VegaLocker ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
VegaLocker ransomware is a cryptovirus which performs the encryption after successful infiltration. However, this cyber threat has one big difference from other of its kind - it does not apply any appendix or rename any encrypted files or documents.
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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VegaLocker ransomware: summary
| Name | VegaLocker |
|---|---|
| Category | Ransomware |
| Appendix | No appendix is added to locked files |
| Ransom message(s) | "Your files are now encrypted.txt" or "ABOUT YOUR FILES.txt" |
| Encryption keys | Such as AES, RSA, SHA, etc. |
| Target | Russian people or Russian speakers |
| 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 14 more facts
| Emails | sprosinas@cock.li, sprosinas2@protonmail.com, or sup24@keemail.me, sub24@protonmail.ch |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Contact | sprosinas@cock.li, sprosinas2@protonmail.com, sup24@keemail.me |
| Encrypted file extension | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Ransom note | A message left on the computer; the text is quoted in full below |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps and a ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 18 February 2019 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- Note file:
the ransom note
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on VegaLocker
- You can try using for detecting malware-related objects
- The ransomware is detected as Win32:Malware-gen by Avast and AVG antivirus programs.
How VegaLocker ransomware behaves
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
VegaLocker ransomware should be terminated ASAP after detection
If your antivirus tool has detected the ransomware infection, you need to remove VegaLocker virus fast.
If you do not have an anti-malware tool which will allow you to find all virus-related components on your system, we suggest considering to download and install an expert-tested program such as , , or .
After the VegaLocker ransomware removal, make sure that you reboot the entire computer system. For data recovery steps, look below this text. Moreover, be prepared for the future - gather all important data and store it on remote servers or devices where no one, except you, will be able to reach it.
[GI=method-1]Use Safe Mode with Networking to disable the ransomware infection and its hazardous activities:
[GI=method-2]Enable the System Restore feature to deactivate the cyber threat:
Try this method and you might succeed in data recovery.
Windows Previous Versions feature can be helpful with file restoring:
If you want to recover some of your files that were blocked by VegaLocker ransomware, you can try performing data recovery with this tool.
Shadow Explorer is a tool which might help with data recovery purposes:
Give this method a try if the virus did not damage or permanently erase Shadow Volume Copies of locked documents.
No official VegaLocker decryptor has been discovered yet.
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
Ransomware can spread through malicious email attachments
According to computer specialists from Virusai.lt, ransomware viruses are most commonly spread via malicious email messages and their attached executables or infected links that come injected inside the message itself.
We urge all users to be careful while opening received email and deleting all letters that they are not sure about and look suspicious.
Another popular ransomware distribution source can be various third-party pages which are created for downloading software, films, and various applications for free. Peer-to-peer networks are promoted by secondary sources and often lack protection. This vulnerability allows criminals to inject malware into unprotected hyperlinks or even software packages.
For further protection, you should always be careful while visiting websites on the Internet, downloading particular software, and so on. However, our specialists also offer to download and install a reputable computer security program for safety purposes. In some cases, the human eye might not catch all hazardous content, so, this can be done by antivirus tools.
From our report of Feb 2019 · not reviewed since
VegaLocker ransomware is a dangerous computer virus which does not add any extensions to locked files
VegaLocker ransomware is a cryptovirus which performs the encryption after successful infiltration.
However, this cyber threat has one big difference from other of its kind - it does not apply any appendix or rename any encrypted files or documents. Of course, it does provide a ransom message which is named "Your files are now encrypted.txt" or "ABOUT YOUR FILES.txt".
We can guess that cybercriminals target Russians or Russian-speaking users as the note is written in the Russian language. The crooks demand some money which needs to be transferred in Bitcoin and provide email addresses such as sprosinas@cock.li, sprosinas2@protonmail.com, or sup24@keemail.me, sub24@protonmail.ch.
There is a big possibility that, once you are infected with VegaLocker virus, you will find rogue entries injected in the Windows Registry section or suspicious-looking processes running in the computer system. One of the odd components will be the ransom message which usually looks like this:
Victims are given three days to show contact, otherwise, they are threatened that files will be permanently lost. Even though crooks use hardly-identifiable encryption algorithms, this does not mean that you have to rush and pay the VegaLocker ransomware cybercriminals. A particular amount of money is not demanded this time but matters are urged to be discussed via email letters.
Additionally, we offer to install a tool such as or to detect all malicious files, entries, and other virus-related components that might be safely hidden in the computer system by the ransomware virus infection.
Another important reason to get rid of VegaLocker ransomware on time is the virus's ability to make the system vulnerable to other infections. Each malware causes security flaws and might allow other threats to sneak into the system.
Additionally, some cryptoviruses are capable of deleting Shadow Volume Copies which means that if you do not hurry up and terminate the virus ASAP, you might not be able to restore your encrypted data.
You cannot remove VegaLocker ransomware by yourself as this process requires a lot of practice and some actions can be performed only by reputable anti-malware. Remember to be careful next time and continue reading about ransomware avoiding tips and how to keep your important data protected from unwanted exposure or encryption.
Recently, the developers of VegaLocker ransomware have released another very similar version of this notorious file-locking cyber threat. It uses the ABOUT YOUR FILES.txt ransom message to inform users about the secret encryption process. This virus still seems to be targeting Russian speakers as the note is written in the Russian language. Crooks provide two email addresses in the text message: sup24@keemail.me and sup24@protonmail.ch.
For further information, it is known that the latest version of VegaLocker ransomware uses a mixture of SHA and RSA encryption algorithms in order to lock up files on the targeted machine. Additionally, once installed, the dangerous file-locking virus places the blanki(скореевсего образец вируса).exe file in the infected computer system from which the hazardous payload might be identified.
The VegaLocker ransomware note
ВНИМАНИЕ, ВАШИ ФАЙЛЫ ЗАШИФРОВАНЫ!
Ваши документы, фотографии, базы данных, сохранения в играх и другие
важные данные были зашифрованы уникальным ключем, который находится
только у нас. Для восстановления данных необходим дешифровщик.
Восстановить файлы Вы можете, написав нам на почту:
e-mail: sprosinas@cock.li
e-mail: sprosinas2@protonmail.com
Пришлите Ваш идентификатор TOKEN и 1-2 файла, размером до 1 Мб каждый.
Мы их восстановим, в доказательство возможности расшифровки.
После демонстрации вы получите инструкцию по оплате, а после оплаты
Вам будет отправлена программа-дешифратор, которая полностью восстановит все заблокированные файлы без потерь.
Если связаться через почту не получается:
Перейдите по ссылке: https://bitmessage.org/wiki/Main_Page и скачайте
почтовый клиент. Установите почтовый клиент и создайте себе новый адрес
для отправки сообщений.
Напишите нам письмо на адрес: BM-2cVK1UBcUGmSPDVMo8TN7eh7BJG9jUVrdG
(с указанием Вашей почты) и мы свяжемся с Вами.
ВАЖНО!
How to remove VegaLocker 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 VegaLocker 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
VegaLocker encrypts everything it can reach, including drives and shares you connect later. Cut the network first: cable out, or Wi-Fi off from the taskbar.
Then unplug every USB stick and backup disk and pause cloud sync, so the encrypted versions do not replace your online copies. Do not reconnect any of them until the ransomware is removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
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
Find the ransom note, usually a
.txt,.htmlor .hta file in every folder or on the desktop, and copy it with one or two encrypted files to a USB stick.From another device, upload them to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom's Crypto Sheriff, which name the family from the note and the file extension. Write down the contact address and your personal ID from the note for the report.
Warning: Never contact the attackers from the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
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
For VegaLocker, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Search the family name in the No More Ransom decryption tools list and in the free decryptors of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, because new tools appear years after an attack.
Important: Keep the encrypted files even if nothing works today, and do not pay before every free option is ruled out: payment does not guarantee a working key.
Decryptors run on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but only after the ransomware itself is removed.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Restoring or decrypting files while VegaLocker still runs lets it encrypt them again. Run a Full scan in Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
If the ransomware blocks Windows Security, start Safe Mode with Networking and scan from there. Some families install a password stealer as well, so let both scans finish on Windows 11 or 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
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
vssadmin list shadows. If it lists copies dated before the attack, right-click a folder with encrypted files in File Explorer, choose Properties > Previous Versions, and open or restore a version from before that date.ShadowExplorer, a free tool, shows the same copies when the tab is empty or hidden. Most current families delete shadow copies, so an empty list is normal, but the check takes two minutes on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
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
Restore from an external backup, File History or OneDrive's version history, choosing a date before the attack. Connect the backup drive only after the scans are clean, or the ransomware encrypts it too.
If there is no backup, file recovery software can sometimes find the deleted originals, because some ransomware writes an encrypted copy and deletes the original file.
Stop writing to the drive and try recovery on Windows 11 or Windows 10 before new files overwrite the space.
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.
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
VegaLocker could only hurt the files that had no second copy, and the signs (vegaLocker in the list of installed apps) 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.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
Questions about VegaLocker ransomware
When will a decryptor for VegaLocker be released?
Nobody can promise a date. When we last checked, on 7 October 2026, no free decryptor is known. Decryptors usually appear after one of three events:
- police seize the attackers' servers and keys
- the authors leak or publish the master keys
- researchers find a mistake in how the ransomware generates keys
Some families got a tool within weeks, others never. Keep the encrypted files and the note on an external drive, check No More Ransom every few months, and follow news about the VegaLocker family. A decryptor may need an original file, so keep any unencrypted copies too.
How did VegaLocker get on my computer?
The way VegaLocker 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 vegaLocker in the list of installed apps, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
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.
Did VegaLocker steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by VegaLocker, but the only confirmed sign is vegaLocker in the list of installed apps, 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 VegaLocker 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 the ransom note?
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. the ransom note 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.
How do I open my .docx, .jpg and other files locked by VegaLocker?
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 VegaLocker 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.
Will Fortect remove VegaLocker?
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 VegaLocker, 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
- Techopedia: Encryption (read October 7, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai.lt (read October 7, 2026)
- Search Security: Antimalware (anti-malware) (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)