SHADOW Ransomware (ran_master_som & ran_jr_som) Removal

The Shadow virus falls within the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, leaving the readme.txt text files in each folder with 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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Shadow virus: what is known so far?

Shadow will add its extra .Shadow extension to every file’s title. For instance, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.Shadow”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.Shadow”, and so forth.

In every folder that contains the encoded files, a readme.txt file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decryptor after contacting ran_master_som@proton.me, ran_jr_som@barid.com via email. That is how they do it.

Shadow Overview:

The readme.txt document accompanying the Shadow ransomware provides the following dispiriting information:

ATTENTION!
All files on your computer have been seized. All your files have been encrypted and become inaccessible. You must contact us to recover your files.

Payment Method: Bitcoin
Wallet Address: It will be sent via e-mail and the sent wallet number will be active for 60 minutes. The second wallet number will not be sent.

Please note that if you do not pay before the expiration date, your files will be permanently deleted. For any questions or further information you can contact us at the following email address:

Email: ran_master_som@proton.me
Duration: 72 hours
Refund amount: $1000 (#Thousand$#)

If you do not receive a response within more than 6 hours, please check your spam folder or write to another e-mail address below.
Email: ran_jr_som@barid.com

There is no alternative solution to recover your files before paying. After sending the specified amount to the specified Bitcoin address, you will receive a decryption program for your files via email.

- How will I trust you?
+ Send us an encrypted junk file to wetransfer.com and we will send it to you decrypted. This process will be done to prove that your files can be decrypted. The file you send must be junk, otherwise we will not decrypt your password.

Personel ID: -

DİKKAT!
Bilgisayarınızdaki tüm dosyalara el konuldu.Tüm dosyalarınız şifrelendi ve erişilemez hale geldi.Dosyalarınızı kurtarmak için bizimle iletişime geçmelisiniz.

Ödeme Yöntemi: Bitcoin
Cüzdan Adresi: E - posta yoluyla gönderilecek ve gönderilen cüzdan numarası 60 dakika boyunca aktif olacaktır. İkinci cüzdan numarası gönderilmeyecektir.

Son kullanma tarihinden önce ödeme yapmazsanız dosyalarınızın kalıcı olarak silineceğini lütfen unutmayın. Herhangi bir sorunuz veya daha fazla bilgi için aşağıdaki e-posta adresinden bizimle iletişime geçebilirsiniz:

E - posta: ran_master_som@proton.me
Süre: 72 saat
Geri ödeme tutarı: 1000 $ (#Bin$#)

6 saatten daha uzun bir süre içinde yanıt alamazsanız lütfen spam klasörünüzü kontrol edin veya aşağıdaki başka mail adresine yazın.
Email: ran_jr_som@barid.com

Ödeme yapmadan önce dosyalarınızı kurtarmanın alternatif bir çözümü yoktur. Belirtilen miktarı belirtilen Bitcoin adresine gönderdikten sonra, e-posta yoluyla dosyalarınız için bir şifre çözme programı alacaksınız.

- Sana nasıl güveneceğim?
+ Wetransfer.com\'a şifreli bir önemsiz dosya gönderin, biz de size şifresi çözülmüş olarak gönderelim. Bu işlem dosyalarınızın şifresinin çözülebileceğini kanıtlamak için yapılacaktır. Göndereceğiniz dosya önemsiz olmalıdır, aksi takdirde şifrenizin şifresini çözemeyiz.

Personel ID: -

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

An example of encrypted .Shadow files.

How did my computer get infected with Shadow ransomware?

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

Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for malefactors to have the Shadow virus settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration 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 “from” field is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a viral 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 horse model. A Trojan is an object that gets into your machine disguised as something legal. For example, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some program. However, what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the installation wizard 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 thing is to trust the software developers’ 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 Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Shadow virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Shadow 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 Shadow 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 “Shadow” 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 Shadow 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 decode some of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. As Shadow virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware instruments are frequently updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Sure thing, if the criminals succeed in encoding someone’s critical files, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of criminals simply vanishing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The best countermeasure to 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. Obviously, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Shadow, that work similarly. For instance, Robaj, Blackskull, Bgjs, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Shadow are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every folder containing encoded files.

Some lucky people were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a criminals’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware injection?

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

You can armour your computer from its attack within three easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious email with caution. A hoax email will surely contain a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as a part of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. Try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful shield for your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

If the “.Shadow” 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. The rest of the methods require patience.

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

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

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with active threats. The malware that has infiltrated your device is most likely still functional and running scans from time to time to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has already been said, the Shadow virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your computer after some time.

🤔 What should I do if the Shadow malware 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. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or brought into your computer. To suppress this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received 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 family members. Just ask them to post those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a notebook, mobile, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

1. Here’s the list of Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2024.