The Summer virus belongs with the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the ___RECOVER__FILES__.summer.txt files in every directory containing encrypted files.
What is known about the Summervirus?
☝️ A strictly accurate designation for the Summer would be “a ransomware malicious agent”.
Summer will add its specific .summer extension to every file’s title. For example, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.summer”. Just like the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.summer”, and so forth.
In each directory containing the encoded files, a ___RECOVER__FILES__.summer.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this tool after contacting dantebrando1979@gmail.com by email. That is it.
Summer summary:
| Name | Summer Virus |
| Extension | .summer |
| Ransomware note | ___RECOVER__FILES__.summer.txt |
| Ransom | $60 |
| Contact | dantebrando1979@gmail.com |
| Detection | UDS:Trojan.Win32.Packed, Win32:Vundo-QB [Trj], BScope.TrojanDownloader.Ajent |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .summer extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Summer virus |
The ___RECOVER__FILES__.summer.txt document coming in package with the Summer malware states the following:
All of your files have been encrypted. To decrypt them send 60$ worth of bitcoin to BTC address: 3CH7s6TMbDxy6LK5BYkatQoEKjXJNLBQft After that, email your transaction ID to: dantebrando1979@Gmail.com Thats it! We will answer to your mail with decryption key!
In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Summer looks like. Each filename has the “.summer” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.summer” files look.
How did my computer get infected with Summer ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for hackers to have ransomware settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer file transfer.
If you open your inbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a malicious file attached to them. Thus it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model1. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your machine pretending to be something different. Imagine, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. As 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 optimal thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrents 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. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.
How to remove the Summer virus?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Summer virus will probably deploy the Azorult Spyware on your machine to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware2 can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Sometimes tamperers would decrypt several of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. As Summer virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures engineers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon arrive.
Of course, if the evildoers succeed in encoding someone’s critical data, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors just vanishing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.
The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external drive. Obviously, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.
Summer 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 Eewt, Ofoq, Aawt, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Summer are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate people were able to decode the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How сan I avoid ransomware infection?
Summer ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can protect your PC from its infiltration within several easy steps:
- Ignore any emails from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the dubious email carefully. A hoax email will always contain a mistake.
- Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often shared as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
- And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful shield for your system.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft3
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft4.
Download Removal Tool.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
Run the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your system.
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your PC for Summer infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has completed, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
FAQ
🤔 How can I open “.summer” files?Is it possible to open“.summer” files?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.summer” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. The rest of the methods require patience.
🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Summer virus?
Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete actual malware from your PC. The malware that has attacked your PC is most likely still functional and running scans from time to time to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Summer virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your system after some time.
🤔 What should I do if the Summer malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.
In such an unfortunate situation, you need to have a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your PC. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Some of the encrypted data can be located elsewhere.
- If you sent or received your critical files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to post those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
- Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, external storage, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs5 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.
Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:
- In the United States: On Guard Online;
- In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
- In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
- In Australia: SCAMwatch;
- In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
- In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
- In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
- In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;
To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove SUMMER Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: SUMMER Virus
Description: SUMMER Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .summer extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
User Review
( votes)References
- You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
- You can read more on spyware variants and nature in the respective section of GridinSoft official website.
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
- More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
- Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
