Crypter ransomware / virus (Improved Instructions) - updated Dec 2016
Crypter virus Removal Guide
What is Crypter ransomware virus?
Is Crypter ransomware really as serious as it claims to be?
Crypter virus also known as RenLocker virus appears to be regular crypto-ransomware [1] virus. But only on the outside. In reality, it only imitates the typical ransomware behaviour when the encryptor itself is fake. So, what the program actually does is rename the files on the compromised device. This means that the data on these files is not distorted by malicious ciphers [2] and can be accessed without much difficulty. Consequently, you do not need to worry about losing your data or making a ransom payment. All you need to do is to remove Crypter ransomware from the compromised machine and take certain security measures to protect it from menacing malware attacks. However, some users are interested in how ransomware viruses operate, so below we provide a description of Renlocker’s modus operandi.
Crypter ransomware is a Brazilian virus or at least targets users who speak Portuguese [3]. Once installed, this malware renames all files just by adding www-hash-part-[random chars].crypter file extension after the original file extension, and then launches CRYPTER – 2016 Ransomware: Preço de resgate deste server por 5 bitcoins program that states Atenção! Seu computador esta bloqueado! This roughly translates to Attention! Your computer is blocked. According to the text this phony computer virus displays on victim’s computer screen, the user can restore files and get access to the PC again by paying a 1 Bitcoin [4] worth of ransom. To pay the ransom, one is asked to buy Bitcoins and transfer them to the extortionists’ Bitcoin wallet. This scareware might appear to be a dangerous virus, but it is actually just a screenlocker that fails to encrypt victim’s data. As a result, victims can keep their money to themselves since this virus does not distort personal files. Of course, the messed up filenames are extremely annoying, but at least you can access the file content and roll back the file names after the virus is gone from the system. Therefore, you should start Crypter removal procedure right away. In our opinion, the best software that you can use for that is ReimageIntego.
How did this system takeover take place?
Crypter malware can compromise your system in case you do not comply with safe-browsing rules [5] and if your computer isn’t protected with anti-malware tools. Ransomware viruses, especially those created by amateur hackers typically spread via malicious email campaigns since it’s the easiest and cheapest way to deliver malicious files to a big number of computer users. Criminals send out thousands of malware-laden emails to random people each day, and they manage to create safe-looking letters that frequently convince victims to click on malicious links or open infectious attachments. Try to stay away from letters that come from unknown sources, and of course, resist the urge to view contents of shady email attachments. If you’re not 100% sure that the sender is a reliable individual, do not risk losing your precious files to fraudulent viruses like Crypter!
Crypter removal procedure:
To entirely get rid of the Crypter virus, you have to find every malicious file that it has added to your computer system. It can appear to be quite a challenging task, especially if you are not an expert in programming. Computer users who wish to remove Crypter and all malicious files/programs safely should rely on professional malware removal tools such as ReimageIntego or SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner. However, to start these programs and allow them to scan the system, you must prepare your device for Crypter removal. Instructions on how to do it are presented below. Good luck!
Getting rid of Crypter virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
To minimize the virus program, press ALT + F4. Then follow these instructions. You will need to restart your computer, but also boot in a Safe Mode with networking. We suggest you carefully read these instructions before attempting to delete the malware from your machine.
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 Crypter 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.
-
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.
-
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 Crypter. After doing that, click Next.
-
Now click Yes to start system restore.
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Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Crypter and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as ReimageIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
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- ^ Crypto-ransomware. F-secure news blog.
- ^ Cassius Puodzius. How encryption molded crypto-ransomware. WeLiveSecurity: News, views, and insight from the ESET security community.
- ^ RenLocker ransomware. Id-ransomware blog.
- ^ Danny Palmer. How Bitcoin helped fuel an explosion in ransomware attacks. ZDNet: IT news site.
- ^ Top 10 Internet Safety Rules . Kaspersky news blog.