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

The Eldritch virus belongs with the ransomware type of malicious agent. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, leaving the READ-THIS.txt files in each directory containing 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 Eldritch virus?

Eldritch appends its own .eldritch extension to the title of each encrypted file. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.eldritch”. In the same manner, the Excel table with the name “table.xlsx” will be renamed to “table.xlsx.eldritch”, and so forth.

In every folder that contains the encoded files, a READ-THIS.txt file will be found. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. That is basically the scheme of the malefaction.

Eldritch Summary:

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

An example of encrypted .eldritch files.

How did my computer get infected with Eldritch ransomware?

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

There are currently three most exploited ways for malefactors to have the Eldritch virus acting in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer file transfer.

• If you access your mailbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a malicious item enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some program. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that corrupts your data. Since the installation file can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Eldritch virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Eldritch 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 Eldritch 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 “Eldritch” 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 Eldritch 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 unblock several of your files so you know that they do have the decryption program. As Eldritch virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decoding instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the malefactors do the job of encoding victim’s critical data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information 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 ransomware developers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external storage. Of course, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Eldritch, that work similarly. Examples of those are B, Nnll, Wwhu, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Eldritch are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become encrypted, their extensions altered, ransom notes are created in every directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky users were able to decrypt the blocked files with the help of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But obviously, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How to avert ransomware attack?

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

You can defend your computer from its attack taking three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A fake letter will surely have mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked products, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to tell from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect armor for your system.

FAQ

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

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

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

If the “.eldritch” 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. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Eldritch 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.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove active threats from your computer. The virus that has infiltrated your system is most likely still active and it scans your system every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been said above, the Eldritch malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide malefactors with easy access to your computer after some time.

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

If that happened, you need to have a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your machine. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the blocked files can be located elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files via 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 send those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, 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 PC, a portable device, mobile, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can use data recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial 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 kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.