BitPyLock ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
BitPyLock ransomware - cryptovirus that encoded data and makes files useless, so there is a reason behind ransom demand. The particular encryption algorithms allow changing the original code of photos, videos, documents, audio files, and archives, so when people notice data marked with .bitpy appendix, they can now why the ransom demanding message got placed on the Desktop.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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BitPyLock ransomware: summary
| Distribution | Files with malicious code get attached as invoices, receipts, and other information on emails posing as notifications from legitimate services and companies. Other malware, trojans or worms can deliver this virus directly on the machine |
|---|---|
| Name | BitPyLock ransomware |
| File marker | .bitpy – the appendix that appears at the end of every affected file after the original file extension. This is the sign that file is unreadable because of file-locking |
| Encryption algorithms | AES-256 and RSA-2048[3] |
| Ransom note | # HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html; the text is quoted in full below |
| Ransom amount | 0.8 Bitcoin |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 12 more facts
| Contact emails | helpbitpy@cock.li |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Encrypted file extension | .bitpy |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | Files renamed with a new extension and a ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
| Encrypted files | .bitpy |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 13 January 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- File extension:
.bitpy - Note file:
# HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on BitPyLock ransomware
- # HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html - program window showing all the needed instructions and informing the victim about all the possibilities.
- This is the file that determines contact information, a particular amount of money that the user needs to pay and provides the cryptocurrency wallet address
- To remove BitPyLock ransomware once and for all, you need to get a proper AV tool that can detect virus traces and malicious behavior-based programs
- When ransomware gets on the machine, it alters settings and preferences to keep the malware running longer, so you should go through those changes and reverse them.
- or a similar PC tool might do that for you automatically
The BitPyLock ransomware note
All your files are encrypted!
All your files, including, but not limited to:
Photos, videos, databases and office projects have been encrypted
- using strong military grade encryption algorithms AES-256 and RSA-2048.
Recovery tools and other software will not help you!
Don't find your backups? because they have been successfully encrypted too or securly wiped!
The only way to recover your files, are to meet our demands.
1. Create a Bitcoin wallet (we recommend you to create on Blockchain.com)
2. Register on LocalBitcoins.com (or any other Bitcoin exchange), then buy 0.8 Bitcoin (BTC).
3. Send Bitcoins to our wallet below (in case sensitive. Make sure you copy past it):
[payment address omitted]
4. Send Bitcoin Transaction ID to our e-mail address along with your "Private ID" below of this page:
helpbitpy@cock.li
5. You will receive the tools needed to decrypt all of your files immediately!
Note: Before payment you can contact with us for 1 free small file as decryption test!
Be warned, we won't be able to recover your files if you start fiddling with them!
You have 72 hours (3 days) from this moment to send us payment, or you files will be lost in eternity!
Private ID: -
How to remove BitPyLock ransomware
Tools you'll need
All of these are free except where noted. Download them on a clean device if the infected PC is offline.
- A USB stick: to keep the ransom note, two or three encrypted files and screenshots off the infected PC.
- Microsoft Defender Offline: built into Windows 11 and Windows 10; scans before Windows starts, so running malware cannot hide.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a second, portable scanner with current signatures; each download works for 10 days.
- ID Ransomware: identifies the family from the note and one encrypted file and says whether a decryptor exists.
- No More Ransom: the free decryptors from police and security companies; check it again every few months.
- Fortect (optional): scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. The free scan is in the box above.
How to remove BitPyLock ransomware and get your files back
Work in this order.
Disconnecting comes first, removal comes before any restore, and nothing here asks you to contact the attackers.
Step 1: Disconnect the PC and unplug backup drives
BitPyLock ransomware encrypts everything it can reach, including drives and shares you connect later. Cut the network first: cable out, or Wi-Fi off from the taskbar.
Then unplug every USB stick and backup disk and pause cloud sync, so the encrypted versions do not replace your online copies. Do not reconnect any of them until the ransomware is removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: turn off Wi-Fi to take the PC offline. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 2: Save the ransom note and confirm the family
Copy
# HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.htmland one or two files ending in.bitpyto a USB stick, and leave the originals where they are.From another device, upload the note and a sample file to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom's Crypto Sheriff, which name the family from the note, the extension and the file structure.
Write down the contact address and your personal ID from the note, because a decryptor or the police may ask for them.
Warning: Never contact the attackers from the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: the ransom note and encrypted files to copy for identification. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 3: Check for a free decryptor
For BitPyLock ransomware, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Search the family name in the No More Ransom decryption tools list and in the free decryptors of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, because new tools appear years after an attack.
Important: Keep the encrypted files even if nothing works today, and do not pay before every free option is ruled out: payment does not guarantee a working key.
Decryptors run on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but only after the ransomware itself is removed.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Restoring or decrypting files while BitPyLock ransomware still runs lets it encrypt them again. Run a Full scan in Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
If the ransomware blocks Windows Security, start Safe Mode with Networking and scan from there. Some families install a password stealer as well, so let both scans finish on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 5: Look for shadow copies of the files
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
vssadmin list shadows. If it lists copies dated before the attack, right-click a folder with encrypted files in File Explorer, choose Properties > Previous Versions, and open or restore a version from before that date.ShadowExplorer, a free tool, shows the same copies when the tab is empty or hidden. Most current families delete shadow copies, so an empty list is normal, but the check takes two minutes on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: vssadmin list shadows shows whether shadow copies exist. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 6: Restore the files from a backup or recover deleted originals
Restore from an external backup, File History or OneDrive's version history, choosing a date before the attack. Connect the backup drive only after the scans are clean, or the ransomware encrypts it too.
If there is no backup, file recovery software can sometimes find the deleted originals, because some ransomware writes an encrypted copy and deletes the original file.
Stop writing to the drive and try recovery on Windows 11 or Windows 10 before new files overwrite the space.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
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.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
BitPyLock ransomware is the threat demanding thousands of dollars from victims and promising to recover the encrypted files after
BitPyLock ransomware - cryptovirus that encoded data and makes files useless, so there is a reason behind ransom demand.
The particular encryption algorithms allow changing the original code of photos, videos, documents, audio files, and archives, so when people notice data marked with .bitpy appendix, they can now why the ransom demanding message got placed on the Desktop.
Malicious actors deliver the blackmail message on the program window named # HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html and expect to get 0.8 Bitcoin payment by ensuring that victims will get their files back after the money transfer.
Unfortunately, such promises rarely become a reality, so trusting BitPyLock ransomware virus developers is not advised by any experts. Especially when encryption relies on two powerful algorithms, it is not believed that criminals care about your belongings or the state of files. Decryption is not possible for this strain, so you can only rely on file backups or third-party software designed to decrypt or at least recover files.
It may be the case, that virus is in development, and researchers will offer the program for such affected files in the future. So you can store virus-related files on an external device, get rid of the ransomware traces left on the machine with proper AV tools, and wait for the possibilities while using the safe machine.
BitPyLock ransomware is the strain of malware that focuses on file-locking and blackmailing. This is the virus that focuses on a common type of data like documents, photos, videos, databases, archives, or audio files. All potential files get encoded immediately after infiltration, so the ransom-demanding message can be quickly delivered.
Once that is done, and BitPyLock ransomware developers have already asked for money, additional system settings get changed and even disabled. Various functions of the computer can get disabled or corrupted, so security tools are not interfering with ransomware processes.
However, this also means that the virus can install other programs to ensure that malicious processes can run. With these changes in particular settings, BitPyLock ransomware removal becomes more difficult. Even though it is not the easiest, to begin with.
Various files related to BitPyLock ransomware get placed in system folders, in the Windows Registry and startup preferences. But these places are not visited often, so you need to scan the machine fully to find these things and get rid of them. On the other hand, the ransom note is placed on the Desktop, in some folders where encoded data is located, so you quickly found the message.
Since the payment gets demanded in the program window, it often is opened on the screen directly after the encryption with the following text:
When this message is appearing, victims believe that paying is the only solution for this infection. However, you should remove BitPyLock ransomware instead of even considering the payment option. Cybercriminals that spread less harmful threats are dangerous and untrustworthy.
These people are focusing on getting your money and making a profit from the loss of your data. Even contacting them can lead to unfixable PC issues or permanently lost/ damaged files. Regardless of the quantity of the encrypted files, BitPyLock ransomware developers going to ask for the payment transfer in chosen cryptocurrency.
It mainly differs from variant to variant, so this time it is set to 0.8 Bitcoin that equivalents to at least 5 or 6 thousand US dollars. It can be increased when you contact criminals and go up to tens of thousands, so there is no need to write them.
Cryptocurrency wallets are not that easily traceable, so virus developers can remain anonymous for a long time. In most cases, ransomware developers are not caught by the police and continue to blackmail people all over the world. Since the official decryption tool is not released, you can only recover BitPyLock ransomware encrypted files with a particular software or by replacing them with backups.
The only way BitPyLock ransomware could get decrypted is when law enforcement gets access to the database where particular victim identification keys are stored. Such IDs are needed for decryption since each victim gets the unique code after the file-locking process.
However, restoring files while BitPyLock ransomware is still running on the machine is not a good idea. You need to get an anti-malware tool, run that program on the system, so all parts of the machine get checked and all traces of the cryptovirus eliminated. You can get your files encrypted again if you forget to do this step.
Then you should repair virus damage using PC repair utility or a system optimization program, so all alterations that BitPyLock cryptovirus have made get recovered. may do that and indicate system files requiring the repair. Then, go through options below the article that provide solutions for encrypted data recovery.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Malicious macros trigger payload droppers
Direct spamming and other scam campaigns are commonly used to spread multiple types of cyber threats, including ransom-demanding malware.
Deceptive techniques help to trick people into believing anything they see on the screen. Emails stating about financial information, containing order or payment confirmation documents as attachments, can be convincing enough and not creating any suspicions.
However, emails posing as notifications from legitimate companies or services can deliver malware directly from the email itself via a malicious link or trigger the drop of the infected file when you enable macros on the Microsoft document attached as an important file. One-click on the button "Enable" can allow the direct payload to launch the virus or the process of dropping the code.
Keep away from the content you are not familiar with and make sure to delete emails you were not expected to get. This is the only way to avoid cyber infections - keep yourself from questionable content online.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
BitPyLock ransomware termination should happen as soon as possible
Don't forget that this virus is one of the most dangerous cyber threats that can run in the background and make alterations to settings of the machine without requiring additional permissions. These alterations extremely affect the results of BitPyLock ransomware removal and the process itself.
You cannot remove BitPyLock ransomware when there are many changes made to security functions or registry and startup. So run the PC in Safe Mode and then launch , , or to clean the damage, additionally check for traces left behind. Only then you can go through affected files and try to restore them,
Interfering with BitPyLock ransomware virus affected files before deleting the malware can result in lost files and damaged machines. These are instructions for additional features and programs helpful when dealing with such infection.
[GI=method-1]Reboot the machine in Safe Mode with Networking and make the machine free of BitPyLock ransomware
[GI=method-2]System Restore feature is the function that allows users to recover the machine in a previous state when the virus was not active
This is the solution forBitPyLock ransomware virus victims when they don't have particular file backups needed to restore encrypted data
Windows Previous Versions feature for the data rescue
When System Restore is enabled, files affected by BitPyLock ransomware can be restored using Windows Previous Versions
ShadowExplorer - a method for the data recovery
If you are sure that BitPyLock ransomware virus is not affecting Shadow Volume Copies, you can rely on this function
Decryption is not possible for BitPyLock ransomware
Report it and recover your files
Report it
Report the attack even if you do not expect the files back: insurers and banks ask for the report number, and police use the contacts in the note to link cases.
- United States
- FBI IC3 · FTC ReportFraud
- United Kingdom
- Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) · NCSC
- Australia
- ReportCyber (ASD)
- EU countries
- Europol: national reporting sites
Give the victim ID, the note and the date the files were encrypted. A business that holds personal data may also have to notify its data protection authority, in the EU within 72 hours.
Protect the files you restore
Restore only after the scans are clean and the PC no longer shows files that end in .bitpy and no longer open; otherwise the restored copies can be damaged again.
Then build a backup that survives the next infection:
- one copy in the cloud with version history
- one on an external drive that is disconnected between backups
- the working copy on the PC
Version history matters because a backup that syncs damaged files overwrites the good ones.
How to do this with the tools built into Windows: the 3-2-1 backup rule on Windows.
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 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 for the data restoration process.
Questions about BitPyLock ransomware
Is there a decryptor for .bitpy files?
That depends on the family behind the .bitpy extension, which this guide cannot confirm yet from the reports alone. Check No More Ransom and ID Ransomware with your ransom note and one encrypted file; they list families with free tools.
If none exists today, keep the encrypted files and a copy of the note on a separate drive, because decryptors are sometimes published months later after flaws are found or servers are seized. Never buy a decryptor from a website that is not the security company that made it.
How do I open .bitpy files?
You cannot open them by renaming or by choosing another program. The .bitpy ending shows that BitPyLock ransomware encrypted the content, and only the matching key can reverse it. Renaming a file back to .docx or .jpg changes nothing except the icon, and it can confuse a future decryptor, so leave the names as they are.
To get the content back, use a backup, an unencrypted copy elsewhere, or a decryptor listed on No More Ransom if one exists for BitPyLock ransomware. Store the encrypted files on an external disk until then.
How did BitPyLock ransomware get on my computer?
The way BitPyLock ransomware spreads has not been documented yet, so look at your own recent activity. On home PCs, ransomware most often comes with cracked programs, game cheats, key generators and fake updates, or with an e-mail attachment that was opened. On business networks, attackers usually log in through Remote Desktop with a stolen or guessed password.
Think back to what was downloaded or installed in the days before files that end in .bitpy and no longer open, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Should I pay the ransom?
We advise against it, and so do the FBI, Europol and national cyber agencies. Payment does not guarantee a working tool: some attackers never reply, some tools damage files, and some variants have no decryptor at all. Paying also funds further attacks and can make you a target again.
Before considering payment, try every recovery option in this guide and report the attack. Companies must involve their legal adviser and insurer, because payments to sanctioned groups can be illegal. If files are truly irreplaceable, store the encrypted copies and wait; decryptors sometimes appear later.
Can a data-recovery company decrypt my files for a fee?
Only if a decryptor already exists or the company pays the attackers for you. Some "ransomware recovery" services advertise that they can decrypt families with no known flaw; in practice they negotiate with the attackers and add their own fee. Others use the same free tools listed on No More Ransom.
Before you hire anyone, ask in writing how they will recover the files, whether they will contact the attackers and what happens if they fail. A legitimate service answers clearly. If a free decryptor exists for your family, you can run it yourself.
Did BitPyLock ransomware steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by BitPyLock ransomware, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .bitpy and no longer open, which says nothing about what happened before. Many current ransomware attacks copy files or run a password stealer first, so it is wise to act as if they did.
From a clean device, change the passwords that were saved in the browsers on this PC, starting with e-mail and banking, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification. Watch bank statements and account activity for the next few weeks.
Is BitPyLock ransomware the same as other ransomware with a similar name?
Not necessarily. Ransomware names come from the file extension, the note or a word in the code, so unrelated families often end up with similar names, and one family can appear under several names. The difference matters: a decryptor or advice for one family does not fit another and can damage files.
Compare the ending added to your files and the exact name of the note with the summary table at the top of this guide, then upload the note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware from a clean device. If the result names another family, follow the guide for that family instead.
Can I delete # HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html?
Yes, the note itself is harmless text and deleting it does not affect your files. Keep at least one copy first, outside the infected PC. # HELP_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES #.html contains your personal ID and the attackers' contact details, which identification services use to tell which family encrypted your files, and which a decryptor may need later.
Police reports also ask for it. Once you have saved a copy, you can remove the notes from every folder after the ransomware program has been removed and your files are restored or backed up.
My files got .bitpy overnight. What happened?
Ransomware often runs at night or when the PC is idle, so the encryption finishes before anyone notices. It usually entered earlier through a cracked program, a fake installer, an e-mail attachment or remote desktop with a weak password.
The .bitpy extension marks every file it reached. Start by disconnecting the PC from the network, then identify the family from the ransom note and one encrypted file, check for a decryptor, and look for copies in backups and OneDrive before you consider anything else.
Will Fortect remove BitPyLock ransomware?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For BitPyLock ransomware, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Virusai: Virusai (read October 7, 2026)
- VirusTotal: Ransomware detection rate (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)