How to remove AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST ransomware virus

How destructive is AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST ransomware?

Hackers attack users yet with another crypto-ransomware called AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST virus. Even now, when the most beautiful festivals of the year are approaching, crooks do not intend to give the virtual community a break from ransomware attacks. What is more, the malware seems to be one of the elaborate and complex ransomware. One of the distinctive features – .pre_alpha appended extension. Nevertheless, there is no need to give in to despair because of the encrypted files. Firstly, you need to remove AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST completely from the device. Afterward, you may shift to data recovery procedure.

The emergence of well-known crypto ransomware, such as TeslaCrypt, CryptoLocker and Locky marked the beginning of a new era of ransomware viruses. After getting acquainted with AES and RSA encryption peculiarities, multiple hacker-wannabes joined the ransomware business. One of the possible reasons for such surge is ransomware-as-a-service ^[1]. Cyber criminals publish ransomware samples for educating or sale purposes. Likewise, anyone willing to make a profit from such illegal activity can only purchase the necessary details and start distributing the malware. The main cause of such boom of file-encrypting malware is the method of AES and RSA algorithms. Aes_key_gen_assist malware exploits the compilation of AES-256 and RSA-2048 encryption method. The former key encodes the data while the latter, RSA, encrypts the very AES key ^[2]. Therefore, the very process of decrypting victims‘ keys is surely not an easy task.

Guessing a matching key for Aes_key_gen_assist ransomware is nearly impossible. Likewise, hackers are confident that netizens will fail to decrypt the data without remitting the ransom. In comparison with other threats, the virus presents a few interesting peculiarities. Unlike the majority of crypto-ransomware viruses, it does not employ anonymity ensuring Tor network ^[3]. Instead, in the !Read__Me.tXt file, the crooks present two email addresses for public communication: AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST@protonmail.com and cmp@keemail.me. As common for hackers, they warn victims not to attempt decrypting the files on their own. Certainly, if your files happen to be of great importance, you might comply with the demands just to retrieve the files. However, few crooks are known for retrieving the files ^[4]. Thus, paying the money might be just a waste of energy. What you should do is concentrate on AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST removal. FortectIntego helps you do that effectively.

The distribution tendencies of the malware

If you are wondering how this cyber threat has managed to infect your system, you should try recalling whether you received any suspicious spam email ^[5]. In general, such emails remain the main distribution channel for racketeers to distribute the malware. Unfortunately, users still fall for old tricks when they receive fake police emails or delivery package messages. The crooks significantly improved in counterfeiting the emails of well-known companies. Nonetheless, there are still ways how you can suspect the reliability of such email. Look for grammar mistakes and typos. If the email pretends to be the message sent from an official institution, take a close look at the logo. Frequently, an altered icon might suggest that a cyber menace lies in the attached file. Alternatively, keep in mind that AES_KEY_GEN_ASSIST hijack might occur if you surf in a questionable website as well.

Eradicating Aes_key_gen_assist malware

When it comes to any crypto-ransomware, we do not recommend meddling with the malware on your own. Automatic Aes_key_gen_assist removal might be a better solution since the program is devised to detect and eliminate all components of crypto-ransomware. Keep in mind that updating it is crucial in fully eliminating the malware. If you struggle to remove Aes_key_gen_assist virus from the device, use the following guidelines to regain the full control of your computer. Lastly, update both, anti-virus and anti-spyware utilities to enjoy the proper protection of the device.