Security expert Tomas Meskauskas was the person who originally discovered the Encrpt virus, which belongs to the VoidCrypt ransomware family. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, creating the Decryption-Guide.txt text files in each directory with the encrypted files.
Encrpt virus: what is known so far?
☝️ A strictly correct designation for the Encrpt is “a VoidCrypt family ransomware-type malicious agent”.
The scheme of renaming is this: encrpt. During the encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be altered to “report.docx.(MJ-EW7291645308)([email protected]).encrpt”.
In each folder containing the encoded files, a Decryption-Guide.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this tool after contacting [email protected] by email. That is it.
Encrpt overview:
| Name | Encrpt Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | VoidCrypt ransomware |
| Extension | .encrpt |
| Ransomware note | Decryption-Guide.txt |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Detection | Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.PAH!MTB, Ransom:Win32/Shade!MSR, Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.MZF!MTB |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .encrpt extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Encrpt virus |
The Decryption-Guide.txt document accompanying the Encrpt malware provides the following discouraging information:
Your Files Are Has Been Locked Your Files Has Been Encrypted with cryptography Algorithm If You Need Your Files And They are Important to You, Dont be shy Send Me an Email Send Test File + The Key File on Your System (File Exist in C:/ProgramData example : RSAKEY-SE-24r6t523 pr RSAKEY.KEY) to Make Sure Your Files Can be Restored Make an Agreement on Price with me and Pay Get Decryption Tool + RSA Key AND Instruction For Decryption Process Attention: 1- Do Not Rename or Modify The Files (You May loose That file) 2- Do Not Try To Use 3rd Party Apps or Recovery Tools ( if You want to do that make an copy from Files and try on them and Waste Your time ) 3-Do not Reinstall Operation System(Windows) You may loose the key File and Loose Your Files 4-Do Not Always Trust to Middle mans and negotiators (some of them are good but some of them agree on 4000usd for example and Asked 10000usd From Client) this Was happened Your Case ID :- OUR Email :[email protected] in Case of no answer: [email protected]
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Encrpt looks like. Each filename has the “.encrpt” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.encrpt” files look.
How did my computer get infected with Encrpt ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.
There are currently three most exploited methods for evil-doers to have ransomware settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer networks.
If you access your mailbox 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 unknown to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a viral file attached to them. Therefore, it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
As for the peer networks like torrents 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 reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.
How to remove the Encrpt virus?
It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Encrpt virus will probably install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Often racketeers would decode several of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption program. As Encrpt virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decryption instruments are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.
Of course, if the evildoers succeed in encrypting someone’s critical files, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still risky. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports of racketeers simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even writing back.
The optimal solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that one 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 restoration.
There are other ransomware products, besides Encrpt, that work similarly. Examples of those are Qqqw, Maak, Bbbw, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Encrpt are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes appear in every directory containing encoded files.
Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a criminals’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.
How do I avert ransomware infection?
Encrpt ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can defend your PC from its infiltration taking three easy steps:
- Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email carefully. A hoax letter will always have a mistake.
- Avoid using cracked or unknown software. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information on this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft3
Download Removal Tool.
Run the setup file.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
Click on “Clean Now”.
FAQ
🤔 Are the “.encrpt” files accessible?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.encrpt” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 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. All other solutions require time.
🤔 What to do if the Encrpt virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Many of the blocked files might still be at your disposal
- If you sent or received your critical 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. Just ask them to give those images back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud storage might have all those files as well.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, cellphone, memory stick, etc.
HINT: You can use file recovery programs5 to get your lost data back since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
Also, you can contact the following governmental 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.
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