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

The Locknet virus belongs with the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, creating the HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html files in each directory which contains 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 Locknet virus?

Locknet appends its specific .locknet extension to the name of every encrypted file. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be turned into “photo.jpg.locknet”. Just like the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.locknet”, and so on.

In each folder with the encoded files, a HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about 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 tamperers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting crypt_group@outlook.com by email. That is how they do it.

Locknet Summary:

The HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html document coming in package with the Locknet malware provides the following discouraging information:

YOUR PERSONAL ID:
-
/!\\ YOUR COMPANY NETWORK HAS BEEN PENETRATED /!\\
All your important files have been encrypted!

Your files are safe! Only modified. (RSA+AES)

ANY ATTEMPT TO RESTORE YOUR FILES WITH THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE
WILL PERMANENTLY CORRUPT IT.
DO NOT MODIFY ENCRYPTED FILES.
DO NOT RENAME ENCRYPTED FILES.

No software available on internet can help you. We are the only ones able to
solve your problem.

We gathered highly confidential/personal data. These data are currently stored on
a private server. This server will be immediately destroyed after your payment.
If you decide to not pay, we will release your data to public or re-seller.
So you can expect your data to be publicly available in the near future..

We only seek money and our goal is not to damage your reputation or prevent
your business from running.

You will can send us 2-3 non-important files and we will decrypt it for free
to prove we are able to give your files back.

Contact us for price and get decryption software.

If you can not use the above link, use the email:
crypt_group@outlook.com
uncrypthelp@yahoo.com
* To contact us, create a new free email account on the site: protonmail.com
IF YOU DON\'T CONTACT US WITHIN 72 HOURS, PRICE WILL BE HIGHER.

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

That is how encrypted “.locknet” files look.

How did my machine catch Locknet ransomware?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for evil-doers to have the Locknet virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer networks.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware file attached to them. Therefore, it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something else. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some software. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. As the update file can have any title and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software companies’ official websites.
• As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger 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 objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

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

Remove Locknet 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 Locknet 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 “Locknet” 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 Locknet 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 decrypt few of your files to prove that they really have the decryption program. As Locknet virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Sure thing, if the criminals do the job of encrypting someone’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about criminals simply vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.

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

There are other ransomware products, besides Locknet, that work similarly. For instance, Poopy, Nigra, Pepecry, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Locknet are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: documents become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware attack?

Locknet ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.

You can protect your computer from ransomware attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the dubious letter carefully. A fake letter will always contain a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as a part of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are difficult to tell from reliable ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information on 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 objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful defense for your system.

FAQ

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

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

🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. 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.

🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Locknet virus?

Absolutely not! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real viruses. The ransomware that has infected your PC is probably still functional and running scans every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Locknet malware 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 system in the future.

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

In such a case, you need to have a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or brought into your computer. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Some of the blocked files can be found elsewhere.

• If you exchanged 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 relatives. Just ask them to post 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 too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, cellphone, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can employ file recovery programs¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks 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 be advised: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an antivirus program.

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