How to remove Ada ransomware

Ada ransomware can damage users' files permanently if they cannot decrypt them

Since the first incidence of ransomware in 1989, which is known as the AIDS Trojan, the threat of ransomware has increased, thanks to technological advancements and globalization. US officials are telling businesses and organizations to take extra precautions this Thanksgiving because of multiple attacks during previous holiday periods. File-locking malware affects home users as well, so you should not ignore the warning. It is especially devastating for those, who have not backed up their data because the chances of recovery are quite low.

Ada virus is one of the most recent strains of Void Ransomware. It starts locking peoples' personal files, like photos, videos, and documents as soon as it enters the system. Typically, ransomware encrypts as much of the victim’s data as possible using the public key, which can only be decrypted private key^[1] which only the threat actors have. So after the encryption process is done, if a file was previously named picture.jpg, it would be named picture.jpg.[Kixonw@gmail.com][ID].ada.

So not only the .ada extension gets added, but the contact email of the cybercriminals and a unique victim ID as well. Normally, after that is done, a ransom note read-me.txt is generated on the computer, where crooks threaten and demand money from the victim. The most common threats include deleting the victim’s data if they do not cooperate within a specific time frame, damaging the device, or releasing the data to the public.

New ways ransomware is spread across the globe

Ransomware is often spread through phishing^[2] emails that contain malicious attachments or links. The method is called drive-by downloading and it occurs when a user unknowingly visits an infected website and then malware is downloaded without the user’s knowledge. These malicious links can also be spread on social media platforms, messaging applications.

Cybercriminals can also purchase ad space that is linked to an exploit kit.^[3] The ad has to draw users' attention, so it often contains some form of clickbait. The ad might have a provocative image, message, or a very good offer for some type of software. This method is called malvertising and it is becoming an increasingly popular ransomware delivery technique.

When people click on such an ad, the exploit kit scans the system for information about the software, operating system, browser details, etc. If the exploit kit detects a vulnerability, it tries to install ransomware on the user’s machine. Many major ransomware attacks spread through malvertising, including CryptoWall and Sodinokibi.

The ransom note 

The full Read-me.txt ransom note read as follows:

All Your Files Has Been Encrypted

You Have to Pay to Get Your Files Back

1-Go to C:\ProgramData\ or in Your other Drives and send us prvkey.txt.key file

2-You can send some file little than 1mb for Decryption test to trust us But the test File should not contain valuable data

3-Payment should be with Bitcoin

4-Changing Windows without saving prvkey.txt.key file will cause permanete Data loss

Our Email: kixonw@gmail.com

in Case of no Answer: kixonw@tutanota.com

Attention!
Do not rename encrypted files.
Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

The ransom note contains all the instructions from hackers. Often they use various scare tactics to make people act based on their emotions and make the payment as soon as possible. Cryptocurrencies provide a safe mechanism for threat actors to be paid while reducing the likelihood of authorities being able to track the money. That is why most ransomware developers ask for the payment to be made with Bitcoin.^[4]

There are also geopolitical safe havens^[5] that allow governments to turn a blind eye to their citizens’ cybercrime activities as long as the cybercriminal does not target domestic companies or people. Russia and China are the most notable countries in the cybercriminal sector since they are notorious for not pursuing recognized cybercriminals for cyberattacks that they commit or assist in on a global scale.

Of course, we do not suggest you pay the ransom because hackers cannot be trusted. They are not required to keep their promises and provide you with a decryption key. Many ransomware victims say that they never heard back from threat actors after they have done everything they have asked for.

All of this adds up to the skyrocketing numbers of ransomware attacks and people have to start educating themselves about it because it is unlikely to stop. With time, cyber-attacks are expected to become even more sophisticated and dangerous, so you should not put off learning about precautionary measures.

Start the removal process

The important thing to do is disconnect the affected machine from the local network as we talked about the dangers of that previously. For home users, disconnecting the ethernet cable should do the job. If this happened at your workplace, doing that might be complicated, so we have instructions for corporate environments at the bottom of this post.

If you try to recover your data first, it can result in permanent loss. It can also encrypt your files the second time. It will not stop until you remove the malicious files causing it first. You should not attempt removing the malicious program yourself unless you have experience. Manual removal of ransomware is extremely complicated and is suitable for people with advanced IT skills.

Use anti-malware tools like SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes to scan your system. This security software should find all the related files and entries and remove them automatically for you. In some cases, malware does not let you use antivirus in normal mode, so you need to access Safe Mode and perform a full system scan from there:

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 10 / Windows 8

1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
   
2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
5. Click Restart now.
6. Select Troubleshoot.
7. Go to Advanced options.
8. Select Startup Settings.
9. Click Restart.
10. Press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.

Repair corrupted system files

Performance, stability, and usability issues, to the point where a full Windows reinstall is required, are nothing unusual after malware infection. These types of viruses can alter the Windows registry database, damage vital bootup, and other sections, delete or corrupt DLL files, etc. Once a system file is damaged by malware, antivirus software cannot fix it.

Manual troubleshooting of such damage is also very complicated and can take a long time. This is why FortectIntego was developed. It can fix a lot of the damage caused by an infection like this. Blue Screen errors, freezes, registry errors, damaged DLLs, etc., can make your computer completely unusable. By using this maintenance tool, you could prevent yourself from having to reinstall Windows completely.

• Download the application by clicking on the link above
• Click on the ReimageRepair.exe
  
• If User Account Control (UAC) shows up, select Yes
• Press Install and wait till the program finishes the installation process
• The analysis of your machine will begin immediately
• Once complete, check the results – they will be listed in the Summary
• You can now click on each of the issues and fix them manually
• If you see many problems that you find difficult to fix, we recommend you purchase the license and fix them automatically.

Try recovering data with third-party software

Only hackers hold the decryption key, which can unlock your files, so if you did not back them up previously, there is a good chance that you will never get them back. You can try using data recovery software, but keep in mind that third-party programs cannot always decrypt the files. Whatever the situation may be, we suggest at least trying this method. Before you proceed, copy the corrupted files and place them in a USB flash drive or another external storage device. And remember – only do this if you have already removed the Ada ransomware.

Before you begin, several pointers are important while dealing with this situation:

• Since the encrypted data on your computer might permanently be damaged by security or data recovery software, you should first make backups of it – use a USB flash drive or another storage.
• Only attempt to recover your files using this method after you perform a scan with anti-malware software.

Install data recovery software

1. Download Data Recovery Pro.
2. Double-click the installer to launch it.
3. Follow on-screen instructions to install the software.
4. As soon as you press Finish, you can use the app.
5. Select Everything or pick individual folders where you want the files to be recovered from.
6. Press Next.
7. At the bottom, enable Deep scan and pick which Disks you want to be scanned.
8. Press Scan and wait till it is complete.
9. You can now pick which folders/files to recover – don't forget you also have the option to search by the file name!
10. Press Recover to retrieve your files.

Keep your data safe by doing this:

• Do not click on unsafe links
• Do not disclose your personal information to strangers or post it on the Internet
• Do not open suspicious email attachments
• Keep backups of your data on multiple storage devices
• Update your operating system and software as frequently as possible
• Have trusted professional security tools in your system to add an additional layer of safety