Black filesbelongs to the Prince ransomware family. This is harmful program that encrypts some files on your computer (images, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, leaving the Decryption Instructions.txt text files in each folder which contains the encrypted files.
What is known about the Black virus?
☝️ Black virus is a Prince ransomware-type malicious agent.
Black will add its extra .black extension to the name of every encrypted file. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.black”. Just like the Excel table with the name “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.black”, and so on.
In each directory that contains the encrypted files, a Decryption Instructions.txt text file will be found. It is a ransom money note. It contains information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting @williamwestcoast (Telegram) by email. That is how they do it.
Black Summary:
| Name | Black Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Prince ransomware |
| Extension | .black |
| Ransomware note | Decryption Instructions.txt |
| Contact | @williamwestcoast (Telegram) |
| Detection | Trojan:Win32/Tnega!MSR Removal, Win32:Adware-DNA [Adw] Virus Removal, Win32:Secat [Trj] Virus Removal |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .black extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Black virus |
The Decryption Instructions.txt document accompanying the Black ransomware states the following:
---------- Black Ransomware ---------- Your files have been encrypted using Black Ransomware! They can only be decrypted by paying us a ransom in cryptocurrency. Encrypted files have the .black extension. IMPORTANT: Do not modify or rename encrypted files, as they may become unrecoverable. Contact us on telegram to discuss payment. @williamwestcoast ---------- Black Ransomware ----------
In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Black looks like. Each filename has the “.black” extension appended to it.
An example of encrypted .black files.
How did Black ransomware end up on my PC?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.
There are currently three most exploited methods for tamperers to have the Black virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.
- If you access your mailbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a malware file enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
- Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your machine disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. As the update file can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The best way is to trust 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 Web. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.
How do I get rid of ransomware?
It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Black virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Remove Black 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 Black 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 “Black” 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 Black 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 some of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. As Black virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are frequently updated, so the solution may soon be available.
Of course, if the evildoers succeed in encrypting someone’s critical data, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still risky. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports of malefactors just vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.
The optimal safety measure 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 drive. Of course, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all went down. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.
Black 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 Termite, Xshc, Frag, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Black are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes appear in each folder containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate people were able to decrypt the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware specialists. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avoid ransomware infiltration?
Black ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can defend your system from ransomware attack in several easy steps:
- Never open any emails from unknown senders 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 more or less something you are waiting for, check all elements of the questionable email carefully. A fake email will surely have mistakes.
- Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” to prevent the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your system.
FAQ
🤔 How can I open “.black” files?Can I somehow access “.black” files?
There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.black” files are decrypted.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
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.
🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Black virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove active viruses from your computer. The malware that has attacked your computer is most likely still active and it scans your system every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Black malware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your system after some time.
🤔 What should I do if the Black ransomware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.
If that happened, you need to have a memory stick with a previously 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 machine. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Some of the blocked data can be found elsewhere.
- If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You might 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 to do 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 laptop, mobile, flash memory, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery programs2 to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you can do it only after you eradicate the virus with an antivirus program.
