Held ransomware (virus) - Decryption Steps Included
Held virus Removal Guide
What is Held ransomware?
Held ransomware virus is a cyber threat that uses encryption techniques to hold your files for ransom
Held ransomware virus is responsible for the locked files and ransom demands people find on their computers. This is not a scam; your files get locked, but paying is not an option because malicious actors are untrustworthy.
Held virus is a type of ransomware from the Djvu family that locks victims' files and demands a ransom for their release. Our team came across this malware while analyzing samples submitted to VirusTotal. Like other ransomware, Held encrypts files and adds the “.held” extension to them. It also leaves a ransom note called “_readme.txt”, which contains instructions for contacting the attackers and making a payment.
Once Held infects a computer, it immediately starts encrypting files. It changes filenames. This makes the files completely inaccessible. The ransom note left behind explains how victims can supposedly recover their data—by paying the hackers.
| Name | Held ransomware |
|---|---|
| Type | File encryption virus, ransomware, file locker |
| File extension | .held |
| Family | STOP virus, Djvu ransomware |
| Contact emails | support@freshingmail.top, support@yourbestemail.top |
| Ransom note | _readme.txt |
| Removal | Threats can be eliminated using SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes |
| Repair | Make sure to recover the system too, FortectIntego can help you with that |
Cybercriminals behind Djvu ransomware often use information-stealing malware alongside it, such as Vidar or RedLine. This means victims may lose access to their files and risk having their personal information stolen, including passwords and banking details.
Held ransomware virus follows a common extortion strategy seen in other Djvu variants like Fatp, Vepi or Baaa. The ransom note demands a $999 payment for a decryption tool. However, to pressure victims into paying quickly, the attackers offer a 50% discount—reducing the ransom to $499 if contact is made within a certain time.
ATTENTION!
Don't worry, you can return all your files!
All your files like pictures, databases, documents and other important are encrypted
with strongest encryption and unique key.
The only method of recovering files is to purchase decrypt tool and unique key for you.
This software will decrypt all your encrypted files.
What guarantees you have?
You can send one of your encrypted file from your PC and we decrypt it for free.
But we can decrypt only 1 file for free. File must not contain valuable information.
Do not ask assistants from youtube and recovery data sites for help in recovering your data.
They can use your free decryption quota and scam you.
Our contact is emails in this text document only.
You can get and look video overview decrypt tool:
https://…a832401adcd58098c699f768ffea4f1720240305114308/7e601a
Price of private key and decrypt software is $999.
Discount 50% available if you contact us first 72 hours, that's price for you is $499.
Please note that you'll never restore your data without payment.
Check your e-mail “Spam” or “Junk” folder if you don't get answer more than 6 hours.
The ransom note provides two email addresses for communication: support@freshingmail.top, support@yourbestemail.top.
However, these tactics lure victims into a false sense of security. No guarantee paying the ransom will actually restore .held files. Many victims never get their data back, even after paying.
Held ransomware is a serious cyber threat that locks files and demands payment for their return. However, trusting cybercriminals is risky. Instead of paying, focus on prevention and recovery options, such as backups and security measures, to stay protected.
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.
Eliminating the Held file virus
Discovering that your files have been locked by Held ransomware virus can be overwhelming. This malware targets important data, from personal photos to essential work documents, making it a serious threat. However, paying the ransom is not recommended.
Instead, follow these steps to remove Held ransomware and explore possible recovery options. Use a trusted anti-malware tool such as SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes to detect and remove the ransomware and any additional malware.
If the infection has caused system instability, FortectIntego can help repair any damage. Held ransomware removal is the only process you can control because other interferences with the computer and trying to decrypt data or salvage affected parts can cause further damage or even irreversible changes.
One of the many countermeasures for home users against ransomware is data backups
Even if your Windows get corrupted, you can reinstall everything from scratch and retrieve files from backups with minimal losses overall. Most importantly, you would not have to pay cybercriminals and risk your money as well.
Therefore, if you have already dealt with a ransomware attack, we strongly advise you to prepare backups for future use. There are two options available to you:
- Backup on a physical external drive, such as a USB flash drive or external HDD.
- Use cloud storage services.
The first method is not that convenient, however, as backups need to constantly be updated manually – although it is very reliable. Therefore, we highly advise choosing cloud storage instead – it is easy to set up and efficient to sustain. The problem with it is that storage space is limited unless you want to pay for the subscription.
Using Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is a built-in tool that comes with every modern Windows version. By default, you get 5 GB of storage that you can use for free. You can increase that storage space, but for a price. Here's how to setup backups for OneDrive:
- Click on the OneDrive icon within your system tray.
- Select Help & Settings > Settings.
- If you don't see your email under the Account tab, you should click Add an account and proceed with the on-screen instructions to set yourself up.
- Once done, move to the Backup tab and click Manage backup.
- Select Desktop, Documents, and Pictures, or a combination of whichever folders you want to backup.
- Press Start backup.
After this, all the files that are imported into the above-mentioned folders will be automatically backed for you. If you want to add other folders or files, you have to do that manually. For that, open File Explorer by pressing Win + E on your keyboard, and then click on the OneDrive icon. You should drag and drop folders you want to backup (or you can use Copy/Paste as well).
Using Google Drive
Google Drive is another great solution for free backups. The good news is that you get as much as 15GB for free by choosing this storage. There are also paid versions available, with significantly more storage to choose from.
You can access Google Drive via the web browser or use a desktop app you can download on the official website. If you want your files to be synced automatically, you will have to download the app, however.
- Download the Google Drive app installer and click on it.
- Wait a few seconds for it to be installed.
- Now click the arrow within your system tray – you should see Google Drive icon there, click it once.
- Click Get Started.
- Enter all the required information – your email/phone, and password.
- Now pick what you want to sync and backup. You can click on Choose Folder to add additional folders to the list.
- Once done, pick Next.
- Now you can select to sync items to be visible on your computer.
- Finally, press Start and wait till the sync is complete. Your files are now being backed up.
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
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