Egregor ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
Egregor ransomware - the threat that creates issues with the system when it manages to lock files and make images, documents, archives, and even databases unreachable. This is the program that is related to Sekhmet ransomware, previously released from the same hacker group.
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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Egregor ransomware: summary
| Distribution | The infection can be easily spread with the use of malicious files and malware distributing sites, other threats that plant payload of the ransomware on the system directly |
|---|---|
| Name | Egregor ransomware |
| File marker | This threat relies on random appendix formation. .egregor is the possible appendix, but not the only one used |
| Ransom note | RECOVER-FILES.txt; the text is quoted in full below |
| Issues | This is the threat from money-driven criminals, so the hacker group behind this virus can create problems. You might bet more dangerous malware via email or messaging apps or even pay and still don't get files repaired |
| Family | File-locker virus family. This virus is the version of Sekhmet ransomware |
| 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 11 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Contact | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Encrypted file extension | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | A ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 23 September 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- Note file:
RECOVER-FILES.txt
From our report of Sep 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Egregor ransomware
- The ransomware removal is the process that should be performed quickly.
- It also requires anti-malware tools, so the virus can be terminated properly
- There are some issues that ransomware creates.
- It manages to directly damage files in system folders, change settings, and trigger alterations to keep the persistence.
- Get a proper tool capable of repairing such issues.
- can be the one for this job
How Egregor ransomware behaves
From our report of Sep 2020 · not reviewed since
Egregor ransomware is a particular file-encryption virus that gives victims 3 days to pay up
Egregor ransomware - the threat that creates issues with the system when it manages to lock files and make images, documents, archives, and even databases unreachable.
This is the program that is related to Sekhmet ransomware, previously released from the same hacker group. Many similarities and features are indicating the genealogy. For example, both versions rely on AES and RSA encryption algorithms, so the common data gets locked from the user, and ransom can be demanded directly via a text file that comes to the screen.
According to the particular RECOVER-FILES.txt contents, victims have 3 days to connect with the criminals so that the decryption tool can be exchanged in the amount of Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
The ransomware virus is pretty much identical to the version of cryptovirus that was released back in April. Based on that, there is no reason to believe the possibility of getting those files back or receiving the decryption tool after payment even.
Cybercriminals focus on extortionist behavior, and your belongings are not in their heads. You need to remove the malware as soon as the ransom demanding message is delivered to you so that the system can be salvaged still, and the damage is not going to permanently corrupt the computer.
The threat claims to publish stolen data, so the victim thinks about paying the ransom. Threats can easily exfiltrate various files from the system before encrypting and storing needed information in remote servers. This is a feature that ransomware creators started to adapt more recently.
There are many issues regarding such infection. The encryption and the money-demanding message is not the only problem that cryptovirus distributors and makers create. Egregor ransomware is a threat that can interfere with the system by affecting particular functions and files in folders like:
These issues affect the persistence of the ransomware virus, significantly interfering with termination and cleaning processes. Viruses may start from conducting files and data possibly valuable in the future, so the claims about publications and exposure could work as an encouragement to pay the ransom.
It is a common technique, so experts recommend removing the threat once the message as a text file appears in folders and on the desktop. It is not easy, especially when the threat can be running on the background for a while until you note encryption or other Egregor file-locker virus symptoms.
Egregor ransomware creators can spread worldwide and successfully affect various machines that run on Windows OS, so funds get collected from victims. Creators determine possible actions by listing and contacting them and paying the required amount as the only solution for the infection.
The particular Tor link listed in the ransom note leads to a living chat and a site that shows another message with instructions encouraging to pay the ransom. The message states that you should upload the ransom note file, so the particular identification from the file is received, and your files can be separated from other victims. However, this is not the option to solve the infection issue.
The ransomware payment site contents:
Egregor ransomware removal should be performed instead of any of these steps because there are no guarantees that your files really can get decrypted and recovered after the infection distributors receive the payment. The best way to fight ransomware is to clear the machine.
When you rely on an anti-malware program and try to remove the threat automatically, you can receive the report about all the possible intruders, malicious programs, or applications, and properly clear the machine from any supposed infections. or tools should work for this procedure and help you significantly. Also, remember to run , so system functions get repaired.
- %Windows%
- %SystemDrive%
- %Local%
- %ProgramData%
- %Temp%.
From our report of Sep 2020 · not reviewed since
Malare can be distributed with the help of malicious files or direct links
Links to websites that directly distribute malware payloads and can lead to other issues.
In most cases, infection is triggered by the payload executable or a different type of file that users allow unknowingly. Such files can be included in software cracks, pirated application packages, licensed versions of programs, and so on.
These malicious files come from torrent services or even direct malicious copies of legitimate sites that resemble trusted platforms. However, more criminals often rely on email campaigns that use Microsoft documents to form a malicious payload distributor. These notifications also can have links to sites with malicious purposes. You need to avoid shady sites online and keep the machine safe from malware this way.
The Egregor ransomware note
Egregor
Greetings
We have hacked your network, downloaded and encrypted your data.
You can recover your data and prevent data leakage to public.
Please upload your note RECOVER-FILES.txt using the form below and start recovering your data.
After you upload note, you will be provided with further instructions.
How to remove Egregor 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 Egregor 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
Egregor ransomware encrypts everything it can reach, including drives and shares you connect later. Cut the network first: cable out, or Wi-Fi off from the taskbar.
Then unplug every USB stick and backup disk and pause cloud sync, so the encrypted versions do not replace your online copies. Do not reconnect any of them until the ransomware is removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
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 identify the family
Find the ransom note, usually a
.txt,.htmlor .hta file in every folder or on the desktop, and copy it with one or two encrypted files to a USB stick.From another device, upload them to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom's Crypto Sheriff, which name the family from the note and the file extension. Write down the contact address and your personal ID from the note for the report.
Warning: Never contact the attackers from the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
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
For Egregor ransomware, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Search the family name in the No More Ransom decryption tools list and in the free decryptors of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, because new tools appear years after an attack.
Important: Keep the encrypted files even if nothing works today, and do not pay before every free option is ruled out: payment does not guarantee a working key.
Decryptors run on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but only after the ransomware itself is removed.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Restoring or decrypting files while Egregor ransomware still runs lets it encrypt them again. Run a Full scan in Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
If the ransomware blocks Windows Security, start Safe Mode with Networking and scan from there. Some families install a password stealer as well, so let both scans finish on Windows 11 or 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
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
vssadmin list shadows. If it lists copies dated before the attack, right-click a folder with encrypted files in File Explorer, choose Properties > Previous Versions, and open or restore a version from before that date.ShadowExplorer, a free tool, shows the same copies when the tab is empty or hidden. Most current families delete shadow copies, so an empty list is normal, but the check takes two minutes on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
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
Restore from an external backup, File History or OneDrive's version history, choosing a date before the attack. Connect the backup drive only after the scans are clean, or the ransomware encrypts it too.
If there is no backup, file recovery software can sometimes find the deleted originals, because some ransomware writes an encrypted copy and deletes the original file.
Stop writing to the drive and try recovery on Windows 11 or Windows 10 before new files overwrite the space.
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 Sep 2020 · not reviewed since
Remove the Egregor file virus and stop additional processes
Try to remove Egregor ransomware immediately after getting the ransom-demanding message.
This is how you can clean the machine and prepare the system for data recovery and other procedures needed for the proper system repair. File decryption is not possible since researchers haven't released the official tool yet.
The notorious ransomware removal gives the best results when or gets used to fully scan the machine. Once you launch the security tool, you can rely on, that the program finds and eliminates all threats, possibly malicious apps, and ransomware payload. When you recover files on the infected machine, you risk getting them permanently damaged, eliminating the virus before any file restoring.
After the Egregor ransomware virus infection, the file recovery tries to focus on cleaning the device, repairing functions with programs like , and then trying to find reputable backups of your data. This is the best option since decryption is not possible yet. You can find alternative variants below the article.
[GI=method-2]System Restore can be used to eliminate the threat because it allows the computer to get recovered to a previous state when the threat was not active
Windows Previous Versions can be the future used for the data recovery
The System Restore future enabling allows Windows Previous Versions function to activate as a file restoring option
ShadowExplorer - feature recovering files
You can rely on ShadowExplorer when Shadow Volume Copies are not damaged by the ransomware virus
Decrtyption options are limited for this ransomware. The particular tool has not been released yet
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.
Protect the files you restore
Restore only after the scans are clean and the PC no longer shows ransom notes called RECOVER-FILES.txt in every folder; otherwise the restored copies can be damaged again.
Then build a backup that survives the next infection:
- one copy in the cloud with version history
- one on an external drive that is disconnected between backups
- the working copy on the PC
Version history matters because a backup that syncs damaged files overwrites the good ones.
How to do this with the tools built into Windows: the 3-2-1 backup rule on Windows.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
Questions about Egregor ransomware
Should I pay the ransom in RECOVER-FILES.txt?
Not before you have tried everything else. Identify the family from RECOVER-FILES.txt 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.
When will a decryptor for Egregor ransomware be released?
Nobody can promise a date. When we last checked, on 7 October 2026, no free decryptor is known. Decryptors usually appear after one of three events:
- police seize the attackers' servers and keys
- the authors leak or publish the master keys
- researchers find a mistake in how the ransomware generates keys
Some families got a tool within weeks, others never. Keep the encrypted files and the note on an external drive, check No More Ransom every few months, and follow news about the Egregor ransomware family. A decryptor may need an original file, so keep any unencrypted copies too.
How did Egregor ransomware get on my computer?
The way Egregor 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 ransom notes called RECOVER-FILES.txt in every folder, 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 Egregor ransomware steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by Egregor ransomware, but the only confirmed sign is ransom notes called RECOVER-FILES.txt in every folder, 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 Egregor 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 RECOVER-FILES.txt?
Reading it is fine if you open it in Notepad. A plain text RECOVER-FILES.txt 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.
What happens if I pay?
In the best case, the attackers send a decryption tool and a key, and the tool works on most files. In many cases it does not go that smoothly:
- tools crash on large files
- skip some folders or are painfully slow
- some attackers simply stop answering after payment or ask for more
You have no way to enforce the deal. Paying also tells criminals that you pay, which makes a second attack more likely. If you are still considering it, report the attack first, keep copies of all encrypted files and never deal through an intermediary who contacted you.
How do I open my .docx, .jpg and other files locked by Egregor?
You cannot open locked files normally while they stay encrypted, and renaming them will not help. Our earlier report did not record the extension that Egregor adds, so check one locked file name and the ransom note for it.
No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates. Do not rename the files, change the extension or edit them, because that can make recovery harder. Copy the locked files to an external drive before you clean the system, so a decryptor released later still has them.
Will Fortect remove Egregor 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 Egregor 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: Encryption (read October 7, 2026)
- ZDNet: Here's a list of all the ransomware gangs who will steal and leak your data if you don't pay (read October 7, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)