GPAY Virus Files of Ransomware — How to remove virus?

The Gpay virus belongs to the MedusaLocker ransomware family. This ransomware encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc), adds its specific extension to every file, and creates the !!!HOW_TO_DECRYPT!!!.mht files in every folder which contains encrypted files.

Gpay Virus

☝️ Gpay can be correctly identify as a MedusaLocker ransomware-type infection.

Gpay adds its specific “.gpay” extension to the name of every file. For example, your photo named as “my_photo.jpeg” will be transformed into “my_photo.jpeg.gpay“, report in Excel tables named “report.xlsx” – to “report.xlsx.gpay“, and so on.

!!!HOW_TO_DECRYPT!!!.mht file, which can be found in every folder that contains the encrypted files, is a ransom money note. Inside of it, you can find information about ways of contacting Gpay ransomware developers, and some other info. Inside of the ransom note, there is usually an instruction saying about purchasing the decryption tool. This decryption tool is created by ransomware developers.

Here is a summary for the Gpay:

The !!!HOW_TO_DECRYPT!!!.mht file by the Gpay ransomware states the following frustrating information:

All your valiable data has been encrypted!

 Hello!
Sorry, but we have inform you that your order has been blocked due to the issue of securities. Make sure your data is not blocked. All your valuable files were encrypted with strong encryption algorithms AES-256 + RSA-2048 + CHACHA and renamed. You can read about these algorithms in Google. Your unique encryption key is stored securely on our server and your data can be decrypted quickly and securely.

We can prove that we can decrypt all of your data. Please just send us 3 small encrypted files which are randomly stored on your server. We will decrypt these files and send them to you as a proof. Please note that files for free test decryption should not contain valuable information.

As you know information is the most valuable resource in the world. That\'s why all of your confidential data was uploaded to our servers. If you need proof, just write us and we will show you that we have your files. If you will not start a dialogue with us in 72 hours we will be forced to publish your files in the Darknet. Your customers and partners will be informed about the data leak by email or phone.

This way, your reputation will be ruined. If you will not react, we will be forced to sell the most important information such as databases to interested parties to generate some profit.

Please understand that we are just doing our job. We don\'t want to harm your company. Think of this incident as an opportunity to improve your security. We are opened for dialogue and ready to help you. We are professionals, please don\'t try to fool us.

The image below gives a clear vision of how the files with “.gpay” extension look like:

Example of encrypted .gpay files

How did I get Gpay ransomware on my computer?

That was a huge number of different ways of ransomware injection.

However, nowadays there are only two ways of Gpay injection – email spam and trojans. You may see a lot of messages on your email, stating that you need to pay different bills or to get your parcel from the local FedEx department. But all such messages are sent from unknown email addresses, not from familiar official emails of these companies. All such letters contain the attached file, which is used as a ransomware carrier. If you open this file – your system will get infected by Gpay.

In case of trojans presence, you will be offered to download and install ransomware on your PC under the guise of something legit, like a Chrome update, or update for the software you are storing on your computer. Sometimes, trojan viruses can be masked as legit programs, and ransomware will be offered for download as an important update, or a big pack of extensions which are essential for proper program functioning.

There is also the third way of ransomware injection, however, it becomes less and less popular day-to-day. I am talking about peering networks, such as torrents or eMule. No one can control which files are packed in the seeding, so you can discover a huge pack of different malware after downloading. If circumstances force you to download something from peering networks – scan every downloaded folder or archive with antivirus software.

How to remove Gpay virus?

In addition to encode a victim’s files, the Gpay infection has also started to install the Azorult Spyware on computer to steal account credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, desktop files, and more.

To ensure the user that ransomware distributors really have the decryption tool, they may offer to decrypt several encrypted files. And they are the single owners of this decryption program: Gpay ransomware is a completely new type, so there is no legit program from anti-malware vendors, which can decrypt your files. But such a situation is in momentum: decryption tools are updating every month.

However, paying the ransom is a bad decision, too. There is no guarantee that Gpay ransomware developers will send you the decryption tool and a proper decryption key. And there are a lot of cases when ransomware distributors deceived their victims, sending the wrong key or even nothing. In the majority of cases, there is a way to recover your files for free. Search for available backups, and restore your system using it. Of course, there is a chance that the backup you found is too old, and does not contain a lot of files you need. But, at least you will be sure that there is no malware in your system. However, to ensure that there are no malicious programs in your system after the backup, you need to scan your PC with anti-malware software.

Gpay ransomware is not unique. There are more ransomware of this type: Epsilonred, H, Splinterjoke. These examples of ransomware act in a similar way: encrypting your files, adding a specific extension, and leaving a great number of ransom money notes in every folder. But there are two things which make difference between these ransomware – cryptography algorithm, which is used for file encryption, and ransom amount . In some cases, victims are able to decrypt their files without any payments, just using free solutions produced by several anti-malware vendors, or even with the decryption tool which is offered by ransomware creators. The last scenario is possible when ransomware distributors have typed your decryption key inside of a ransom money note. However, as you can already guess, such luck is a very rare thing. Ransomware is created for money gaining, not for jokes or scaring.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How сan I avoid ransomware attack?

Gpay ransomware doesn’t have a superpower.

You can easily protect yourself from its injection in several easy steps :

• Ignore all emails from unknown mailboxes with a strange unknown address, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without taking part in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check carefully all elements of the suspicious letter. A fake email will surely contain a mistake.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?