Recme ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
Recme is a ransomware-type virus which is related to the Scarab virus family. There is a huge possibility to get infected with this virus via spam as all viruses from Scarab group have been spread via Necurs botnet.
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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Recme ransomware: summary
| Name | Recme ransomware |
|---|---|
| Type | Ransomware |
| Danger level | High |
| Extension name | .[hexadecimal_number].recme |
| Ransom note name | HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT |
| Ransom currency | Cryptocurrency (e.g. bitcoin) |
| 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 13 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Contact | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Encrypted file extension | .recme |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Ransom note | HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT; the text of the note is not in our records |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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 | .recme |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 26 June 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- File extension:
.recme - Note file:
HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT
From our report of Jun 2018 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Recme ransomware
- You can get rid of this virus by using .
How Recme ransomware behaves
From our report of Jun 2018 · not reviewed since
Recme ransomware - yet another version of an infamous Scarab ransomware
Recme is a ransomware-type virus which is related to the Scarab virus family.
There is a huge possibility to get infected with this virus via spam as all viruses from Scarab group have been spread via Necurs botnet. Once Recme ransomware is fully downloaded to the system, it initiates files' encryption by using symmetric or asymmetric encryption codes.
The virus is using . .recme extension to mark affected files and make them worthless. Additionally, it places a copy of HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT ransom note in every folder which informs the user that the computer system is infected and that files are encrypted. To recover everything back, the victim is required to pay the ransom.
The price for the decryption of files encrypted by Recme ransomware can differ. However, each of its victims is required to use bitcoin currency as the developers of the ransomware are actively trying to keep themselves anonymous. However, we do not recommend sensing such payments to ransomware developers because people often are scammed after they transfer their money to buy the decrypter.
Keep in mind that these scammers are trying to make their business profitable, so be careful and clear-minded while making decisions - do not let the criminals achieve their goal! According to specialists from Untanvirus.se, at the moment, there is no legitimate decrypter for Scarab ransomware and its versions.
Decryption keys, which are needed to unlock blocked files, are typically saved on a remote server which belongs to virus developers. As we have mentioned, the virus is using two different encryption codes, so there is no chance to guess these keys or find them on the Internet.
If you think you are infected, the first thing you should do is Recme ransomware removal. Additionally, if you don't have backups of your encrypted files, try methods that we provided below.
To remove Recme ransomware from your PC, you need to install an anti-malware program, for example, , and run a full system scan to find all suspicious components on your computer. This is a trustworthy and safe way to perform ransomware removal on your system without eliminating useful system components.
From our report of Jun 2018 · not reviewed since
Ransomware usually sneaks in through spam messages
One of the main techniques that ransomware-type viruses are spread is by using spam emails.
Once opened, these kinds of messages download their malicious content to the system and it gets infected. However, we should also warn you that P2P sites, such as eMule or Torrents, can also lead you to ransomware infiltration.
The easiest way to prevent ransomware-type viruses on the system is installing reputable security software and keeping it up-to-date. However, you should also pay attention to safe browsing practices if you want to avoid viruses and data loss. Here is some guidance on how to stay safe and avoid ransomware:
Most important - ALWAYS be cautious while surfing the Internet. Better slower but safer.
- Opt for Custom or Advanced installation mode and deselect all suspicious attachments of the software if using third-party installers or if visiting third-party download websites;
- Use only trusted sources for downloading software, and avoid clicking on indirect downloading links;
- Be cautious while opening spam emails. If they look dubious to you, send them to the trash section;
- As we have mentioned, install an anti-malware tool and regularly check if it is up-to-date.
The Recme ransomware note
The note is called HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT.
We did not record the full text of the ransom note in our report.
How to remove Recme 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 Recme 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 Recme 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
.recmeand the instructions are inHOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT. 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 Recme 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 Recme 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 Recme 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 Jun 2018 · not reviewed since
Recme ransomware removal guidance
To remove Recme ransomware from the system, download an anti-malware tool, for example, , , or .
Serious help is needed as this cyber threat can do a lot of damage to your computer system and data which is kept on it. You can not only lose your documents, photos, and similar files but can also become the victim of identity theft.
Nevertheless, we should also warn you that Recme ransomware removal can become a complicated task as as the virus might try to prevent its removal by blocking anti-virus software.
Warning: Remember, DO NOT pay the ransom because there is a 99% possibility that it will not solve your problems.
[GI=method-1]To get rid of Recme Ransomware, access Safe Mode with Networking at first. For that, follow this guidance:
[GI=method-2]If the first option was not helpful, try to restore your system by doing these steps:
Use Windows Previous Version feature to recover your data
This method should help you restore important files to their starter positions. Notice that this option will work for you only if you had System Restore function enabled on your computer.
Recover your encrypted files by using ShadowExplorer
If Previous versions feature did not help, try using ShadowExplorer. It should help you to break through your locked documents.
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 files that end in .recme and no longer open; 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.
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 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 for the data restoration process.
Questions about Recme ransomware
How do I open .recme files?
You cannot open them by renaming or with another program, because the content of files ending in .recme has been encrypted. The only ways back are a working decryptor for the family, or clean copies from elsewhere:
- OneDrive versions
- File History
- an offline backup drive
- Previous Versions if the ransomware did not delete them
Identify the family first by uploading the ransom note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom. Avoid websites and programs that promise to open any encrypted file; they do not work and some are scams.
Should I pay the ransom in HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT?
Not before you have tried everything else. Identify the family from HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_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.
Is there a free Recme ransomware decryptor?
We last checked on 7 October 2026, and for Recme ransomware no free decryptor is known. We check No More Ransom, which collects free tools from police and security companies, and the decryptor pages of the major antivirus vendors. A working decryptor exists only when the encryption has a flaw or the keys were leaked or seized.
Ignore sites and videos that offer a "Recme ransomware decryptor" for download or for a fee: these are usually scams or malware. Real decryptors are free and come from known security companies or law enforcement. Keep the encrypted files in case a tool appears later.
Are ransomware recovery services legitimate?
Some are, but read the offer carefully. Genuine data-recovery firms recover deleted originals from disks or rebuild damaged files, and they say so. Others promise to "decrypt any ransomware" for a fixed price, which is impossible without the key; they quietly pay the attackers and keep a margin, sometimes without telling the victim.
Be especially careful with services that contact you after you post about the attack online. Ask for references, a written method and a no-result-no-fee clause, and check the free tools on No More Ransom first.
How did Recme ransomware get on my computer?
The way Recme 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 .recme 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.
Did Recme ransomware steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by Recme ransomware, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .recme 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 Recme 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.
Can I delete HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT?
Yes, the note itself is harmless text and deleting it does not affect your files. Keep at least one copy first, outside the infected PC. HOW_TO_RECOVER_ENCRYPTED_FILES.TXT contains your personal ID and the attackers' contact details, which identification services use to tell which family encrypted your files, and which a decryptor may need later.
Police reports also ask for it. Once you have saved a copy, you can remove the notes from every folder after the ransomware program has been removed and your files are restored or backed up.
Should I reinstall Windows after the .recme attack?
Reinstalling removes the ransomware but not the encryption: your files ending in .recme 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 Recme 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 Recme 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
- UtanVirus: UtanVirus.se (read October 7, 2026)
- TechTerms: P2P Definition (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)