The Likeahorse virus belongs under the ransomware type of infection. A harmful program of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (images, documents, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the #RECOVERY#.txt files in every directory with the encrypted files.
What is Likeahorse?
☝️ A strictly correct description for the Likeahorse would be “a ransomware infection”.
Likeahorse will add its specific .LIKEAHORSE extension to the title of each encrypted file. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.LIKEAHORSE”. Likewise, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.LIKEAHORSE”, and so on.
In every folder that contains the encoded files, a #RECOVERY#.txt file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the Likeahorse developers. That is how they do it.
Likeahorse summary:
| Name | Likeahorse Virus |
| Extension | .LIKEAHORSE |
| Ransomware note | #RECOVERY#.txt |
| Detection | Adware.NeoBar.Generic, Trojan:Win32/Tnega.PKD!MTB, Win32/TrojanDownloader.Agent.DGM |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .LIKEAHORSE extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Likeahorse virus |
In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Likeahorse looks like. Each filename has the “.LIKEAHORSE” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .LIKEAHORSE files.
How did Likeahorse ransomware end up on my PC?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Likeahorse virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer networks.
If you open your mailbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a harmful item enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model1. A Trojan is a program that gets into your machine disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some software. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful program that compromises your data. Since the installation file can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software companies’ 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 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 items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is finished.
How to remove the Likeahorse virus?
It is important to note that besides encrypting your data, the Likeahorse virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware2 can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Often racketeers would decrypt several of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Likeahorse virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the decryption tools are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.
Sure thing, if the hackers do the job of encrypting victim’s essential files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports of malefactors simply disappearing after getting the money without even writing back.
The optimal solution 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 disk. Surely, that might be not enough. Your most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
Likeahorse 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, Nnqp, Mljx, Hudf, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Likeahorse are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions altered, ransom notes are created in every folder containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How to avoid ransomware attack?
Likeahorse ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can defend your computer from ransomware injection in three easy steps:
- Never open any letters from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious letter with caution. A fake email will always contain mistakes.
- Do not use cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. 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 defense for your personal computer.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft3
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft4.
Download Removal Tool.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
Run the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your computer.
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your PC for Likeahorse infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has completed, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 How can I open “.LIKEAHORSE” files?Is it possible to open“.LIKEAHORSE” files?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.LIKEAHORSE” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
If the “.LIKEAHORSE” 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.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Likeahorse malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Absolutely not! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real viruses. The malware that has infected your device is most likely still functional and it scans your system from time to time to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Likeahorse malware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide hackers with easy access to your PC in the future.
🤔 What should I do if the Likeahorse virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.
In such a case, you need to have a flash memory drive with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts 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 vital programs to run automatically. 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 exchanged your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
- Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files as well.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, cellphone, memory stick, etc.
HINT: You can use data recovery utilities5 to get your lost data back since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.
Also, you can contact the following governmental fraud and scam sites to report this attack:
- In the United States: On Guard Online;
- In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
- In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
- In Australia: SCAMwatch;
- In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
- In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
- In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
- In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;
To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove LIKEAHORSE Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: LIKEAHORSE Virus
Description: LIKEAHORSE Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .LIKEAHORSE extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
User Review
( votes)References
- You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
- You can read more on spyware variants and nature in the respective section of GridinSoft official website.
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
- More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
- Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
