The Magic ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Quick Decryption Solution
The Magic virus Removal Guide
What is The Magic ransomware virus?
The Magic ransomware explicitly targets Italian users
The Magic virus is a new variant of HiddenTear[1] ransomware, which encrypts data on the computer and demands to pay a €100 ransom. Once installed, the crypto-malware changes the background and launches a hidden-tear.exe program to encode victim’s files. Later, it creates a READ_IT.txt file which contains payment details.
You can quickly recognize the malware by the extension marks .locked it appends at the end of the file-names. The problem is that the criminals use sophisticated algorithms to develop the malware. As a result, no one can decrypt the files except the developer.
Moreover, attackers claim that the victim has 48 hours to make a transaction in Bitcoins[2] or the encrypted files will be destroyed. We strongly recommend not to trust the criminals since there are no guarantees that you will not be required to pay more Bitcoins for the access of your data. Instead, you should check whether your computer automatically stores backup copies in the cloud.
The Magic virus removal is a complicated process. Therefore, we recommend you not to try it yourself because your computer might be infected with other malware you are not aware of. You may not be able to safely eliminate all malicious programs and end up doing even more harm.
If the automatic backup storage function is enabled, our IT professionals suggest you to remove The Magic ransomware using FortectIntego immediately or any other reliable security software and try to restore most of your data from backups.
You can get infected via illegal downloads from the web
The ransomware spreads via illegal downloads from unauthorized developers. Users are not able to detect the malicious program before the installation. “You should always scan the files you are going to install on your computer beforehand,” tells an expert from NoVirus.uk team[3].
Also, another popular distribution method is to attach the executable file of the malware to the spam e-mail message. Typically, the subject line contains a delusional text and lures users into opening it. Therefore, do not open messages from unknown senders in order to protect your computer from infections.
Moreover, if you receive suspicious texts from your friends, always contact them on different social networking platform and make sure that their account is not hacked to distribute malicious programs purposely.
Finally, we want to warn you not to click on ads that are promoted on suspicious websites. Usually, hackers tend to create appealing advertisements that attract naive computer users to click on them.
But be aware that they might redirect you to rogue websites which are designed to distribute high-risk computer infections. You shouldn’t let malicious ads to delude you.
Simple guide to eliminate The Magic ransomware
Our IT professionals encourage you not to trust cybercriminals once again and suggest opting for automatic The Magic virus removal. You should download a reputable security solution from trusted developers. The ransomware might block the installation of it. Thus, you need to reboot your computer to Safe Mode and let it scan your system thoroughly.
You can remove The Magic ransomware by following the guide provided below. Once you get rid of the virus, you can recover the files from backup copies or using special decryption tools.
Getting rid of The Magic virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
The following guide explains how to restart your PC in Safe Mode with Networking and use anti-malware software to wipe all The Magic ransomware remains from the system.
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 The Magic 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.
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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.
-
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 The Magic. 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 The Magic from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.If your files were encrypted by HiddenTear, you can try data recovery suggestions presented below.
If your files are encrypted by The Magic, you can use several methods to restore them:
Use ShadowExplorer software
You can use ShadowExplorer software to restore files from Volume Shadow Copies. In some cases, ransomware fails to delete these copies, which gives an opportunity to recover data successfully.
- 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.
Use HiddenTear decryption tools
If you got attacked by a HiddenTear-based ransomware, you can try the decryption tools suggested by NoMoreRansom project website.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from The Magic 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.
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