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

The Halo virus falls under the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, creating the !_INFO.txt files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

What is known about the Halo virus?

Halo will add its specific .halo extension to every file’s name. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.halo”. In the same manner, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.halo”, and so on.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a !_INFO.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting [email protected] by email. That is how they do it.

Halo Overview:

The !_INFO.txt document coming in package with the Halo malware states the following:

WARNING! YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED!
Don’t worry, your files are safe, provided that you are willing to pay the ransom.
Any forced shutdown or attempts to restore your files with the thrid-party software will be damage your files permanently!
Do not rename your files. It will damage it.


The only way to decrypt your files safely is to buy the special decryption software from us.


Before paying you can send us up to 2 files for free decryption as guarantee. No database files for test.
Send pictures, text, doc files. (files no more than 1mb)


You can contact us with the following email


[email protected]
[email protected]


Send us this ID or this file in first email


ID: -

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

How did my machine catch Halo ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Halo virus settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer networks.

• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something else. For instance, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that encodes your data. As the update wizard can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The optimal way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrents 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 objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Halo virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

How do I avoid ransomware injection?

Halo ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.

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

• Ignore any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable letter carefully. A hoax letter will surely contain a mistake.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.halo” files first. Then you will be able to open them.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.halo” files ASAP. How can I do that?

If the “.halo” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 What to do if the Halo ransomware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs¹ to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.