How to remove Bl00dy ransomware

Bl00dy ransomware can encrypt users' personal files and ask for money to decrypt them

Bl00dy ransomware is a file-locking virus that uses encryption^[1] algorithms to lock users' personal files, such as photos, videos, documents, databases, etc. The variant belongs to the Babuk ransomware family. When it infiltrates the system, the affected files are appended with the .bl00dy extension.

So if a file was previously named picture.jpg, after encryption, it would look like this – picture.jpg.bl00dy. The icons also change to white pages so thumbnails are unavailable. Shortly after, a ransom note “How To Restore Your Files.txt” is generated on the machine.

The ransom note

The full How To Restore Your Files.txt ransom note reads as follows:

GREETINGS FROM

BL00DY RANSOMWARE GANG

What happened ?

Your entire company network is penetrated and encrypted with “.bl00dy” entension
All files on servers and computers locked and not usable

Dont panic All files are decryptable
We will recover all your files to normal

What Bl00dy Gang take / steal from your company network ?

We download your company important files / documents / databases/ mails / accounts  
We publish it to the public if you dont cooperate .

What BL00DY Gang needs from YOU ?

We expect nothing except appreciating our work
PAY US in this way you appreciate our work

How to contact the BL00DY Gang for ransom negotiations ?

filedecryptionsupport@msgsafe.io

What Quarantees ?

we are not a politically motivated group and we do not need anything other than your money.
If you pay, we provide you the programs for decryption and we will delete your data.
If we do not give you decrypters or we do not delete your data, no one will pay us in the future, this does not comply with our goals.

We will help protect your company from any other attacks ; we will give you tips to secure company network

We always keep our promises.

!!! BEWARE !!!

If you have Backups and try to restore from backups . All entire company files / databases / everything
we DOWNLOADED will be posted online

DON'T try to rename or modify encrypted files by yourself!

If you will try to use any third party software for restoring your data or antivirus solutions – please make a
 backup for all encrypted files! – Don't try because you will damage all the files

Any changes in encrypted files may entail damage of the private key and, as result, the loss all data.

Do not report to Police or FBI , they dont care about your business .They will tell you not to pay
and you will lose all your files.

Recovery Company Cannot help You . things will get rather worse . speak for yourself.

we DO NOT TAKE MUCH

The main goal of a ransomware attack is to extract money from victims. Cybercriminals hope that the encrypted files are important enough that victims would pay for a decryption key. The ransom note seems to be written to businesses. However, it is unknown if Bl00dy ransomware targets companies specifically.

Threat actors always try to pressure victims and make it seem like there is no other option but to pay. We strongly advise people not to contact them or pay them because they cannot be trusted. Many previous ransomware attack victims say that they never received the promised decryption tools after sending the money.

The ransom amount is not specified in the note, which means it should be negotiated privately. Cybercriminals always want to be paid in cryptocurrencies^[2] because they provide anonymity. However, it is very risky for the victims. Once you send a cryptocurrency transaction to another wallet it is impossible to get it back.

Even though often there is no other way to decrypt the locked data, the risk is too high. You can be left without your data and your money. There are third-party recovery solutions that help in some cases. You may also wait, as crooks sometimes release the decryption keys to the public.

Distribution methods

Cybercriminals use a number of methods to spread their malicious programs. Most often, people infect themselves with ransomware by installing “cracked” software^[3] from Torrent websites or peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms. These pages are unregulated so they are the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of malware.

Another common channel used by threat actors is email. They use social engineering^[4] methods to create convincing letters that look like urgent messages from well-known companies. They include malicious links or infected attachments. Never open email attachments from someone you do not know.

Most people do not realize how important it is to keep the operating system and software updated. Hackers can use software vulnerabilities to deliver their malicious programs. Software developers regularly release security patches. They should be installed to minimize security risks.

How to eliminate ransomware from the system?

The first step you should take is to disconnect the affected device from the Internet. You should do this especially if the infected computer is a work or company computer. If you do not disconnect it from the local network, it may spread and infect other devices. You can find instructions for this step 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. 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. Automatic removal is the best option because there is less risk of leaving some of the traces behind. Malware could prevent you from using antivirus software by turning it off. In that case, you should proceed with accessing Safe Mode first:

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.

File recovery using third-party software

Only hackers hold the decryption key, which can unlock your files, so if you did not back them up previously, you possibly lost your files forever. You can try using data recovery software, but third-party programs cannot always decrypt the files. We suggest at least trying this method. Before proceeding, you have to copy the corrupted files and place them in a USB flash drive or another storage. And remember – only do this if you have already removed Bl00dy ransomware.

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.

The operating system is left damaged after an attack

Performance, stability, and usability issues, to the point where a full Windows reinstall is required, are expected after malware infection. These types of infections 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 is not able to repair it. 

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 avoid Windows reinstallation.

• 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.