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

The Khronos virus belongs under the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all the data on your PC (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, leaving the info.hta text files in every directory containing 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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Khronos virus: what is known so far?

Khronos will add its own .khronos extension to the title of every encrypted file. For example, an image named “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.khronos”. Likewise, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.khronos”, and so forth.

In each folder that contains the encrypted files, a info.hta file will be found. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. That is basically the scheme of the felony.

Khronos Overview:

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Khronos looks like. Each filename has the “.khronos” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .khronos files.

How did my computer get infected with Khronos ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for tamperers to have the Khronos virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer file transfer.

If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware file attached to them. Therefore, it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with emails like these.

Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your machine pretending to be something legal. Imagine, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful program that corrupts 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 things you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software companies’ official websites.

As for the peer networks like torrents or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea 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 inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Khronos virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Khronos 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 Khronos 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 “Khronos” 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 Khronos 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 racketeers would unblock few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. Since Khronos virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decoding tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.

Understandably, if the hackers do the job of encrypting victim’s essential data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external storage. Of course, that might be not enough. Your most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the system is rolled back.

Khronos is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. Examples of those are Gaqq, Wayn, Agvv, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Khronos are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: documents become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in each folder containing encrypted files.

Some lucky people were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption key to the victims 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. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers’ tool to pull the money out of their victims.

How сan I avoid ransomware infiltration?

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

You can armour your system from ransomware attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the dubious letter with caution. A fake email will surely contain mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy software, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect armor for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.khronos” files?Can I somehow access “.khronos” files?

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

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

If the “.khronos” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Khronos 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 only deals with actual threats. The malware that has infected your computer is must be still active and it scans your system from time to time to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has already been said, the Khronos ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide malefactors with easy access to your system after some time.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Khronos ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.

In such a case, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your machine. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential 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 sent or received your critical files by email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to send those pictures 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 drives might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, phone, flash memory, 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 video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.