The Shiel virus falls within the Dharma ransomware family. Harmful software of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, creating the README!.txt files in every directory with the encrypted files.
What is known about the Shiel virus?
βοΈ Shiel is a Dharma family ransomware-type infection.
The pattern of renaming is this: .shiel. In the process of encryption, a file named, for instance, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[00223@45312].shiel”.
In every folder with the encrypted files, a README!.txt text file will be found. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this tool after contacting shielddown@onionmail.org, shielddown@tutanota.com by email. That is basically the scheme of the crime.
Shiel Overview:
| Name | Shiel Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Dharma ransomware |
| Extension | .shiel |
| Ransomware note | README!.txt |
| Contact | shielddown@onionmail.org, shielddown@tutanota.com |
| Detection | Trojan:MSIL/AgentTesla.AQF!MTB, Trojan:Win32/Vundo!A, Ransom.BlackHunt |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .shiel extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Shiel virus |
The README!.txt document coming in package with the Shiel malware states the following:
Your data has been stolen and encrypted! email us shielddown@onionmail.org or shielddown@tutanota.com
In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Shiel looks like. Each filename has the “.shiel” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.shiel” files look.
How did my computer get infected with Shiel ransomware?
There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
There are currently three most exploited methods for tamperers to have the Shiel virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer networks.
- If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a viral item 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 virus model. A Trojan is a program that gets into your computer pretending to be something different. For instance, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some service. However, what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful program that encrypts your data. As the installation 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 thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
- As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrent trackers 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 directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.
How to remove ransomware?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Shiel virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Remove Shiel 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 Shiel 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 “Shiel” 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 Shiel 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 Shiel virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a way to undo its work. However, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.
Understandably, if the hackers succeed in encoding victim’s essential data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still risky. After receiving the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports about hackers just disappearing after getting the ransom without even writing back.
The best solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud drive or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.
There are other ransomware products, besides Shiel, that work similarly. Examples of those are Wessy, Avanzi, Ban, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Shiel are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a criminals’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avert ransomware infection?
Shiel ransomware has no endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can armour your computer from ransomware infiltration in three easy steps:
- Never open any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter carefully. A fake letter will always contain mistakes.
- Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as a part of cracked products, most likely under the guise of βpatchβ which prevents the license check. But untrusted programs are difficult to tell from reliable software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information on this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such software.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect armor for your PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
π€ Is it possible to open β.shielβ files?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.shiel” files you will not be able to access them.
π€ I really need to decrypt those β.shielβ files ASAP. How can I do that?
It’s good if you have fΠ°r-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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.
π€ If GridinSoft deletes the Shiel malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Of course not. Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your system off the actual viruses. The malware that has infected your device is must be still functional and it scans your system every so often to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Shiel ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide malefactors with easy access to your computer after some time.
π€ What should I do if the Shiel virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.
In such an unfortunate situation, you need to prepare a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or imported into your machine. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
π€ What can I do right now?
Some of the blocked files can be found elsewhere.
- If you exchanged your important files via 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 send those images back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try downloading them again.
- Your messengers, social networks 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 laptop, cellphone, external storage, etc.
HINT: You can employ file recovery utilities2 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you can do it only after you eradicate the virus with an anti-malware program.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove SHIEL Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: SHIEL Virus
Description: SHIEL Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .shiel extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
