SkyName ransomware virus: what it is and how to remove it

We last checked on 7 October 2026, and for SkyName ransomware virus 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 "SkyName ransomware virus 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.

We advise against it, and so do the FBI, Europol and national cyber agencies. Payment does not guarantee a working tool: some attackers never reply, some tools damage files, and some variants have no decryptor at all. Paying also funds further attacks and can make you a target again.

Before considering payment, try every recovery option in this guide and report the attack. Companies must involve their legal adviser and insurer, because payments to sanctioned groups can be illegal. If files are truly irreplaceable, store the encrypted copies and wait; decryptors sometimes appear later.

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.

We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by SkyName ransomware virus, but the only confirmed sign is ransom notes called INFOK1.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.

The way SkyName ransomware virus 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 INFOK1.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.

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.

Reading it is fine if you open it in Notepad. A plain text INFOK1.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.

Look at your files rather than the note. If documents and photos have a new extension and will not open, the encryption is real. If files open normally, or only a few were renamed, the note may come from fake ransomware or extortion-only malware that claims more than it did.

Some wipers also leave notes like INFOK1.txt while destroying data with no way back. Identification services help here too: they recognise the note and tell you whether the family is known to encrypt, to bluff, or to wipe.

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 SkyName 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.

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 SkyName ransomware virus, 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.