CYLANCE Ransomware (.CYLANCE File) — Removal & Decryption

The Cylance virus belongs under the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc.). It appends its extension to every file, leaving the CYLANCE_README.txt text files with the encrypted files in each folder.

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 Cylance virus?

☝️ A scientifically correct description for the Cylance would be “a ransomware infection.”

Cylance adds its own .Cylance extension to every file’s title. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.Cylance”. Just like the Excel table with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.Cylance”, and so on.

In each folder containing the encrypted files, a CYLANCE_README.txt text file will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on how to pay the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this decryptor by email by contacting crypter@firemail.de, helper@firemail.de. That is pretty much the scheme of the crime.

Cylance outline:

The CYLANCE_README.txt file coming in package with the Cylance malware states the following:

[[=== Cylance Ransomware ===]]

[+] What\'s happened?
All your files are encrypted, and currently unsable, but you need to follow our instructions. otherwise, you cant return your data (NEVER).

[+] What guarantees?
Its just a business. We absolutely do not care about you and your deals, except getting benefits. If we do not do our work and liabilities - nobody will not cooperate with us. Its not in our interests.
To check the ability of returning files, we decrypt one file for free. That is our guarantee.
If you will not cooperate with our service - for us, its does not matter. But you will lose your time and data, cause just we have the private key. time is much more valuable than money.

[+] How to cantact with us?
Please write an email to: Crypter@firemail.de and Helper@firemail.de
Write this U-ID in the subject: 9cz9eXn9z

Key:
-
------------

!!! DANGER !!!
DON\'T try to change files by yourself, DON\'T use any third party software for restoring your data or antivirus solutions - its may entail damage of the private key and, as result, The Loss all data.
!!! !!! !!!
ONE MORE TIME: Its in your interests to get your files back. From our side, we (the best specialists) make everything for restoring, but please should not interfere.
!!! !!! !!!

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

That is how encrypted “.Cylance” files look.

How did my machine catch Cylance ransomware?

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

Currently, the three most exploited methods exist for criminals to have the Cylance virus working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration, and peer networks.

If you access your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a viral file enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.

Hackers might also try a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan Virus is malware that infiltrates your computer pretending to be something else. For instance, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some software. But what is unpacked is a harmful agent that encodes your data. As the update package can have any title and icon, you’d better be sure you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software developers’ official websites.

As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols 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, scanning the folder containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility is reasonable as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I eliminate the Cylance virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Cylance virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your machine to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling card file.

Sometimes tamperers would decode a few of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. Since the Cylance virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware tools are constantly updated, so an effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

If the malefactors successfully encode the victim’s essential data, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver the wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about racketeers vanishing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The best solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be insufficient. The most crucial could be the file you worked on when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. Scanning your drives with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back is also wise.

Other ransomware products besides Cylance work similarly. For instance, Nifr, Boty, Niwm, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Cylance are the ransom amount and the encryption method. The rest is almost identical: files become inaccessible, their extensions altered, and ransom notes emerge in every encrypted file folder.

Some fortunate victims could decode the blocked files with the free software provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary failure allows the injured part to restore the files. But of course, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperer’s instrument to pull their victims’ money out.

How сan I avert ransomware attack?

Cylance ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.

You can defend your PC from its infiltration in several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailers with strange addresses or content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious letter. A fake email will surely have a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often spread as an element of cracked software, most likely under the guise of a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to tell from reliable ones because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can search for information on this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution is not to use such programs.
• To ensure the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be the perfect armor for your system.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft¹

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

Download Removal Tool.

You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:

Run the setup file.

When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your PC.

An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your PC for Cylance infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.

Click on “Clean Now”.

When the scan has finished, you will see the infection list that GridinSoft Anti-Malware detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in the right corner.

FAQ

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

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.Cylance” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

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. All other solutions require time.

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

Of course not. Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your system off the actual threats. The malware that has attacked your system is must be still functional and running scans every so often to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has been said above, the Cylance ransomware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your system in the future.

🤔 What to do if the Cylance virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to have a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your PC. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the encoded files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• 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 downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try downloading them again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, cellphone, flash memory, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery utilities³ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

• In the United States: On Guard Online;
• In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
• In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
• In Australia: SCAMwatch;
• In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
• In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
• In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
• In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

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 Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.