The Karsovrop virus falls under the Mallox ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, leaving the FILE RECOVERY.txt text files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.
Karsovrop virus: what is known so far?
βοΈ Karsovrop is a Mallox family ransomware-type virus.
Karsovrop will append its own .karsovrop extension to every file’s name. For example, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.karsovrop”. In the same manner, the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.karsovrop”, and so on.
In each folder containing the encrypted files, a FILE RECOVERY.txt text file will be created. It is a ransom money note. It contains information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting karsovrop@tutanota.com via email. That is it.
Karsovrop Summary:
| Name | Karsovrop Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Mallox ransomware |
| Extension | .karsovrop |
| Ransomware note | FILE RECOVERY.txt |
| Contact | karsovrop@tutanota.com |
| Detection | Backdoor:Win32/Carrotime.A, Trojan:Win32/RiseProStealer.A!MTB, Troj/Krypt-ADH |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .karsovrop extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Karsovrop virus |
The FILE RECOVERY.txt document coming in package with the Karsovrop ransomware provides the following discouraging information:
YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED !!! TO DECRYPT, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS: You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the decryption tool that will decrypt all your files. Free decryption as guarantee Before paying you can send us up to 1 file for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 1Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.) Attention! Do not rename encrypted files. Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss. If you delete a file with an extension (_TMP) This will cause this file to permanently damage!!!!! Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail karsovrop@tutanota.com Write this ID in the title of your message ID:-
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Karsovrop looks like. Each filename has the “.karsovrop” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .karsovrop files.
How did Karsovrop ransomware end up on my PC?
There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.
There are currently three most popular methods for evil-doers to have the Karsovrop virus acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer networks.
- If you access your inbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a harmful item attached to them. Therefore, it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
- Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is a program that gets into your computer pretending to be something legal. For example, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some program. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that corrupts your data. Since the update wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software companies’ official websites.
- As for the peer-to-peer networks 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 resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.
How to remove ransomware?
It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Karsovrop virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your machine to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Remove Karsovrop 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 Karsovrop 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 “Karsovrop” 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 Karsovrop 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 racketeers would unblock several of your files so you know that they really have the decryption tool. Since Karsovrop virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures engineers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are constantly upgraded, so the solution may soon arrive.
Understandably, if the tamperers succeed in encoding someone’s essential data, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After receiving the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of racketeers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.
The best safety measure against 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 not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.
There are other ransomware products, besides Karsovrop, that work similarly. For instance, Abyss, Cdtt, Cov, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Karsovrop are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes are created in each folder containing encoded files.
Some lucky users were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How Ρan I avoid ransomware attack?
Karsovrop ransomware doesnβt have a superpower, so as any similar malware.
You can protect your system from its infiltration taking several easy steps:
- Ignore any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A fake email will surely contain mistakes.
- Never use cracked or unknown software. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked software, possibly under the guise of βpatchβ which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy ones, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information about this software product 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, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
π€ How can I open “.karsovrop” files?Is it possible to openβ.karsovropβ files?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.karsovrop” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
π€ The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
It’s good if you have fΠ°r-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. All other solutions require time.
π€ If GridinSoft deletes the Karsovrop malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Absolutely not! The encrypted files are not harmful, so they won’t be deleted.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your computer off the actual viruses. The malware that has attacked your system is most likely still active and launching checks from time to time to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been said above, the Karsovrop ransomware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your computer in the future.
π€ What should I do if the Karsovrop ransomware has blocked my PC 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 do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your PC. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
π€ What could help the situation right now?
Many of the encoded files might still be within your reach
- If you sent or received your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to send those images back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded 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 too.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a notebook, phone, flash memory, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery utilities2 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove KARSOVROP Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: KARSOVROP Virus
Description: KARSOVROP Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .karsovrop extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
