Satan ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Quick Decryption Solution
Satan virus Removal Guide
What is Satan ransomware virus?
Satan ransomware kit available on the deep web: increased number of attacks expected
Satan virus is one of those ransomware viruses that are Ransomware-as-a-Service[1] type. Satan RaaS ransomware kit is currently available on deep web forums[2], and those who have an interest in ransomware business can get their hands on a free to use ransomware kit[3] simply by signing up on a specified website. According to a forum member dubbed Cold_As_Ice, Satan virus is free for those who want to use it, and everyone can create their customized copy of it by changing these parameters: “ransom value, multiplier for the ransom after X days have passed, the number of days after the multiplier takes place, a private note.” The forum member who is likely to be the one who sells this ransomware claims that the executive file of Satan weights only 170kb, suggests hackers to translate the ransom note in particular languages to help victims understand what’s happening, and also says that the ransomware kit helps hackers to create malicious codes for Microsoft Word Macro[4] and CHM file (to help deceive victims and spread the malware more efficiently).
Experts expect an increased number of Satan malware attacks in the near future. Ransomware-as-a-Service is nothing new, and such tools pave the way for criminals to easy money. When such tools are so easily accessible on the Internet, there is no doubt why ransomware business is prospering. Authors of this ransomware kit ask for 30% of all ransoms collected, leaving the rest for the user of the kit. Victims infected with this virus shouldn’t rush to pay the ransom because currently Satan malware is under analysis and it means malware researchers are working on its decryption tool, which could save victims’ data. Victims are advised to remove Satan ransomware with anti-malware tools like FortectIntego and use backups to recover encrypted files. In case the victim has no backups, one should follow data recovery instructions presented at the end of this post. Satan removal is the number 1 task to complete to protect the system from further infections.
How did I get infected with a ransomware?
It appears that Satan virus’ authors suggest distributing the virus via malicious Word files with Macro code in them. Therefore, you should beware of emails sent by unknown people and avoid opening files attached to them. Remember that criminals might try to deceive you by renaming the malicious Word file as Invoice, Report, Scanned Document or similarly, but that shouldn’t convince you to open it. We suggest carefully inspecting the message sent by the unknown individual and also take a look at sender’s email to find out whether it looks trustworthy or not. What is more, scammers can try to pretend to be employees[5] of well-known and reputable companies such as Amazon or Paypal, so you shouldn’t believe them until you make sure that the sender is actually from the company he/she claims to be working for.
Is it possible to recover files locked by this malware? How to remove Satan virus?
If these are the questions that bother you at the moment, you should ask yourself whether you are willing to pay the ransom to cyber criminals or not. You might receive the decryptor, or you might not. Even if you receive it, it might be infected with more viruses. Paying the ransom is never a good idea, so we suggest choosing the right option and refusing to pay up. You can remove Satan virus with anti-malware programs, and, as we have already mentioned, recover data from a backup. Otherwise, you might want to use these data recovery instructions:
Getting rid of Satan virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Using these instructions will easen the Satan ransomware removal process for you. Please follow these instructions carefully if you want to get rid of the virus once and for all.
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 Satan 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.
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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 Satan. 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 Satan 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 Satan, you can use several methods to restore them:
Data Recovery using recovery software
There are a lot of programs that promise to restore lost/encrypted/corrupted files. Our team relies on Data Recovery Pro, so we highly recommend using it to restore your files. TIP: Remember that no tool is 100% efficient when dealing with ransomware viruses. Such type of malware is simply way too sophisticated and it is not possible to restore all files completely without having the private key, which is stored in criminals’ remote servers.
- 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 Satan ransomware;
- Restore them.
Use ShadowExplorer
If you are lucky enough, the virus will leave Volume Shadow Copies on the system. If so, all you have to do is to find them on your computer. Let ShadowExplorer do this task for you.
- 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 Satan and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
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.
- ^ Ransomware-as-a-Service: Ransomware Operators Find Ways to Bring in Business. Trend Micro. Security News.
- ^ Tweet by @_odisseus. Twitter. Social Network.
- ^ New Cybercrime Tool: Ransomware Kits. McAfee. Security Awareness.
- ^ New Crypto-Ransomware Locky Uses Malicious Word Macros. Trend Micro. Security News.
- ^ How to spot fake emails. Paypal. Company operating a worldwide online payments system..