Kirk ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Recovery Instructions Included
Kirk virus Removal Guide
What is Kirk ransomware virus?
Sci-fi geeks try on ransomware — release the Kirk virus
Kirk virus is a Star Trek-themed [1] cyber infection which belongs to the crypto-ransomware [2] category. This essentially means that when this virus infects a computer, it starts scanning it for certain types of files and encrypts them using a complex algorithm. Though such encryption principle is typical to most viruses of this particular category, Kirk cannot be regarded as a completely conventional ransomware. In fact, this malware has hit the internet with a bang as one of the first extortion programs to base its ransom payment system on cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. In particular, Kirk utilizes Monero — cryptocurrency which has been steadily growing in popularity within the past year and now has a market cap of around 302,294,761 USD [3]. It is unclear why the hackers have picked this particular currency which stands fourth in the global ranking, but such a choice is simply destined to cause confusion among the victims. Even Bitcoins which are the number one cryptocurrency out there are not the easiest item to get your hands on, especially if you are unfamiliar with such payment system and encounter it for the first time. So, it might be that by attempting to be original the extortionists have simply undermined themselves. This may also be the reason why this virus is currently plateauing. Although there are no known Kirk ransomware victims so far, you can never know when the malware is going to burst. That is why we recommend to be prepared for Kirk removal and obtain antivirus software that would manage to weed this parasite out of your system. FortectIntego is one of the reputable software you should try.
The virus draws malware experts’ attention for a number of reasons, and the use of Star Trek themes in its ransom note as well as the utilization of Monero cryptocurrency for the ransom payments are just a few of them. We should point out the fact that the virus disguises itself as Low Orbital Ion Cannons tool [4] and runs on the infected computers as a loic_win32.exe process. It even fakes LOIC’s notifications to trick users into thinking that this software is initiating on their computers. In the meanwhile, virus scans the computer looking for more than 625 types of files and encrypts them with a public AES key [5]. In addition, every encrypted file will be appended with .kirked extensions while the virus will drop a ransom note called RANSOM_NOTE.txt on every affected folder to instruct the victim how to decrypt them. Of course, the decryption is not possible without the private key. The extortionists deploy an encrypted variant of this key in the file called “pwd” which will be stored on the computer in case the victim decides to pay the ransom. In such a case, the victim is asked to transfer around 1100 dollars in Monero currency to the criminals’ and then send the transaction ID along with the mentioned pwd file to kirk.help@scryptmail.com or kirk.payments@scryptmail.com email address. When these steps are completed, the criminals promise to supply the victim with special decrypter called Spock which will supposedly unlock the private key stored in the pwd file and allow data recovery. Needless to say, collaborating with cyber criminals is the last thing you should do, so we recommend leaving this option for last. Instead, you can try recovering your files by following free guidelines our experts have provided below the article. If you do not have any important data stored on your computer, simply remove Kirk from your computer and fix this issue.
Obscure distribution tactics
Since this virus has appeared on the web quite recently, it is still rather early to say what particular practices does this virus choose for the malware distribution. Since there have been no recorded cases of Kirk attacks, it might be that the virus variant that emerged on the web is just a test version not meant to be widely distributed at all. Nevertheless, our team of experts is keeping a close watch of this virus and will inform you as soon as Kirk distribution takes a more defined form.
Kirk removal and PC recovery:
Kirk virus is currently undecryptable but this does not mean it has to stay on your computer as for as long as the malware experts are working on the free decrypter. You can backup the encrypted data and clean up your computer from this malware. After you remove Kirk, you will be able to use your computer without a fear of your files being encrypted once again. Please do not attempt to tackle the virus yourself. Believe us — it equals jumping empty-handed in front of a furious bull. That’s why you should allow specialized software to deal with the Kirk removal. In the guidelines below you will learn how to achieve the best results.
Getting rid of Kirk virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
If Kirk virus blocks your antivirus in an attempt to prevents its removal, do not hesitate to apply the following instructions to disable this malicious functionality:
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 Kirk using System Restore
Kirk ransomware may be slightly different from other viruses for using different payment method, but just like most ransomware, it will try its best to remain on the computer and continue terrorizing the users. To do that, it may block your antivirus, so you have to learn how to bypass this obstacle. Here is how you should do it:
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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.
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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.
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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 Kirk. 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 Kirk from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.If your files are encrypted by Kirk, you can use several methods to restore them:
Use Data Recovery Pro for quick data recovery
Data Recovery Pro is a quick data recovery solution, though it may not be successful 100% of the time. Nevertheless, it is sure worth giving a try.
- 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 Kirk ransomware;
- Restore them.
How can Windows Previous Versions feature be used to recover files encrypted by Kirk:
Windows Previous Versions feature only works in combination with System Restore function. If it has been enabled before Kirk infection — you may try out the instructions below:
- Find an encrypted file you need to restore and right-click on it;
- Select “Properties” and go to “Previous versions” tab;
- Here, check each of available copies of the file in “Folder versions”. You should select the version you want to recover and click “Restore”.
Recover your files with ShadowExplorer
ShadowExplorer is a software that uses Volume Shadow Copies to recover encrypted files. It is likely that Kirk virus deletes these files from the computer, so it may be impossible to apply this recovery technique. As long as we do not have information that it does so, you may try out these steps:
- 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 Kirk and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
If this free guide helped you and you are satisfied with our service, please consider making a donation to keep this service alive. Even a smallest amount will be appreciated.
- ^ Star Trek (film series). Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ What is crypto ransomware?. TheMerkle. IT news site.
- ^ CryptoCurrency market capitalizations. CoinMarketCap. CryptoCurrency Market Capitalizations news.
- ^ Low Orbit Ion Cannon description. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Encrypting & decrypting data files by using AES and RSA algorithms. Alperkaratepe blog.