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

The Inc virus belongs under the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, leaving the INC-README.txt files in each directory 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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What is known about the Inc virus?

Inc will add its specific .INC extension to the name of each encoded file. For instance, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.INC”. Likewise, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.INC”, and so on.

In every directory with the encoded files, a INC-README.txt text document 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 usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decrypting software after contacting Onion site through Tor browser. That is it.

Inc Overview:

The INC-README.txt file accompanying the Inc ransomware states the following:

Inc. Ransomware


We have hacked you and downloaded all confidential data of your company and its clients.
It can be spread out to people and media. Your reputation will be ruined.
Do not hesitate and save your business.


Please, contact us via:
-
Your personal ID:
-


We\'re the ones who can quickly recover your systems with no losses. Do not try to devalue our tool - nothing will come of it.


Starting from now, you have 72 hours to contact us if you don\'t want your sensitive data being published in our blog:
-


You should be informed, in our business reputation - is a basic condition of the success.


Inc provides a deal. After successfull negotiations you will be provided:


1. Decryption assistance;
2. Initial access;
3. How to secure your network;
4. Evidence of deletion of internal documents;
5. Guarantees not to attack you in the future.

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

An example of encrypted .INC files.

How did Inc ransomware end up on my PC?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most popular methods for evil-doers to have the Inc virus settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you access your mailbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is unknown to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a viral file enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is an object that gets into your PC disguised as something legal. For example, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. As the installation wizard can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the stuff you’re downloading. The best thing is to use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent or eMule, the threat 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. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Inc virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Inc 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 Inc 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 “Inc” 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 Inc 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.

Sometimes tamperers would decrypt few of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Inc virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decryption instruments are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the malefactors do the job of encrypting someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will probably fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about criminals simply disappearing after getting the money without even writing back.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be not enough. The most important thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.

Inc 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, Black, Wagner2, Proton, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Inc are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate people were able to decrypt the blocked files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ tool to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware infiltration?

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

You can protect your system from its injection in several easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how 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 expecting, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious email carefully. A hoax email will always have a mistake.
• Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as an element of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” to prevent the license check. But untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal way is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your PC.

FAQ

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

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

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

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Inc malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

Of course not. Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete active threats from your PC. The ransomware that has infiltrated your PC is most likely still functional and launching checks from time to time to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Inc ransomware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your PC after some time.

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

In such a case, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your machine. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Some of the blocked files can be found elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files by 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 give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a notebook, cellphone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ data recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.