SHURIKEN Ransomware 🔐 (.SHURIKEN File) — Removal Guide

The Shuriken virus belongs to the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all the data on your PC (images, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, creating the READ-ME-SHURKEWIN.txt files in each directory containing 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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Shuriken virus: what is known so far?

The scheme of renaming is the following: [contact-email][user_ID]%original_name%.%original_extension%.Shuriken. As a part of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be changed to “[decryption@msgsafe.io][9ECFA84E]report.docx.Shuriken”.

In every directory containing the encoded files, a READ-ME-SHURKEWIN.txt text file will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting decryption@msgsafe.io by email. That is it.

Shuriken Summary:

The READ-ME-SHURKEWIN.txt document coming in package with the Shuriken malware states the following:

>>>> Your data are encrypted ...

All your files have been encrypted by Shuriken !!!

To decrypt them send e-mail to this address : decryption@msgsafe.io

If you do not receive a response within 24 hours, send an email to this address: decryptor@waifu.club

Need a quick decryption ? Send a telegram message @ShurikenAdmin


>>>> Your DECRYPTION ID :  -

Enter the ID of your files in the subject!


>>>>  What is our decryption guarantee?

Before paying you can send us up to 2 test files for free decryption !

The total size of files must be less than 2Mb.(non archived) !

Files should not contain valuable information.(databases,backups) !

Compress the file with zip or 7zip or rar compression programs and send it to us!

In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Shuriken looks like. Each filename has the “.Shuriken” extension appended to it.

Files encrypted by Shuriken ransomware

How did my machine catch Shuriken ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for hackers to have ransomware settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you access your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a ransomware item enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer pretending to be something else. For instance, you download an installer of some program you need 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 name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The best way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-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 know 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 finished.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Shuriken virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Shuriken 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 Shuriken 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 “Shuriken” 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 Shuriken 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 decode several of your files so you know that they really have the decryption tool. Since Shuriken virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the decoding tools are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Of course, if the criminals do the job of encoding victim’s critical files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors just vanishing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be insufficient. Your most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the system is rolled back.

Shuriken is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Albabat, Rapid, Tutu, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Shuriken are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes appear 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-ransomware developers. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But of course, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware injection?

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

You can defend your computer from ransomware infiltration within three easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email carefully. A fake letter will always have mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often distributed as an element of cracked products, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful armor for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Is it possible to open “.Shuriken” files?

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

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.Shuriken” files ASAP. How can I do that?

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. All other solutions require time.

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

Of course not. Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove active malware from your system. The malware that has infiltrated your device is probably still functional and launching checks periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Shuriken malware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your computer after some time.

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

If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or brought into your computer. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. 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 important files by 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 give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got 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 as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, cellphone, flash memory, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs¹ to get your lost data back since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.