Drakos ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
Drakos ransomware is a file-locking virus that demands 1,200$ worth of Bitcoin to return encrypted files. This information is revealed in the ransom note that gets placed on the screen when your encoded data receive .drakos file extension, and the encryption is done.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Drakos ransomware: summary
| Distribution | Spam email attachments with infected files |
|---|---|
| Name | Drakos ransomware |
| Type | Cryptovirus |
| File extension | .drakos |
| Ransom amount | 1200$ |
| Encryption method | AES algorithm |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 14 more facts
| Ransom message | Displayed in various browser and program windows |
|---|---|
| Imitates | GrandCrab ransomware |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Contact | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Encrypted file extension | .drakos |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Ransom note | A message left on the computer; this information is revealed in the ransom note that gets placed on the screen when your encoded data receive; the text is quoted in full below |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Files renamed with a new extension and a ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
| Encrypted files | .drakos |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 7 February 2019 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- File extension:
.drakos - Note file:
the ransom note
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Drakos ransomware
- Use antivirus to remove Drakos ransomware and then clean virus damage using
How Drakos ransomware behaves
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
Drakos ransomware is a cryptovirus that encrypts files with AES algorithm and imitates the relation to GandCrab ransomware
Drakos ransomware is a file-locking virus that demands 1,200$ worth of Bitcoin to return encrypted files.
This information is revealed in the ransom note that gets placed on the screen when your encoded data receive .drakos file extension, and the encryption is done. The ransom message and other alerts get displayed in separate browser windows that show GrandCrab ransomware icon on the screen but the relation with this ransomware family is rather imitated, and there are no similarities besides the displayed icon.
In messages, virus developers reveal more details about the attack and demands to pay the ransom in DASH or Bitcoin if the victim wants to get their files back. Cryptocurrency is the primary goal of ransomware-type virus developers.
Drakos ransomware virus developers call their product "GandCrab as a service ransomware" but the relationship is non-existent, and you should never trust the word cybercriminals say. The clear association with another ransomware family is not proven
Once Drakos ransomware infiltrates the targeted system, it starts searching for data that can be encrypted. For this process, virus employs AES encryption algorithm and changes the original code of your photos, videos, documents or even archives. When your files get encoded, you can find .drakos appendix added at the end of each file.
This file-locking is the main process Drakos ransomware is designed to perform because encoded data is the reason developers demand victims to pay up. You cannot notice the process but when it is done your screen starts showing various messages from virus developers.
One of the messages delivered by Drakos ransomware reads the following:
Additionally to these messages, the main ransom note is delivered to your screen and then Drakos ransomware states about your possibilities. To get your files back, you need to pay for Drakos decryptor that might not even exist, and the price is 1200$ in DASH or Bitcoin. However, paying shouldn't be an option because criminals tend to disappear after the payment.
Drakos ransomware ransom note also delivers pictures with Mr. Krab from the popular cartoon, and all messages contain the name GandCrab to fake the association that is not proven what so ever. Although there is a suggestion of free decryption and other promises, you should ignore that and move on to virus removal.
Many researchers understand that data recovery is the most important issue when it comes to ransomware attacks, but you should focus on Drakos ransomware removal first and then worry about your files. Remember that any data recovery on the infected system may lead to permanent data loss.
Remove Drakos ransomware by scanning the system with anti-malware program. This way you can double-check and clean the machine entirely.
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
Malicious spam emails contain more than suspicious advertisements or redirects
While nowadays online is not the safest place, you should pay more attention while browsing on the internet.
Especially when it comes to emails, private messages or social networks. When you are not expecting the email, and you still receive the notification from a company or service that include file attachments, you should be more cautious while opening those emails.
The email might have a few red flags that you should notice right away:
Unfortunately, when you open the email and download the file attachment to your device directly, you receive the message about content enabling that triggers malicious macros and the automatic installation of the malware script that infiltrates the system with ransomware distributing malware or direct payload of the intruder.
- grammar mistakes on the email itself;
- subject lines about order information, financial details;
- the sender is stated to be a legitimate company, institution or service;
- Word, Excel, ZIP or PDF file attachments;
- shortened hyperlinks in the email message directly.
The Drakos ransomware note
Drakos ransomware
[*** Any For Attempts to the get back you files is with the THIRD, CAN-party tools the BE fatal for your encrypted files is ***] of The will most part of the the tried-party This is a list of cases of damage to the files.
Finally it will be impossible to decrypt your files. It will make it that you can't make it a matter of course. The third-party software for restore files is encrypted with the "Drakos Ransomware" software. If you look for your files, please contact your antivirus support.
How to remove Drakos ransomware
Tools you'll need
All of these are free except where noted. Download them on a clean device if the infected PC is offline.
- A USB stick: to keep the ransom note, two or three encrypted files and screenshots off the infected PC.
- Microsoft Defender Offline: built into Windows 11 and Windows 10; scans before Windows starts, so running malware cannot hide.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a second, portable scanner with current signatures; each download works for 10 days.
- ID Ransomware: identifies the family from the note and one encrypted file and says whether a decryptor exists.
- No More Ransom: the free decryptors from police and security companies; check it again every few months.
- Fortect (optional): scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. The free scan is in the box above.
How to remove Drakos ransomware and get your files back
Work in this order.
Disconnecting comes first, removal comes before any restore, and nothing here asks you to contact the attackers.
Step 1: Disconnect the PC and unplug backup drives
Unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi, and disconnect USB drives, external disks and network shares, so Drakos ransomware cannot reach more files. Pause OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox sync, because synced folders upload the encrypted copies over the good ones.
Leave the PC on but offline while you read the next steps, since a restart can let the ransomware run again. This applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.
Windows 11: turn off Wi-Fi to take the PC offline. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 2: Save the ransom note and confirm the family
Your files now end in
.drakosand the instructions are inthe ransom note. Save both to a USB stick, a copy of the note and two small encrypted files, before anything else.On another device, check them with ID Ransomware or Crypto Sheriff: the family name decides which decryptor, if any, can help. Keep the note's ID and contact line for your report.
Windows 11: the ransom note and encrypted files to copy for identification. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 3: Check for a free decryptor
Our last check found that for Drakos ransomware, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Look again yourself in the No More Ransom list and the free decryptor pages of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, which add new families every year.
A decryptor needs the ransomware gone first, or it encrypts the files again. Keep at least one copy of the encrypted files on an external drive, even if no tool works yet.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Removing Drakos ransomware does not bring the files back, but it has to come first. Start with Defender's Full scan, then the offline scan from the same Scan options page, which checks the disk before Windows loads.
If the scan cannot start, use Safe Mode with Networking. Delete the ransom notes only after you have saved a copy, because removal tools sometimes leave them behind on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 5: Look for shadow copies of the files
Windows keeps shadow copies for restore points and backups, and some ransomware fails to delete them.
vssadmin list shadowsin an administrator Command Prompt tells you at once whether any exist.If they do, right-click the folder that held your files, open Properties > Previous Versions, select a version from before the attack, and click Open to check it before you Restore or copy the files out. Windows 11 and Windows 10 both have the tab.
Windows 11: vssadmin list shadows shows whether shadow copies exist. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 6: Restore the files from a backup or recover deleted originals
A backup made before the attack is the surest way back. Connect it only once the PC is clean, then restore from File History, Windows Backup, OneDrive's Restore your OneDrive or your own external copies.
Without a backup, try file recovery: the originals that Drakos ransomware deleted may still be on the disk until something overwrites them. Install nothing new on the drive you want to recover from on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
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.
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
Remove Drakos ransomware as soon as possible and recover your files when the system is cleared
Don't forget about the Drakos ransomware virus and the possible changes on your system that include alteration in the Windows Registry or even system folders and files.
However, you need to employ professional tools for best Drakos ransomware removal results. , or can work this job because these programs can indicate possible threats, remove them and detect other issues with your machine.
When you remove Drakos ransomware, make sure to double-check and scan the system again. If you are not sure that the PC is malware-free, you risk getting your files permanently damaged.
[GI=method-1]You should reboot the device in Safe Mode with Networking, so Drakos ransomware removal works better when the virus is not affecting your antivirus program
[GI=method-2]System Restore feature also can improve the malware removal process when you restore the device to a previous state
ShadowExplorer is another method that can be used to restore files on the PC
However, you need to make sure that Shadow Volume Copies remain untouched
There is no possible decryption tool for Drakos ransomware
Report it and recover your files
Report it
Report the attack even if you do not expect the files back: insurers and banks ask for the report number, and police use the contacts in the note to link cases.
- United States
- FBI IC3 · FTC ReportFraud
- United Kingdom
- Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) · NCSC
- Australia
- ReportCyber (ASD)
- EU countries
- Europol: national reporting sites
Give the victim ID, the note and the date the files were encrypted. A business that holds personal data may also have to notify its data protection authority, in the EU within 72 hours.
Backups: the 3-2-1 rule
Keep three copies of files that matter, on two kinds of storage, with one copy offline or off-site.
A disk that stays plugged in is reached by malware like Drakos ransomware together with the PC; one you connect only for the backup is not.
On Windows 11, File History keeps versions on an external drive, and OneDrive keeps earlier versions of synced files. Before restoring anything, make sure the PC no longer shows files that end in .drakos and no longer open.
Setting it up step by step: 3-2-1 backups on Windows 11 and 10.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about Drakos ransomware
Is there a decryptor for .drakos files?
That depends on the family behind the .drakos extension, which this guide cannot confirm yet from the reports alone. Check No More Ransom and ID Ransomware with your ransom note and one encrypted file; they list families with free tools.
If none exists today, keep the encrypted files and a copy of the note on a separate drive, because decryptors are sometimes published months later after flaws are found or servers are seized. Never buy a decryptor from a website that is not the security company that made it.
Should I pay the ransom in the ransom note?
Not before you have tried everything else. Identify the family from the ransom note and one encrypted file, check No More Ransom for a free decryptor, and look for clean copies in OneDrive, backups and Previous Versions.
Paying funds further attacks, may be illegal if the group is sanctioned, and is no promise of a working key: many victims get partial or broken decryption. If you consider paying for business-critical data, involve the police and a professional incident responder first, and never pay through intermediaries who promise their own decryption.
How do I open .drakos files?
You cannot open them by renaming or by choosing another program. The .drakos ending shows that Drakos ransomware encrypted the content, and only the matching key can reverse it. Renaming a file back to .docx or .jpg changes nothing except the icon, and it can confuse a future decryptor, so leave the names as they are.
To get the content back, use a backup, an unencrypted copy elsewhere, or a decryptor listed on No More Ransom if one exists for Drakos ransomware. Store the encrypted files on an external disk until then.
How did Drakos ransomware get on my computer?
The way Drakos ransomware spreads has not been documented yet, so look at your own recent activity. On home PCs, ransomware most often comes with cracked programs, game cheats, key generators and fake updates, or with an e-mail attachment that was opened. On business networks, attackers usually log in through Remote Desktop with a stolen or guessed password.
Think back to what was downloaded or installed in the days before files that end in .drakos and no longer open, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Can a data-recovery company decrypt my files for a fee?
Only if a decryptor already exists or the company pays the attackers for you. Some "ransomware recovery" services advertise that they can decrypt families with no known flaw; in practice they negotiate with the attackers and add their own fee. Others use the same free tools listed on No More Ransom.
Before you hire anyone, ask in writing how they will recover the files, whether they will contact the attackers and what happens if they fail. A legitimate service answers clearly. If a free decryptor exists for your family, you can run it yourself.
Did Drakos ransomware steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by Drakos ransomware, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .drakos and no longer open, which says nothing about what happened before. Many current ransomware attacks copy files or run a password stealer first, so it is wise to act as if they did.
From a clean device, change the passwords that were saved in the browsers on this PC, starting with e-mail and banking, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification. Watch bank statements and account activity for the next few weeks.
Is Drakos ransomware the same as other ransomware with a similar name?
Not necessarily. Ransomware names come from the file extension, the note or a word in the code, so unrelated families often end up with similar names, and one family can appear under several names. The difference matters: a decryptor or advice for one family does not fit another and can damage files.
Compare the ending added to your files and the exact name of the note with the summary table at the top of this guide, then upload the note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware from a clean device. If the result names another family, follow the guide for that family instead.
Should I open the ransom note?
Reading it is fine if you open it in Notepad. A plain text the ransom note cannot harm the PC. Be careful with notes in HTA or HTML format: double-clicking those runs them in a window that can contain scripts, so right-click and choose Open with > Notepad instead.
The note tells you the contact addresses, the claimed amount and the deadline. Do not visit links or write to the addresses from this PC. Use the note to identify the family and check for a free decryptor first.
Should I reinstall Windows after the .drakos attack?
Reinstalling removes the ransomware but not the encryption: your files ending in .drakos stay encrypted afterwards. So first copy the encrypted files and the ransom note to a separate drive, in case a decryptor appears later. Then decide:
- a clean-up with an offline scan is often enough for home PCs
- while a full reset is safer if remote access was involved
- scans keep finding new items
Restore your backups only after the PC is clean, and change passwords from another device.
Will Fortect remove Drakos ransomware?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Drakos ransomware, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Cryptocurrency (read October 7, 2026)
- Senzavirus: Senzavirus (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)