How to remove Cyborg ransomware

Cyborg ransomware is the threat that gets loaded on the machine via fraudulent Windows update notification emails

Cyborg ransomware is the threat that marks encrypted files using .petra file appendix and gets installed on the PC from an email about needed updates. The email notification with “Install the latest Update now” tricks people into prompting the Critical Microsoft Windows Update install that triggers an executable file named bitcoingenerator.exe. Hidden behind the .jpg type of the file, this executable launches the ransomware payload on the system immediately.

The threat first was spotted at the beginning of November, but the particular Cyborg ransomware virus campaign that reportedly^[1] involves .777 file marker and those emails with Windows 10 updates, was discovered in the middle of the same month. When malware is done encoding files, it deletes itself, places a copy of the virus as a file bot.exe in the root of the infected device, and a typical ransom note file in the text file named Cyborg_DECRYPT.txt on the desktop and in various folders with affected data. The message is generated for virus victims, so they can know what to do next. Unfortunately, the option malware creators suggest involves paying the ransom for the alleged decryption tool that is not the best solution, as previous incidents show.^[2]

Cyborg ransomware gets dropped when spam campaign tricks people into script delivery by claiming that the email is sent from Microsoft officials and encourages to install the latest Windows 10 update. The fake update attachment is an executable file even though .jpg file extension is on the filename. In reality, the malicious .NET file is an executable that downloads malware on the infected system and triggers a file encryption process.

According to people who managed to tool more into the attack, this mid-November Cyborg ransomware campaign appended all the files with .777 extension and loaded the ransom note on the compromised machine's Desktop. Cyborg_DECRYPT.txt provided information about the ransom amount – $500 in Bitcoin that should be sent to the particular wallet provided on the text file already.

Cyborg ransomware shows a message on the Desktop directly that replaces the wallpaper, but that picture contains only information about encrypted files and notes that the full ransom message placed as a text file. The ransom message seems to be generated as any typical message from crypto-extortionists, so don't trust them and try to react as soon as possible by eliminating the threat and ignoring the following or a similar note entirely:

———————— ALL YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED BY CYBORG RANSOMWARE ————————

Don't worry, you can return all your files!

All your files like documents, photos, databases and other important are encrypted

What guarantees do we give to you?

You can send one of your encrypted file and we decrypt it for free.

You must follow these steps To decrypt your files :   

1) Send $300 bitcoin to wallet :9e3d4e3fad796f4eb15962b74fb2e55fe47

2) write on our e-mail :petra-mail.ru

Your personal ID :

Also, a second step after the payment should be writing an email to the described email address. However, we don't recommend paying or contacting criminals. You should ignore the message instead and remove Cyborg ransomware from the machine until the PC gets damaged permanently.

Cyborg ransomware message encourages you to contact a new email address – marceldeneud@yandex.com that also seems to be related to Russia as a previous petra-mail.ru, but there is no relation to any hacking groups that could be confirmed. Nevertheless, the message should be ignored, and the machine cleaned as soon as possible if you want to get back to the virus-free machine.  At least three different samples got investigated, but there is not enough information to state that Cyborg ransomware is decryptable or belongs to a particular virus family. There is a tool called Cyborg Builder ransomware, so there might be more news about the threat in the future. But the builder contains a link to the Russian version of the same builder on another website beside GitHub.

Researchers report that Cyborg ransomware can be created and spread by anyone who can obtain the builder. It can be spread using various forms of gateways and spamming campaigns. This is a crafted cryptovirus that uses random extensions to mislead victims from identifying the particular strain.

It means that Cyborg ransomware removal may become a huge issue and a question among online users when more and more people will get victimized. Experts^[3] also note that cybercriminals who deliver threats like this can only worry about their own benefits, so trusting anyone is a bad choice, even though the ransom note creates trust between you and the developer.

Also, since Cyborg ransomware is a virus that hides all over the computer system, you should check important parts of the system with PC repair tools, system applications like FortectIntego. This software may indicate corrupted, damaged, or outdated files in folders of your system like directories, registry. Even when you get rid of the malware itself, virus damage can cause more issues, so you need to take care of everything to get back to work on the safe computer. Additional tips for your data recovery can be found below the article.

Infected email attachments get hidden behind scary or legitimate-looking email subject lines

Don't fall victim to scamming campaigns by paying close attention to processes and learning to look for red flags. Targeted users in various campaigns receive emails with either the subject line about financial information or, in this case, windows update message.

“Install Latest Microsoft Windows Update now!” or “Critical Microsoft Windows Update!” statements should already be suspicious since Windows Updates are not pushed through emails. Your operating system should indicate that there is an update you may need to install. So this is a red flag number one – a common type of email and the sender.

These particular emails contain notifications like “Please install the latest critical update from Microsoft attached to this email” and attachments that have an easily triggered executable. You only need to download the file, and malicious scripts can do whatever developers designed them for.

How to avoid such infection? Be cautious about such malicious emails, and look for red flags, be more suspicious and cautious, delete anything that is not familiar, or creates questions. Clean the email message more often and delete emails that get there without expectations.

Terminate Cyborg ransomware using professional AV tools and make sure to repair virus damage

To fully eliminate a threat like Cyborg ransomware virus, it is important to know more about the type of malware you got affected by. There is no one cure for cyber infections, even though anti-malware programs can eliminate most of them, there are additional processes and tips you need to remember.

Since this is the crypto-extortion based malware, paying is not the option for Cyborg ransomware removal. Even when you pay the ransom and your files get recovered, the system is still infected and damaged. To get your compromised device to work properly again, you need to clean the system entirely.

The best tool for you that we can recommend is anti-malware software – programs that work on particular malware databases that can indicate malicious activities for you should also remove Cyborg ransomware. Unfortunately, removing the virus is not going to recover your encrypted data or fix damaged parts of the system. Additional steps after the virus removal:

• rely on tools like FortectIntego, SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes and repair the needed parts of your PC that virus affected;
• use data backups or file recovery software to restore encrypted data.