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

The Harward virus belongs under the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the FILE ENCRYPTED.txt text files in every folder with the 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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Harward virus: what is known so far?

The scheme of renaming is this: EMAIL[contact_email].ID=[xxxxx].harward. During the encryption, a file named, for instance, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.EMAIL[alvarodecrypt@gmail.com]ID=[908D28930971C614].harward”.

In every folder with the encrypted files, a FILE ENCRYPTED.txt file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the Harward developers. You can get this decryptor after contacting alvarodecrypt@gmail.com via email. That is basically the scheme of the malefaction.

Harward Summary:

The FILE ENCRYPTED.txt file coming in package with the Harward malware states the following:

ATTENTION!
At the moment, your system is not protected.
We can fix itand restore files.
To get started, send a file to decrypt trial.
You can trust us after opening the test file.
To restore the system write to both : alvarodecrypt@gmail.com and alvarodecrypt@outlook.com
Your Decryption ID: -

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

That is how encrypted “.harward” files look.

How did Harward ransomware end up on my PC?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for malefactors to have the Harward virus acting in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer networks.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal 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 harmful item enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC pretending to be something legal. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some program. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. Since the installation package can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The best thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent 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 websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is finished.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Harward virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Harward 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 Harward 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 “Harward” 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 Harward 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 decode some of your files to prove that they really have the decryption program. Since Harward virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures developers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Of course, if the criminals do the job of encoding victim’s critical files, the hopeless person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Surely, that might be insufficient. Your most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

Harward is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Inc, Black, Wagner2, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Harward are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes are created in each directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption code to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware attack?

Harward ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can armour your system from its infiltration in three easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A hoax letter will always have mistakes.
• Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try to find information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful shield for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Is it possible to open “.harward” files?

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

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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.

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

No way! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete actual infections from your computer. The virus that has infiltrated your system is must be still active and launching checks from time to time to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been said above, the Harward ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your PC in the future.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Harward malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to have a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or brought into your system. To stop this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the blocked files might still be within your reach

• If you exchanged your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to send those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, 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, mobile, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery programs¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the virus with an antivirus program.

1. Here’s the list of Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.