BLACKHATUP Virus 🔐 (.BLACKHATUP Files) — How to Remove?

The Blackhatup virus falls within the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, leaving the read_it.txt text files in each folder which contains the encrypted 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 known about the Blackhatup virus?

Blackhatup will add its specific .BlackHatUP extension to every file’s name. For instance, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.BlackHatUP”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be renamed to “table.xlsx.BlackHatUP”, and so on.

In each folder that contains the encrypted files, a read_it.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting the Telegram contact. That is it.

Blackhatup Summary:

The read_it.txt file coming in package with the Blackhatup malware states the following:

You have tried to run a exe file which doesn\'t belong to you as a punishment your files are gone forever >you can recover them by paying 500 inr .

Contact:- BlachHatUP on telegram

In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Blackhatup looks like. Each filename has the “.BlackHatUP” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .BlackHatUP files.

How did Blackhatup ransomware end up on my PC?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most popular ways for hackers to have the Blackhatup virus settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a harmful item attached to them. So it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is a program that gets into your PC 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 reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. Since the installation wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, the danger 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. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.

How to remove ransomware?

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

Remove Blackhatup 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 Ransomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Blackhatup 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 “Blackhatup” 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 Blackhatup 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.

Often criminals would decrypt several of your files to prove that they do have the decryption program. Since Blackhatup virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.

Of course, if the tamperers do the job of encrypting victim’s critical files, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still risky. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports of malefactors simply disappearing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud drive or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back.

Blackhatup 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, Blackdream, Ppvw, Ppvt, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Blackhatup are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: documents become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in every directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky victims were able to decode the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware injection?

Blackhatup ransomware has no superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can protect yourself from its injection taking several easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A fake email will always contain mistakes.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” preventing the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect shield for your PC.

FAQ

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

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

🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Blackhatup virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real viruses. The malware that has attacked your PC is must be still active and it scans your system every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Blackhatup ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your PC after some time.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Blackhatup virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your machine. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to send those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, phone, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.