Septwolves ransomware (virus) - Recovery Instructions Included

What is Septwolves ransomware?

Septwolves ransomware is a dangerous file-locking virus that can lead to data loss

Files encrypted by Septwolves ransomware are impossible to open or use

Septwolves ransomware is regarded as a form of ransomware that encrypts and locks personal files, including pictures, videos, and documents. If users do not have backups, infections like this one may cause irreparable data loss. The .septwolves extension is added to the affected files. If a file was previously named picture.jpg, after encryption,^[1] it would look like this – picture.jpg.septwolves.

Additionally, the icons were converted to white pages to prevent the use of thumbnails. The encrypted files cannot be opened, seen, or used by users. Since ransomware attacks have been steadily on the rise, users should become familiar with the security measures they can take to protect themselves.

The ransom note

Septwolves ransomware drops a RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt file which acts as a ransom note. It reads as follows:

What Happen to my computer?

Your important files are encrypted. Many of your documents, photos, passwords, databases and other files are no longer accessible because they have been encrypted. Maybe you are busy looking for way to recover your files , but do not waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption KEY (if somebody will tell that they can do it, they will also contact me and I will make the price so much expensive than if you contact directly).
!!!THE DATARECOVERY COMPANY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY!!!
DATA RECOVERY COMPANIES WILL ONLY INCREASE THE DECRYPTION TIME

Can i Recover My Files?
Sure. We guarantee that you can recover all your files safely and easily But You have not so enough time . So If you want to decrypt all your data, you need to pay .As fast you pay as fast all of your data will be back as before encryption.

Send e-mail to this address:
yourdata@recoverygroup.at

You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins.

ATTENTION
Do not rename encrypted files.
Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.
If you want to try datarecovery company just ask for testfile.They have to give it for you if they can do something.
They will not.

Key Identifier:
–

The ransom note describes a situation where the computer's files have been encrypted, making them inaccessible. The note informs the victim that their files can be recovered, but only by paying a ransom, in Bitcoins, to the specified email address. The note also warns the victim not to try to recover the files using third-party software or to rename the encrypted files, as doing so may cause permanent data loss.

Additionally, the note suggests that data recovery companies are not trustworthy, and may only increase the decryption time, and adds that the victim can ask a company for a test file to check they can decrypt the data. Paying the ransom is not recommended because there is no guarantee that the attackers will actually provide the decryption key or the means to recover the encrypted files once the ransom has been paid.

Even if the ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that the attackers will not demand additional payments or continue to threaten the victim. Additionally, paying the ransom can incentivize the attackers to continue their criminal activities and target other victims in the future.

It is strongly advised not to pay the ransom because cyber criminals can't be trusted

How to prevent ransomware infections?

The threat of ransomware is expanding quickly in the world of cybersecurity. This particular kind of malware encrypts the data of its victims and demands money in return for the decryption key. Attackers are employing new strategies to avoid detection and improve their odds of successfully extorting victims as attacks grow in frequency and sophistication.

The fact that ransomware attacks may be extremely lucrative for perpetrators is one of the factors contributing to their increase. Attackers can now demand payment in Bitcoin or other digital currencies thanks to the emergence of cryptocurrencies, which allows them to stay anonymous and be hard to find. Ransomware's economic strategy is also relatively inexpensive, requiring little capital to initiate an attack.

Given the growing threat of ransomware and the reasons behind it, it is important for individuals and organizations to take proactive measures to protect themselves. Here are some tips on how to protect against ransomware attacks:

• Regularly back up your important files and keep them in a safe location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage, so that you can restore them in case of an attack.
• Keep your operating system and all installed software up-to-date by regularly installing updates and security patches.
• Use reputable and up-to-date antivirus software to scan your computer and detect any potential malware.
• Be cautious when opening email attachments and links, especially if they come from unknown senders or look suspicious.
• Avoid clicking on pop-up ads or visiting unknown or suspicious websites.
• Use a network-level firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your network.
• Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible
• Be mindful of spear-phishing attacks,^[2] which are targeted at specific individuals or organizations and may use personal information in order to appear more convincing.

Ransomware removal process

The important thing to do is to disconnect the affected machine from the local network as we talked about the dangers of that previously. For home users, disconnecting the ethernet cable should do the job. If this happened at your workplace, doing that might be complicated, so we have instructions for corporate environments at the bottom of this post.

If you try to recover your data first, it can result in permanent loss. It can also encrypt your files the second time. It will not stop until you remove the malicious files causing it first. You should not attempt removing the malicious program yourself unless you have experience. Manual removal of ransomware is extremely complicated and is suitable for people with advanced IT skills.

Use anti-malware tools like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes to scan your system. This security software should find all the related files and entries and remove them automatically for you. In some cases, malware does not let you use antivirus in normal mode, so you need to access Safe Mode and perform a full system scan from there:

Windows 7 / Vista / XP

1. Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
2. 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.
3. Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.

Windows 10 / Windows 8

1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
   
2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
5. Click Restart now.
6. Select Troubleshoot.
7. Go to Advanced options.
8. Select Startup Settings.
9. Click Restart.
10. Press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.

Repair corrupted system files

Performance, stability, and usability issues, to the point where a full Windows reinstall is required, are nothing unusual after a malware infection. These types of viruses 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 cannot fix it.

Manual troubleshooting of such damage is also very complicated and can take a long time. This is why FortectIntego was developed. It can fix a lot of the damage caused by an infection like this. Blue Screen errors,^[3] freezes, registry errors, damaged DLLs, etc., can make your computer completely unusable. By using this maintenance tool, you could prevent yourself from having to reinstall Windows completely.

• 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.

Try recovering data with third-party software

Only hackers hold the decryption key, which can unlock your files, so if you did not back them up previously, there is a good chance that you will never get them back. You can try using data recovery software, but keep in mind that third-party programs cannot always decrypt files. Whatever the situation may be, we suggest at least trying this method. Before you proceed, copy the corrupted files and place them in a USB flash drive or another external storage device. And remember – only do this if you have already removed the Septwolves ransomware.

Before you begin, several pointers are important while dealing with this situation:

• Since the encrypted data on your computer might permanently be damaged by security or data recovery software, you should first make backups of it – use a USB flash drive or another storage.
• Only attempt to recover your files using this method after you perform a scan with anti-malware software.

Install data recovery software

1. Download Data Recovery Pro.
2. Double-click the installer to launch it.
3. Follow on-screen instructions to install the software.
4. As soon as you press Finish, you can use the app.
5. Select Everything or pick individual folders where you want the files to be recovered from.
6. Press Next.
7. At the bottom, enable Deep scan and pick which Disks you want to be scanned.
8. Press Scan and wait till it is complete.
9. You can now pick which folders/files to recover – don't forget you also have the option to search by the file name!
10. Press Recover to retrieve your files.