TraNs ransomware virus: what it is and how to remove it
TraNs virus happens to be a file-encrypting threat capable of encoding your files. Once it manages to infiltrate the system, it encrypts files with the AES encryption variant and appends .trans or .TraNs.TraNs550DonE file extension to them: It is not highly developed as it only presents HOW TO DECRYPT YOUR FILES.txt file with the instructions.
Facts checked October 6, 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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TraNs ransomware virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Ransom note | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Contact | bkmf@gmx.com |
| Encrypted file extension | .trans |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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 9 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | TraNs ransomware virus |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | Files renamed with a new extension |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Encrypted files | .trans |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 6 October 2026) |
| First seen | 27 June 2017 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What to search your PC and browser for
- File extension:
.trans
How TraNs ransomware virus behaves
From our report of Jun 2017 · not reviewed since
TraNs ransomware sparks speculations over its origin
TraNs virus happens to be a file-encrypting threat capable of encoding your files.
Once it manages to infiltrate the system, it encrypts files with the AES encryption variant and appends .trans or .TraNs.TraNs550DonE file extension to them:
It is not highly developed as it only presents HOW TO DECRYPT YOUR FILES.txt file with the instructions. At this point, it is possible to assume that the malware might be related to HiddenTear threat since there have been already countless file-encrypting threats possessing the same feature. The malware does not present its graphic interface so it might be still under development.
In the instructions file, the author informs a victim of the situation and requires to transfer 550 USD to the indicated bitcoin address. Additionally, he also provides email address – bkmf@gmx.com – in the case of technical difficulties. In case the transaction goes successfully, you might expect the perpetrator to transfer you Trans Decrypter and manual instructions.
Taking into account that you are dealing with ransomware developers, it is naive to think that the hacker might keep his word and transfer the files even after receiving the money. It is better to concentrate on TraNs removal. You can eliminate the threat with the assistance of or .
- appends two type extensions
- demands $550 in ransom
- provides bkmf@gmx.com for contact
From our report of Jun 2017 · not reviewed since
Manipulation with fear
Blackmailing often happens to be effective especially when it comes to personal and confidential data.
Though rarely ransomware hackers engage in real blackmailing, they prefer alarming users with data elimination.
Trans malware is no exception as well. The perpetrator gives 4-day time period for the affected users to transmit the money. After that period, the files are said to be deleted. However, there is no certainty that you will retrieve them all undamaged.
Despite how exquisite the malware is, it is advised to perform automatic elimination right away. Thus, you should also make a rush to remove TraNs right away. Sometimes restarting the device might interfere with the malware processes and, likewise, there is a chance to save the files.
However, it is not only crucial to eliminate the threat but to be aware of its transmission techniques. On the final note, we advise you to uninstall Trans Decrypter if you have already installed it. Even if you paid the money and received the tool, it might benefit in the future cyber assaults.
From our report of Jun 2017 · not reviewed since
Transmitting crypto-malware
This type of malware often happen to be distributed via three channels:
- spam emails
- exploit kits
- trojans
Certainly, there are multiple minor techniques, for instance, corrupted applications or browser extensions.
It is likely that Trans hijack was triggered after clicking on the corrupted link or downloading a fraudulent application. Thus, in order to prevent such scenario, it is of key importance not only to protect your system with an anti-malware application but pay attention to downloadable content and enables features.
How to remove TraNs ransomware virus
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 TraNs ransomware virus 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 TraNs ransomware virus 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 identify the family
The name of the family decides whether a free decryptor can help. Copy the ransom note and two small encrypted files to a USB stick, and check them on another device with ID Ransomware or Crypto Sheriff.
Note the extension added to the files, the contact address and the victim ID shown in the note. Keep the originals on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC untouched.
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 TraNs ransomware virus, no free decryptor is known (checked 6 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 TraNs ransomware virus 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 TraNs ransomware virus 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 2017 · not reviewed since
Eliminate Trans file-encrypting threat
If you have already noticed your files marked with .trans file extension, get rid of the malware at once.
For that purpose, you may benefit from a cyber security tool. It is capable of fully terminating the threat and eliminate all associated files. You can remove Trans virus with software within several minutes. Though the ransomware does not seem very complicated, it might prevent you from launching the utility.
In that case, take a glimpse at the below instructions. The threat is unlikely to delete shadow volume copies, so there are high chances that you may retrieve he files with some of our recommended tools. On the final note, Trans malware expresses a certain preference for French netizens . They should be especially careful.
[GI=method-1]Safe Mode often comes as the solution to bypass problems and system alerts caused by ransomware. Then, you should be able to complete Trans removal.
This utility is practical when restoring damaged or lost files after a system failure.
The usefulness of ShadowExplorer
The key benefit of this software in its ability to retrieve shadow volume copies and recreate the copies of the original files.
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.
Make the next attack harmless
TraNs ransomware virus could only hurt the files that had no second copy, and the signs (files that end in .trans and no longer open) showed exactly which ones those were. The 3-2-1 rule fixes that:
- three copies
- two media
- one disconnected
A practical version for a home PC: OneDrive or another cloud backup with version history, plus an external disk that you plug in once a week for File History and then unplug. Test a restore now and then by opening a few files from the backup on another device.
Details, schedules and what not to back up are in our 3-2-1 backup guide for 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 TraNs ransomware virus
How do I open .trans files?
You cannot open them by renaming or by choosing another program. The .trans ending shows that TraNs ransomware virus encrypted the content, and only the matching key can reverse it. Renaming a file back to .docx or .jpg changes nothing except the icon, and it can confuse a future decryptor, so leave the names as they are.
To get the content back, use a backup, an unencrypted copy elsewhere, or a decryptor listed on No More Ransom if one exists for TraNs ransomware virus. Store the encrypted files on an external disk until then.
Is there a free TraNs ransomware virus decryptor?
We last checked on 6 October 2026, and for TraNs 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 "TraNs 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.
Did TraNs ransomware virus steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by TraNs ransomware virus, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .trans 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.
Should I pay the ransom?
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.
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.
How did TraNs ransomware virus get on my computer?
The way TraNs 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 files that end in .trans 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.
Is TraNs ransomware virus 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 just remove .trans from the file names?
You can try it on a copy, but for real ransomware it will not help. The .trans extension is only a label; the file content has been scrambled with a key the attackers hold.
If a renamed copy opens normally, the malware only renamed files, which happens with some fake ransomware, and you can rename the rest back. If it does not open, leave the files as they are. Renaming encrypted files can confuse a decryptor later, so always work on copies.
Should I reinstall Windows after the .trans attack?
Reinstalling removes the ransomware but not the encryption: your files ending in .trans 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 TraNs ransomware virus?
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 TraNs 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.
Sources
- IT News, Revues et guides d'enlèvement de virus: Comment supprimer les virus informatiques (read October 6, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 6, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)