Labour (.labour) ransomware virus

The Labour falls within the ransomware type of infection. Harmful malware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds “labour” extension to every file, creating the README.txt files in each 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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What is known about the Labour virus?

Labour will add its specific .labour extension to the name of every encoded file. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.labour”. Likewise, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.labour”, and so on.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a README.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can get this decrypting software after contacting bfe1234@yahoo.com by email. That is how they do it.

Labour Summary:

The README.txt file coming in package with the Labour ransomware provides the following discouraging information:

Hello, all of your files have been encrypted.

don\'t worry you can recover everything, just contact me from the following maill
bfe1234@yahoo.com
you will have to send me your id (-) and your private ip (10.0.1.6).

a copy of your important files has been sent to me and if you take a long time to pay
feel free that I will leak data and intimate files on deep web forums.

the following list of files have been successfully encrypted:

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

An example of encrypted .labour files.

How did my computer get infected with Labour ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most popular methods for malefactors to have ransomware working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a malware file enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model. A Trojan is a program that gets into your PC disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that compromises your data. As the installation package 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 best thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer networks like torrent trackers 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. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your data, the Labour virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Labour 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 Labour 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 “Labour” 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 Labour 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 few of your files so you know that they really have the decryption tool. Since Labour virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Sure thing, if the hackers do the job of encrypting victim’s critical files, the hopeless person will most likely comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After getting the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports of racketeers simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Labour, that work similarly. For instance, Qual, Bombo, Anonymous, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Labour are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every folder containing encoded files.

Some lucky users were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But obviously, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to pull the money out of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware infiltration?

Labour ransomware has no superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can armour your computer from its injection in three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown mailers 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 even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the questionable letter with caution. A hoax letter will surely contain mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked products, most likely as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable software, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution 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 program will be a powerful shield for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.labour” files?Is it possible to open“.labour” files?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.labour” files you will not be able to access them.

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

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. In case you haven’t, there is still a chance that you do have a Restore Point from some time ago to roll back the whole system to the moment when it had no virus yet, but already had your files. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

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

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 infiltrated your computer is most likely still active and launching checks periodically to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Labour 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 computer in the future.

🤔 What should I do if the Labour virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.

In such a case, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your computer. To block 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 encrypted files might still be within your reach

• If you sent or received your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Just 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 media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, mobile, flash memory, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

1. Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2024.