ALOCK (.alock File) Ransomware Virus Removal

The Alock virus belongs to the MedusaLocker ransomware family. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, creating the HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.

Alock virus: what is known so far?

☝️ Alock is a MedusaLocker family ransomware malicious agent.

Alock will append its specific .alock extension to every file’s title. For instance, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be turned into “photo.jpg.alock”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be renamed to “table.xlsx.alock”, and so forth.

In each directory containing the encoded files, a HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html text document will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decrypting software after contacting [email protected], [email protected] by email. That is it.

Alock Summary:

The HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html file accompanying the Alock malware states the following:

YOUR PERSONAL ID:
-


/!\\ YOUR COMPANY NETWORK HAS BEEN PENETRATED /!\\
All your important files have been encrypted!


Your files are safe! Only modified. (RSA+AES)


ANY ATTEMPT TO RESTORE YOUR FILES WITH THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE
WILL PERMANENTLY CORRUPT IT.
DO NOT MODIFY ENCRYPTED FILES.
DO NOT RENAME ENCRYPTED FILES.


No software available on internet can help you. We are the only ones able to
solve your problem.


We gathered highly confidential/personal data. These data are currently stored on
a private server. This server will be immediately destroyed after your payment.
If you decide to not pay, we will release your data to public or re-seller.
So you can expect your data to be publicly available in the near future..


We only seek money and our goal is not to damage your reputation or prevent
your business from running.


You will can send us 2-3 non-important files and we will decrypt it for free
to prove we are able to give your files back.


Contact us for price and get decryption software.


qd7pcafncosqfqu3ha6fcx4h6sr7tzwagzpcdcnytiw3b6varaeqv5yd.onion
* Note that this server is available via Tor browser only


Follow the instructions to open the link:
1. Type the addres \"hxxps://www.torproject.org\" in your Internet browser. It opens the Tor site.
2. Press \"Download Tor\", then press \"Download Tor Browser Bundle\", install and run it.
3. Now you have Tor browser. In the Tor Browser open qd7pcafncosqfqu3ha6fcx4h6sr7tzwagzpcdcnytiw3b6varaeqv5yd.onion
4. Start a chat and follow the further instructions.


If you can not use the above link, use the email:
[email protected]
[email protected]


* To contact us, create a new free email account on the site: protonmail.com


IF YOU DON\'T CONTACT US WITHIN 72 HOURS, PRICE WILL BE HIGHER.

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

How did my machine catch Alock ransomware?

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

There are currently three most popular methods for criminals to have ransomware planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is a program that gets into your machine disguised as something legal. For example, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some program. But what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the installation package can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrent trackers or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is complete.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your data, the Alock virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

How сan I avoid ransomware infiltration?

Alock ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your system from ransomware attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable email carefully. A fake email will always contain mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as a part of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can try to find information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.alock” files?Is it possible to open“.alock” files?

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.alock” files first. Then you will be able to open them.

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

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. All other solutions require time.

🤔 What should I do if the Alock malware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Some of the encrypted files can be found elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can use data recovery utilities² to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.