BTCamant ransomware / virus (Improved Guide) - Quick Decryption Solution
BTCamant virus Removal Guide
What is BTCamant ransomware virus?
BTCamant ransomware virus wants Bitcoins, so takes your files hostage
BTCamant virus seems to be a new ransomware strain; however, it acts the same way that any file-encrypting trojan does. The aim of the virus is to limit access to user’s personal files to cause agony of data loss and convince the victim to pay a ransom in exchange for a decryption key[1]. The virus encrypts files using a combination of AES/RSA ciphers[2] and transfers the secret decryption key to its private server. The decryption key is a long set of symbols, so it is not possible to guess it, and trying to brute force[3] it can take ages. Without this key, it is not possible to restore encrypted files. Currently, there is not enough information about BTCamant ransomware, so we cannot tell whether it is a weak or a sophisticated virus. We suggest you remove BTCamant ransomware using anti-malware tools like FortectIntego and use a backup to restore your files[4]. If you do not have it, you should create a copy of encrypted data and transfer it to a removable data storage device. Who knows, maybe malware researchers will manage to create a data decryption tool in the future.
BTCamant virus appends .BTCamant file extensions to encrypted files to help the victim identify which files have been encrypted and which ones were not. All attempts to open them will be unsuccessful unless you get the decryption key. That is why cybercriminals drop a ransom note on the desktop (and in other affected folders as well) to inform you about data recovery options. BTCamant virus wants 0.5 BTC from you, and promises to provide you with a decryption tool as soon as you pay up. Please do not pay this amount of money to frauds – they might never provide you with decryption software! Instead, take care of BTCamant removal and make sure you protect your computer and your files from malware attacks. From now on, try to be more careful when you browse the Internet. You should also read important information about ransomware distribution methods, which are described below.
Ransomware distribution methods
In this paragraph, we are going to describe major ransomware distribution channels and define techniques that can help you protect your device from a ransomware attack. First of all, you should know that any type of malware, including ransomware, tends to spread using Trojan horse techniques. The majority of ransomware viruses (especially those developed by amateur-level programmers) are distributed via email spam. Crooks create convincing messages and add safe-looking attachments to them, then send such letters to thousands of users. You should never open emails coming from suspicious sources and use your common sense before clicking on links and ads online. If you received an offer that seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Also, beware of scammers that send phishing Amazon or Paypal emails. You must understand that employees of such companies do not send out emails using email accounts such as johhnyNicko926-2w7@protonmail.ru.
More sophisticated ransomware developers manage to disseminate malware using exploit kits, Trojans, compromised websites, and other technologies[5]. In most cases, users cannot defend their devices in any other way but with a help of anti-malware program. Therefore, we strongly recommend you to install it.
How to remove BTCamant ransomware from the system?
To delete everything associated with BTCamant virus, as well as other malware that might have sneaked into your system alongside this virus, we suggest using anti-malware application. It can be really hard to remove BTCamant ransomware, especially if you have never done it before. Such viruses often make adjustments in Windows Registry and clutter the system with various files, and finding all of them can be a challenging task. Therefore, we suggest you run a full system scan with anti-malware software and let it do the cleaning. Once you are done with BTCamant removal, check out data recovery instructions that are provided below.
Getting rid of BTCamant virus. Follow these steps
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.
Remove BTCamant 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.
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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 BTCamant. 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 BTCamant from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.If your files are encrypted by BTCamant, you can use several methods to restore them:
Run Data Recovery Pro
You can try to repair corrupted files with a help of Data Recovery Pro tool. Follow these instructions:
- Download Data Recovery Pro;
- Follow the steps of Data Recovery Setup and install the program on your computer;
- Launch it and scan your computer for files encrypted by BTCamant ransomware;
- Restore them.
Run ShadowExplorer
ShadowExplorer is a tool that searches for Volume Shadow Copies on a compromised system. If it detects them, restores files using them. Take a look at a tutorial on how to use this tool:
- 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.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from BTCamant and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
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- ^ Ryan Harnedy. What a $20,000 Ransomware Attack Can Teach You About Backup and Recovery. Barkly. Endpoint Security Blog.
- ^ Hesham Darwish. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), RSA. Cryptographic Algorithms (AES, RSA).
- ^ What is brute force cracking?. SearchSecurity. Information Security information, news and tips.
- ^ Matt Sherman. Ransomware Do's and Don'ts: Protecting Critical Data. Symantec.Security Response blogs.
- ^ Ransomware. Trend Micro USA. Internet Security .