware / virus (Bonus: Decryption Steps) - Virus Removal Instructions
Flotera virus Removal Guide
What is Flotera ransomware virus?
The third version in Polski ransomware trilogy – Flotera ransomware virus
Flotera virus is a malicious computer program that we have added to ransomware category. This virus appears to belong to Polski ransomware group. It must be said that Flotera ransomware is almost identical to Vortex ransomware – both ransomware viruses use AES-256[1] to encrypt files on the available drives, and both of them use .aes file extension to mark encrypted files. Following the encryption procedure, Flotera creates !!!-ODZYSKAJ-DANE-!!!.TXT file, which malware researchers identify as the “ransom note.” This text file contains the message that cyber criminals wrote for the victim. Ŧl๏tєгค гคภร๏๓ฬคгє authors say that files on the system were corrupted and that they are the only ones who can help to restore them. Of course, not for free. Cyber criminals[2] demand a ransom, which reportedly ranges from $199 to $299. Flotera developers promise to increase the price by 100% in case the victim fails to collect money for the ransom within four days. Crooks tell the victim to write to one of those emails in case one decides to pay the ransom – flotera@2.pl or flotera@protonmail.ch and wait for further instructions. We do not advise you to pay the ransom – instead, we suggest you remove Flotera virus using anti-malware programs like FortectIntego. A full ransomware Flotera removal guide is provided at the end of this page. 
Flotera ransomware, just like Vortex virus, is based on open-source encryption and decryption software AESxWin, which is published on GitHub. The author of the three Polish ransomware variants had modified the code of the encryption tool before using it for the ransomware project. Therefore, once the ransomware is run on the victim’s computer for the first time, it displays a pop-up “AESxWinAuto” which asks if it should run at startup. If the victim clicks Stop, the ransomware won’t be executed. Otherwise, it begins the encryption routine. The ransomware then connects to a public API[3] and gets an encryption key that consists of 120 characters, then connects to another API to get user’s IP address. Such information immediately gets transmitted to criminals’ servers. If by any chance you use a network traffic tracking program, you could find the encryption/decryption key in the logs and use it for data decryption. Unfortunately, users typically do not install such tracking software on their PC’s.
How did this ransomware infiltrate my computer system?
Unlike the majority of ransomware viruses, Flotera isn’t distributed using same malware propagation means. Instead of attaching it to phishing emails or spreading it alongside pirated software packs, authors of this ransomware tend to install it on computer systems manually. It appears that the virus can be downloaded to the system with the help of vjw0rm Remote Access Trojan (RAT)[4], which is distributed via several spam campaigns targeting Polish computer users. This Trojan gives attackers access to control victim’s system remotely; therefore they can install the ransomware manually.
How can I remove Flotera ransomware from my computer?
In the ransom note, cyber criminals advise the victim not to use antivirus programs because “the virus deletes itself as soon as it encrypts files.” However, you should not trust them and scan the system with anti-malware tool to detect and remove Flotera remains as well as the described vjw0rm Trojan[5]. You can find instructions on how to launch your anti-malware program properly down below. We suggest you not to attempt to remove the malware from the system manually because this way you can create more problems than you can imagine. To clear your PC from malware, follow these steps:
Getting rid of Flotera virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
To remove the virus, carry out the following instructions.
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. – it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
Remove Flotera using System Restore
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Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Windows 7 / Vista / XP- Click Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
-
Select Command Prompt from the list
Windows 10 / Windows 8- Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
- Now select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
-
Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window.
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Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
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Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
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Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again..
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When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of Flotera. After doing that, click Next.
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Now click Yes to start system restore.
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Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
Bonus: Recover your data
Guide which is presented above is supposed to help you remove Flotera from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.You can restore your data if you had a network traffic tracking software running on your computer during the ransomware attack. Otherwise, it is not possible to decrypt your files for free. You can import data copies from a backup (after removing the virus), but to decrypt files, you need the unique data decryption tool that only cyber criminals have. However, they want to get a ransom, and we do not recommend paying.
If your files are encrypted by Flotera, you can use several methods to restore them:
Try this data recovery tool
You can try to detect some files that can be restored with a help of Data Recovery Pro:
- Download Data Recovery Pro;
- Follow the steps of Data Recovery Setup and install the program on your computer;
- Launch it and scan your computer for files encrypted by Flotera ransomware;
- Restore them.
Use ShadowExplorer
ShadowExplorer comes in handy if ransomware virus fails to delete Volume Shadow Copies (data copies that can be used to restore files if their original versions get deleted or corrupted). Here’s how you should use it:
- Download Shadow Explorer (http://shadowexplorer.com/);
- Follow a Shadow Explorer Setup Wizard and install this application on your computer;
- Launch the program and go through the drop down menu on the top left corner to select the disk of your encrypted data. Check what folders are there;
- Right-click on the folder you want to restore and select “Export”. You can also select where you want it to be stored.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Flotera and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
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- ^ Advanced Encryption Standard. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ The Rising Face Of Cyber Crime: Ransomware. Bitsight Insights Report.
- ^ Open API. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ Udi Shamir. The 7 ‘Most Common’ RATS In Use Today. Dark Reading. Cyber security's comprehensive news site.
- ^ Uwaga na „Faktury od Playa”, czyli historia nietypowego konia trojańskiego. Zaufana Trzecia Strona. Independent Source News About the World of IT Security.