The Payuranson virus falls under the Skynet ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the SkynetData.txt text files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
What is Payuranson virus?
☝️ Payuranson is a Skynet family ransomware-type infection.
Payuranson adds its specific .payuranson extension to the title of each encoded file. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.payuranson”. Likewise, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.payuranson”, and so on.
In every directory with the encrypted files, a SkynetData.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decoding tool after contacting imhere.ru@protonmail.com via email. That is how they do it.
Payuranson Overview:
| Name | Payuranson Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Skynet ransomware |
| Extension | .payuranson |
| Ransomware note | SkynetData.txt |
| Ransom | $130 |
| Contact | imhere.ru@protonmail.com |
| Detection | Trojan:Win32/Vundo.OL Virus Removal, Trojan:Win32/Coroxy.SA Virus Removal, Trojan:Win32/Stealerc.AMBH!MTB Virus Removal |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .payuranson extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Payuranson virus |
The SkynetData.txt file accompanying the Payuranson malware provides the following frustrating information:
------------------------ ALL YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED ------------------------ ----> Оставайтесь сосредоточенными. <---- Все ваши файлы зашифрованы Ваш компьютер заражен вирусом-вымогателем. Ваши файлы зашифрованы, и вы не будете сможете расшифровать их без нашей помощи. Что я могу сделать, чтобы восстановить файлы? Вы можете купить наше программное обеспечение для дешифрования, это программное обеспечение позволит вам восстановить все ваши данные и удалить программы-вымогатели с вашего компьютера. Цена программного обеспечения составляет 130 долларов США (0,0027 BTC). может быть произведена только в биткойнах. Как оплатить, где я могу получить биткойны? Покупка биткойнов варьируется от страны к стране, лучше всего выполнить быстрый поиск в Google. Сами узнайте, как купить биткойн. Многие из наших клиентов отмечают, что эти сайты работают быстро и надежно: Коинмама — hxxps://www.coinmama.com Битпанда — hxxps://www.bitpanda.com BTC : 19DpJAWr6NCVT2oAnWieozQPsRK7Bj83r4 ETH : 0x55069B5317529E07ccABAaA5AaE22a9bfa1C3E12 Для подтверждения покупки свяжитесь с администратором по электронной почте или в Telegram: Электронная почта — imhere.ru@protonmail.com ТЛГ - @payurransom ---------------------------------------------- ----> Stay focused. <---- All your files have been encrypted Your computer has been infected with a ransomware virus. Your files have been encrypted and you won\'t be be able to decipher them without our help. What can I do to recover my files? You can buy our decryption software, this software will allow you to recover all your data and delete the ransomware from your computer. The price of the software is $130 (0.0027 BTC). Payment can only be made in Bitcoin. How to pay, where can I get Bitcoin? Buying Bitcoin varies from country to country, it\'s best to do a quick Google search. Yourself to find out how to buy Bitcoin. Many of our customers have reported these sites to be fast and reliable: Coinmama - hxxps://www.coinmama.com Bitpanda - hxxps://www.bitpanda.com BTC : 19DpJAWr6NCVT2oAnWieozQPsRK7Bj83r4 ETH : 0x55069B5317529E07ccABAaA5AaE22a9bfa1C3E12 To confirm your purchase, please contact the administrator via email or Telegram: Email - imhere.ru@protonmail.com TLG - @payurransom ---------------------------------------------- ----> Restez concentré. <---- Tous vos fichiers ont été cryptés Votre ordinateur a été infecté par un virus ransomware. Vos fichiers ont été cryptés et vous ne le serez pas pouvoir les décrypter sans notre aide. Que puis-je faire pour récupérer mes fichiers ? Vous pouvez acheter notre logiciel de décryptage, ce logiciel vous permettra de récupérer toutes vos données et de supprimer les ransomware depuis votre ordinateur. Le prix du logiciel est de 130 $ ( 0,0027 BTC). Le paiement peut être effectué uniquement en Bitcoin. Comment payer, où puis-je obtenir du Bitcoin ? L\'achat de Bitcoin varie d\'un pays à l\'autre, il est préférable de faire une recherche rapide sur Google. Vous-même pour découvrir comment acheter du Bitcoin. Beaucoup de nos clients ont signalé que ces sites étaient rapides et fiables : Coinmama - hxxps://www.coinmama.com Bitpanda - hxxps://www.bitpanda.com BTC : 19DpJAWr6NCVT2oAnWieozQPsRK7Bj83r4 ETH : 0x55069B5317529E07ccABAaA5AaE22a9bfa1C3E12 Pour confirmer votre achat, veuillez contacter l\'administrateur via mail ou Telegram : Mail - imhere.ru@protonmail.com TLG - @payurransom
In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Payuranson looks like. Each filename has the ".payuranson" extension added to it.
That is how encrypted ".payuranson" files look.
How did my machine catch Payuranson ransomware?
There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for criminals to have the Payuranson virus working in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.
- If you open your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a ransomware item attached to them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
- Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer disguised as something different. For example, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful program that encodes your data. Since the update package can have any title and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the stuff you're downloading. The optimal thing is to trust 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 Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded files 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 Payuranson virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser's auto-filling cardfile.
Remove Payuranson 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 Payuranson 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 "Payuranson" 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 Payuranson 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 criminals would decode several of your files to prove that they do have the decryption tool. Since Payuranson virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently upgraded, so the solution may soon arrive.
Of course, if the hackers do the job of encrypting someone's essential files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. However, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you're getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports of criminals just disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.
The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud storage or at least on an external storage. Obviously, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
Payuranson 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 Wiaw, Wisz, Woxoto, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Payuranson are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encrypted, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in every folder containing encoded files.
Some lucky users were able to decrypt the blocked files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But of course, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers' technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How do I avert ransomware injection?
Payuranson ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can armour yourself from its attack taking several easy steps:
- Never open any letters from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the questionable email with caution. A fake letter will always contain mistakes.
- Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often shared as a part of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” to prevent the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to tell from reliable ones, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such software.
- And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect defense for your PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 How can I open ".payuranson" files?Are the ".payuranson" files accessible?
There's no way to do it, unless the files ".payuranson" files are decrypted.
🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
If the “.payuranson” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. 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. All other solutions require time.
🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Payuranson virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
Absolutely not! The encrypted files are not harmful, so they won't be deleted.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real viruses. The ransomware that has infected your PC is most likely still functional and running scans every so often to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been said above, the Payuranson ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your PC after some time.
🤔 What actions should I take if the Payuranson ransomware has blocked my PC and I can't get the activation code.
In such an unfortunate situation, you need to have a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your system. To block this process - use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential 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 important files by email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to give those pictures 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 disks might have all those files as well.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, phone, memory stick, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use file recovery utilities2 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you won't be able to do it before you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.
