AKIRA Ransomware 🔐 (.AKIRA File) — Removal Guide

Akira is a ransomware virus, that carries out a series of malicious actions to encrypt data, alter file names (by appending the “.akira” extension), and generate a ransom note named “akira_readme.txt.” Additionally, upon execution, Akira executes a PowerShell command to delete Windows Shadow Volume Copies on the infected device.

For example, Akira renames the file “1.jpg” to “1.jpg.akira” and “2.doc” to “2.doc.akira“, and so on. This makes them distinctive among untouched and new files.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer’s work, the proverb “Forewarned is forearmed” describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

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What is Akira virus?

The akira_readme.txt file accompanying the Akira malware provides the following dispiriting information:

Hi friends,

Whatever who you are and what your title is if you're reading this it means the internal infrastructure of your company is fully or partially dead, all your backups - virtual, physical - everything that we managed to reach - are completely removed. Moreover, we have taken a great amount of your corporate data prior to encryption.

Well, for now let's keep all the tears and resentment to ourselves and try to build a constructive dialogue. We're fully aware of what damage we caused by locking your internal sources. At the moment, you have to know:

1. Dealing with us you will save A LOT due to we are not interested in ruining your finances. We will study in depth your finance, bank & income statements, your savings, investments etc. and present our reasonable demand to you. If you have an active cyber insurance, let us know and we will guide you how to properly use it. Also, dragging out the negotiation process will lead to failing of a deal.
2. Paying us you save your TIME, MONEY, EFFORTS and be back on track within 24 hours approximately. Our decryptor works properly on any files or systems, so you will be able to check it by requesting a test decryption service from the beginning of our conversation. If you decide to recover on your own, keep in mind that you can permanently lose access to some files or accidently corrupt them - in this case we won't be able to help.
3. The security report or the exclusive first-hand information that you will receive upon reaching an agreement is of a great value, since NO full audit of your network will show you the vulnerabilities that we've managed to detect and used in order to get into, identify backup solutions and upload your data.
4. As for your data, if we fail to agree, we will try to sell personal information/trade secrets/databases/source codes - generally speaking, everything that has a value on the darkmarket - to multiple threat actors at ones. Then all of this will be published in our blog -.
5. We're more than negotiable and will definitely find the way to settle this quickly and reach an agreement which will satisfy both of us.

If you're indeed interested in our assistance and the services we provide you can reach out to us following simple instructions:

1. Install TOR Browser to get access to our chat room - hxxps://www.torproject.org/download/.
2. Paste this link - -.
3. Use this code - - - to log into our chat.

Keep in mind that the faster you will get in touch, the less damage we cause.

In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Akira looks like. Each filename has the “.akira” extension appended to it.

That is how encrypted “.akira” files look.

How did Akira ransomware end up on my PC?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.

Malefactors currently employ three primary methods to make ransomware operate in your digital environment: email spam, Trojan infiltration, and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and encounter letters resembling familiar notifications from utility service companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and so on, but with unfamiliar senders, exercise caution before opening them. These letters are likely to contain harmful attachments. Consequently, opening any attachments accompanying such letters poses an even greater risk.

Another option favored by ransom hunters involves the use of a Trojan file model. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates your machine while disguised as something else. Picture this scenario: you download an installer for a program you require or an update for a service. However, upon unpacking, you discover a malicious program that encrypts your data. Since update files can bear any title and icon, it is essential to ensure the trustworthiness of the source from which you are downloading files. The safest approach is to obtain them from the official websites of the software developers.

Regarding peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, they demand even more trust compared to the rest of the web. You cannot predict the content of your downloads until they are complete. We recommend using reputable websites and performing an immediate anti-malware scan on the directory containing the downloaded items once the download is finished.

How do I get rid of the Akira virus?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Akira virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Sometimes racketeers would decrypt some of your files so you know that they really have the decryption program. As Akira virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.

Understandably, if the criminals do the job of encrypting victim’s critical files, the hopeless person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of malefactors simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be not enough. Your most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back.

Akira is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Coty, Foza, Boza, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Akira are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every directory containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate users were able to decode the blocked files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware infection?

Akira ransomware has no endless power, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your PC from its attack within three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the questionable email carefully. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often shared as an element of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful defense for your system.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft¹

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft².

Remove Akira virus with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common Rasnomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Akira virus as well as other malware hiding on your computer.

To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.

2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.

3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.

4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.

Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.

5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.

6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.

8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.

Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.

Trojan Killer for “Akira virus” removal on locked PC

In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.

There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.

Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.

Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:

1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.

2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.

3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.

4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.

Step 2: Update Signature Databases:

5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.

Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:

7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.

8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.

9. Insert the USB flash drive.

10. Run tk.exe

11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.

Step 4: Remove Found Threats:

12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.

13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.

14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer:

15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.

16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.

Congratulations on effectively removing Akira virus and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.

How to decrypt Akira Ransomware Files?

1. To download the decryptor binary, you should first obtain the 64-bit version provided by Avast. Since the ransomware is designed for 64-bit systems, it cannot run on 32-bit Windows. However, if you are restricted to using 32-bit applications, you can download the 32-bit decryptor from this link.

2. To initiate the decryption process, run the executable file as an administrator. The file functions as a wizard, guiding you through the configuration steps.

3. On the initial page, you will find a link to access the license information. When you are ready to proceed, click the Next button.

4. On the following page, select the locations you wish to search for and decrypt. By default, the tool includes a list of all local drives:

5. On the subsequent page, provide an example of a file in its original form, as well as one that has been encrypted by the Akira ransomware. Enter the names of both files or simply drag and drop them from Windows Explorer onto the wizard page.

It is crucial to select a pair of files that are as large as possible. Akira’s block size calculation can result in significant variations in the size limit, even for files that differ by just one byte.

When you click Next, the decryption tool will carefully analyze the file pair and indicate the largest decryptable file. In general, the size limit should match that of the original file:

6. The subsequent page is where the password cracking process occurs. Click Start when you are ready to commence. This process typically takes only a few seconds but requires a considerable amount of system memory. Therefore, we strongly recommend using the 64-bit version of the decryption tool.

Once the password is discovered, you can proceed to decrypt all the encrypted files on your PC by clicking Next.

7. On the final page, you have the option to back up your encrypted files. These backups can be useful in case any issues arise during the decryption process. By default, this choice is selected, and we recommend keeping it that way. After clicking Decrypt, the decryption process will commence. Allow the decryptor to work and wait until it finishes decrypting all of your files.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.akira” files?Are the “.akira” files accessible?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.akira” files are decrypted.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.akira” files ASAP. How can I do that?

If the “.akira” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. In case you haven’t, there is still a chance that you do have a Restore Point from some time ago to roll back the whole system to the moment when it had no virus yet, but already had your files. All other solutions require time.

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Akira malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

No way! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove the threats from your PC. The virus that has infected your system is must be still active and running scans periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Akira ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide hackers with easy access to your PC after some time.

🤔 What should I do if the Akira virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to prepare a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or brought into your PC. To stop this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the encrypted data can be found elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs³ to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you can do it only after you kill the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

1. GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
2. More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
3. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.