How to remove Donkeyhot ransomware

Donkeyhot ransomware is the blackmail virus that asks for payments for false claims

Donkeyhot ransomware is a malicious program that is designed to encode files, and the virus checks for particular commonly used and valuable data. The infection generates the ransom note message, and the file lists the particular payment in cryptocurrency as the only option. The #HOW_TO_DECRYPT#.txt file tries to convince people to pay the sum, but that is not recommended.

.Donkeyhot is the particular file extension that appears after the original file name once the ransomware attacks the computer. The extension also includes the random character string, ICQ username, and the file name from the common one becomes appended with .[5deecd3145].[ICQ_DONKEYHOT].DONKEYHOT, for example.

More details about the file virus

This ransom note file can appear in various folders where encrypted files can be found. The ransom note is rather detailed, telling victims that they must send an email to donkeyhot@onionmail.org or contact the user named @DONKEYHOT on ICQ if they want instructions on how to pay for their decryption. It is the code that is required for the recovery.^[1]

Hackers are warning people against renaming files because they can permanently damage them with third-party software. These threat actors try to make these claims to encourage people to believe the process these criminals offer is the only way to recover files damaged by the Donkeyhot ransomware virus.

It is rarely possible to decrypt files, and even researchers do not come up with tools for that very often. Purchasing anything from attackers cannot guarantee the restoration of these files. Only proper data backups could do that. You should avoid any interaction with these criminals and terminate Donkeyhot ransomware before doing anything with data recovery.

Removal of the intruder

It is strongly recommended by experts^[2] to not pay the ransom. Criminals rely on these scamming methods, and they do not provide any decryption tools once the cryptocurrency payments get transferred. You should remove the Donkeyhot ransomware instead. Removing the infection that encrypted your files is crucial to do.

There are various programs that get disabled by the virus, but also the ransomware also injects trojans and other malware into the machine to ensure the persistence of the file virus running on the system. Active ransomware virus can lead to further issues and encryptions, so the threat needs to be properly cleared to avoid permanent damage. Donkeyhot ransomware virus can be removed, fortunately.

Anti-malware programs and antivirus solutions can help here because various samples of this threat can be detected^[3] by reputable anti-malware solutions, so you can use security tools and clear the infection from your device. Threats can be indicted by SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes and removed all at once, so look throughout the list and eliminate any infections.

Recovering the system

Donkeyhot ransomware 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 capable of doing anything about it, leaving it just the way it is. Consequently, users might experience performance, stability, and usability issues, to the point where a full Windows reinstall is required.

Therefore, we highly recommend using a one-of-a-kind, patented technology of FortectIntego repair. Not only can it fix virus damage after the infection, but it is also capable of removing malware that has already broken into the system thanks to several engines used by the program. Besides, the application is also capable of fixing various Windows-related issues that are not caused by malware infections, for example, Blue Screen errors, freezes, registry errors, damaged DLLs, etc.

• 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.

Rely on decryption tools

Donkeyhot ransomware virus is not decryptable at the moment. This is a new threat released only recently, so researchers cannot come up with a tool to help victims this soon after the sample release. The decryption is very related to the encoding process, and the issue here is that the advanced methods keep researchers puzzled.

Paying ransomware creators is not a solution, so you can only rely on alternate methods or remove the threat properly and try to restore data yourself. Donkeyhot ransomware is a significant virus that can run various processes on the machine, but it is not associated with other ransomware threat families.

Such information could help researchers to develop a tool for file recovery. However, it is not that easy. File encryption is a process that is similar to applying a password to a particular file or folder. By using encryption, threat actors use a unique set of alphanumeric characters as a password that can not easily be deciphered if the process is performed correctly.

There are several algorithms that can be used to lock data (whether for good or bad reasons); for example, AES uses the symmetric method of encryption, meaning that the key used to lock and unlock files is the same. Unfortunately, it is only accessible to the attackers who hold it on a remote server – they ask for a payment in exchange for it. This simple principle is what allows Donkeyhot file virus and other ransomware authors to prosper in this illegal business.

While many high-profile ransomware strains such as Djvu or Dharma use immaculate encryption methods, there are plenty of failures that can be observed within the code of some novice malware developers. For example, the keys could be stored locally, which would allow users to regain access to their files without paying. In some cases, ransomware does not even encrypt files due to bugs, although victims might believe the opposite due to the ransom note that shows up right after the infection and data encryption is completed.

Therefore, regardless of which crypto-malware affects your files, you should try to find the relevant decryptor if such exists. Security researchers are in a constant battle against cybercriminals. In some cases, they manage to create a working decryption tool that would allow victims to recover files for free.

Once you have identified which ransomware you are affected by, you should check the following links for a decryptor:

• No More Ransom Project
• Free Ransomware Decryptors by Kaspersky
• Free Ransomware Decryption Tools from Emsisoft
• Avast decryptors

If you can't find a decryptor that works for you, you should try the alternative methods we list below. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that it sometimes takes years for a working decryption tool to be developed, so there are always hopes for the future.

Donkeyhot file virus creators list various things in their ransom note messages, but all these claims are meant to scare victims into paying the ransom sum. This infection should not be trusted, and the criminals behind the infection need to be ignored. Any contact with them can lead to issues with your machine and even security of the computer or privacy issues.

The removal is crucial because with tools like SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, you can detect and remove all infections besides the main Donkeyhot file virus. Threats can lead to serious damage, so try to remove the infection first and then worry about those affected files on the machine. Run FortectIntego to make sure that the system is virus-free.