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Rijndael ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Recovery Instructions Included

by Lucia Danes - - | Type: Ransomware

Rijndael virus Removal Guide

What is Rijndael ransomware virus?

Ransomware newcomer Rijndael virus uses well-established techniques to execute attacks on victims

Rijndael virus (a.k.a. DN Ransomware) is a new crypto-ransomware [1] that the computer users should be aware of. The malware is named after the encryption algorithm that it employs to encrypt victims’ data and demand for a hefty ransom later. This particular cipher was created by Belgian cryptologists in 1998 and, a few years later, was acknowledged as the Advanced Encryption Standard [2]. Undoubtedly, the well-established technology and virtually impossible decryption have become the primary reasons why hackers tend to choose AES scripts as their preferred way of encrypting victims’ data. It is interesting that the hackers behind Rijndael virus introduce this encryption as a novelty while, in reality, it has been around for nearly 20 years. While there is no denying that this encryption code is really an unbreakable one, extortionist goal is to increase the scare factor to the maximum and coax the victims into paying for their files. These strategies eventually boiled down to the ransom note you can see below:

Your Computer files is encrypted
all files is encrypted with extremely
powerfull new RIJNDAEL encryption

that no one can break except you have
a private string and IVs

To Decrypt Your File, You Should Pay Me
0.5 BTC (864.98 USD)
Contact Me:
Riptours01(@)gmail.com

insert your code here:
[Decrypt!] – button

The worst part is that the cyber criminals, who call themselves Deathnote Hackers, are telling the truth, and the only way to truly get back the access to the files encrypted by Rijndael is by using a private code purchased from the hackers. Unfortunately, paying hackers the 0.5 BTC they demand does not guarantee anything. The crooks will surely take the money, but they will not necessarily hand the decryption key to you [3]. At the end of the day, you will most likely lose both, your files and your money. The ransomware attack will result in less damage if you remove Rijndael before even attempting to communicate with the victims. Just remember to use proper tools for the virus elimination and don’t even try eliminating the virus yourself! Employ FortectIntego, Malwarebytes or similar software to banish this malware from your computer and expert recommendations to recover at least some of your data.

Rijndael ransomware imageThe hackers behind Rijndael ransomware list their ransom demands in the ransom note you can see in the image above.

Apart from the threatening ransom note, there are other ways you can tell the device has been infected with this undesirable cyber infection. The most obvious are, of course, the audacious “.fucked” extensions that the virus appends to every encrypted file, document, media file or archive. These extensions will remain installed even if the virus is eliminated from the computer which may be rather annoying. Another factor that gives the ransomware away is the Rijndael.exe process running in the Task Manager. Even if the virus blocks you from accessing this tool, you should be aware this process will most likely be running in the background of the system anyway and be able to create, read and modify system settings. You can never know what the virus creators will come up with next, that’s why Rijndael removal should not be put on hold for long. Besides, the faster you eliminate the malicious script from your computer, the more files you are likely to save.

Main channels of ransomware distribution

Rijndael virus is currently distributed rather sluggishly and we should be happy about that. Nevertheless, the application of spam, phishing campaigns [4], drive-by downloads, exploits, Trojans [5] and bunch of other techniques for the virus distribution can surely expand the scope of the virus prevalence online. There are numerous channels for the virus to get through and system vulnerabilities such as outdated software or unsupported operating system that does not receive security updates can increase the chances of infiltration quite significantly. If you care about your files and your computer’s wellbeing, please make sure you regularly update and keep backup copies of important files somewhere safe.

How to dispose of Rijndael recover your files?

Before anything, you should concentrate and carefully remove Rijndael virus from the hijacked system. Antivirus scanners will help detect and eliminate the malware to its last malicious file, so you could get started with system recovery without the risk of encountering some leftover ransomware files. When you are sure Rijndael removal has been successful, you may then proceed to the recovery procedures. Remember that you may have to try out several techniques to achieve the best results, but don’t expect too much. These recovery methods can be found below the article.

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Getting rid of Rijndael virus. Follow these steps

Manual removal using Safe Mode

Rijndael may block your antivirus from running system cleanup. If this happens, follow these 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
  1. Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
  2. 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.
  3. Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list. Windows 7/XP
Windows 10 / Windows 8
  1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
    Settings
  2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
    Update and security
  3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
  4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
  5. Click Restart now.
    Reboot
  6. Select Troubleshoot. Choose an option
  7. Go to Advanced options. Advanced options
  8. Select Startup Settings. Startup settings
  9. Press Restart.
  10. Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking. Enable safe mode

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:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details.
    Open task manager
  3. Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
  4. Right-click and select Open file location.
    Open file location
  5. Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
    End task
  6. Delete the contents of the malicious folder.

Step 3. Check program Startup

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Go to Startup tab.
  3. Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
    Startup

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:

  1. Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
    Disk cleanup
  2. 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).
  3. Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:

    Temporary Internet Files
    Downloads
    Recycle Bin
    Temporary files

  4. Pick Clean up system files.
    Delete temp files
  5. 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 Rijndael using System Restore

You may help your computer by ensuring the Rijndael removal goes smoothly. All you have to do is complete these steps:

  • Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
    Windows 7 / Vista / XP
    1. Click Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
    2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
    3. Select Command Prompt from the list Select 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt'

    Windows 10 / Windows 8
    1. Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
    2. Now select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
    3. Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window. Select 'Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt'
  • Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
    1. Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter. Enter 'cd restore' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    2. Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again.. Enter 'rstrui.exe' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    3. When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of Rijndael. After doing that, click Next. When 'System Restore' window shows up, select 'Next' Select your restore point and click 'Next'
    4. Now click Yes to start system restore. Click 'Yes' and start system restore
    Once you restore your system to a previous date, download and scan your computer with FortectIntego and make sure that Rijndael removal is performed successfully.

Bonus: Recover your data

Guide which is presented above is supposed to help you remove Rijndael 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 Rijndael, you can use several methods to restore them:

Recover your data
Recover your data

Can Data Recovery Pro come in handy when recovering files encrypted by Rijndael?

Without a doubt, Data Recovery Pro is one of the initial solutions we can recommend to the Rijndael victims. The tool is easy to use, so the users less experienced in the IT field can use it without hesitation.

  • 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 Rijndael ransomware;
  • Restore them.

Recover Rijndael using Windows Previous Versions feature

Windows Previous Versions feature is a convenient tool because your do not need to install it on your computer to be able to use it. Nevertheless, there is one condition: System Recovery function should be enabled before the virus infiltration. Here is how to use Windows Previous Versions:

  • 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”.

Rijndael recovery using ShadowExplorer

ShadowExplorer is not a 100% remedy for the infected computer, nevertheless, if the virus does not destroy Volume Shadow Copies, this tool has a good chance of recovering your files.

  • 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.

Rijndael decrypter

Unfortunately, experts investigating Rijndael have not come up with a tool that could decrypt the system for free. Don’t lose hope, though, and check back with us later. 

Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Rijndael and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes

How to prevent from getting ransomware

Do not let government spy on you

The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet. 

You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.

Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.

Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack

Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.

When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.

About the author
Lucia Danes
Lucia Danes - Virus researcher

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