Curumim ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Bonus: Decryption Steps
Curumim virus Removal Guide
What is Curumim ransomware virus?
Curumim virus is a Portuguese variant of an infamous Hidden Tear ransomware
After the successful encryption, the computer user receives a ransom note that insists on contacting the attackers via lordashadow@gmail.com e-mail address to recover the data containing a .curumim file extension[1].
According to LosVirus.es[2] analysis, this malware can encode databases, video and audio files, pdf documents, archives and other files. The translated version of the Curumim virus ransom note states the following:
Your files are encrypted!
You only have 1 day
To get in touch or your files will be totally lost!
lordashadow@gmail.com
The amount of a demanded payment is yet unknown. However, victims are still not advised to trust the criminals. Usually, the perpetrators manipulate their power and increase the amount of the ransom after the transaction. You should not hesitate and remove Curumim ransomware immediately.
Be aware that alternative decryption tools that are widely offered online might be developed to swindle money from gullible people. Therefore, do not try to purchase useless decryptors and focus on the Curumim removal instead.
You should employ a powerful security software to get rid of the malware. Additionally, we want to warn you not to try to uninstall the ransomware by yourself since it may lead to a permanent computer damage. Alternatively, you should pick FortectIntego, Malwarebytes or any other antivirus system of your choice to perform a safe termination of the malware.
Besides, you should remember that elimination process of Curumim ransomware does not help regain access to the corrupted data. However, we recommend you to restore your files using backup copies stored in the cloud or alternative techniques that are presented at the end of this article.
Malspam campaigns and fake system updates are the main distribution methods used to spread the ransomware
While there are many distribution methods employed by cybercriminals, sending spam emails with a malicious attachment[3], remains the most significant one. Victims receive a genuine-looking letter from a well-known company or even governmental institution. Once they open the file attached to the e-mail message, an executable file of the malware is dropped on the computer and ransomware infiltrates on the system.
Another similarly dangerous method used is to deliver a fake system update offer that looks legitimate to the user. Many gullible people believe that it is an official upgrade and download an executable of the ransomware. Experts note that the most common fake pop-ups are Adobe and Windows OS updates. Make sure to stay away from them if you want to protect your system from invasion.
Learn how to get rid of Curumim file-encrypting virus
The fastest way to remove Curumim virus is to employ a powerful security software. It is also the safest way since the antivirus system will detect and eliminate other infections that might be delivered by the malware.
Be aware that the ransomware might block you from installing a security software. Thus, you should reboot your computer to Safe Mode and run a full system scan.
If you want to do it the hard way — start a manual Curumim removal by following the guide provided below. We advise you to avoid skipping steps since it may lead to further issues related to your computer.
Getting rid of Curumim virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
To remove the virus you should reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Networking. The guide provided below will help you to do that.
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 Curumim using System Restore
There is another method how you can get rid of the Curumim ransomware. Follow the instructions presented below to use learn how to boot your PC into Safe Mode with Command Prompt function.
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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
-
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 Curumim. 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 Curumim from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.Remember that Curumim removal does not decrypt your files. However, out IT experts have several alternative methods you could try if you want to get back your data. Learn how to use them:
If your files are encrypted by Curumim, you can use several methods to restore them:
Try Data Recovery Pro
This is a professional tool developed to recover files if you accidentally delete them or in case of ransomware attack.
- 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 Curumim ransomware;
- Restore them.
Windows Previous Versions feature might recover the most valuable files
Note that this function only works if you have previously enabled a System Restore function before ransomware infiltration.
- Find an encrypted file you need to restore and right-click on it;
- Select “Properties” and go to “Previous versions” tab;
- Here, check each of available copies of the file in “Folder versions”. You should select the version you want to recover and click “Restore”.
Get help from ShadowExplorer
You can partially recover your data with this tool only if the ransomware didn't delete Shadow Volume Copies from your system. If not, follow the steps below to retrieve important files:
- 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.
The official decryptor is not released yet.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Curumim and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, 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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- ^ File Extension Definition. TechTerms. The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary.
- ^ LosVirus. LosVirus. Security and Spyware News.
- ^ Dave Brockmyer. Malspam and Ransomeware. ISACA. International Association Focused on IT Governance.