The Swift virus belongs to the Proton ransomware family. A harmful program of such sort encrypts all the data on your PC (images, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the #SWIFT-Help.txt text files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
What is Swift virus?
☝️ Swift is a Proton family ransomware-type virus.
The renaming will be done according to this pattern: [contact-email].SWIFT. As a part of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.[swift_1@tutamail.com].SWIFT”.
In each folder containing the encoded files, a #SWIFT-Help.txt text document will be found. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this decrypting software after contacting swift_1@tutamail.com through email. That is pretty much the scheme of the malefaction.
Swift Summary:
| Name | Swift Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Proton ransomware |
| Extension | .SWIFT |
| Ransomware note | #SWIFT-Help.txt |
| Contact | swift_1@tutamail.com |
| Detection | Rogue:Win32/Winwebsec!pz Virus Removal, BScope.TrojanRansom.Exxroute Virus Removal, Win32/PSW.Papras.DU Virus Removal |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .SWIFT extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Swift virus |
The #SWIFT-Help.txt document coming in package with the Swift malware provides the following discouraging information:
~~~ SWIFT ~~~ >>> What happened? We encrypted and stolen all of your files. We use AES and ECC algorithms. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service. >>> How to recover? We are not a politically motivated group and we want nothing more than money. If you pay, we will provide you with decryption software and destroy the stolen data. >>> What guarantees? You can send us an unimportant file less than 1 MG, We decrypt it as guarantee. If we do not send you the decryption software or delete stolen data, no one will pay us in future so we will keep our promise. >>> How to contact us? Our email address: swift_1@tutamail.com Our Telegram ID: @swift_support In case of no answer within 24 hours, contact to this email: swift@onionmail.com Write your personal ID in the subject of the email. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>> Your personal ID: - <<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>> Warnings! - Do not go to recovery companies, they are just middlemen who will make money off you and cheat you. They secretly negotiate with us, buy decryption software and will sell it to you many times more expensive or they will simply scam you. - Do not hesitate for a long time. The faster you pay, the lower the price. - Do not delete or modify encrypted files, it will lead to problems with decryption of files.
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Swift looks like. Each filename has the “.SWIFT” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.SWIFT” files look.
How did Swift ransomware end up on my PC?
There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.
There are currently three most popular ways for hackers to have the Swift virus acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.
- If you access your inbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a viral file enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous 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 machine pretending to be something different. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some service. However, what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that compromises 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 stuff you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
- As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger 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 websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.
How to remove ransomware?
It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Swift virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Remove Swift 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 Swift 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 “Swift” 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 Swift 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 tamperers would unblock several of your files so you know that they do have the decryption program. As Swift virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decryption instruments are frequently updated, so the solution may soon arrive.
Of course, if the malefactors succeed in encoding someone’s critical data, the hopeless person will most likely fulfill their demands. However, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of criminals just disappearing after getting the money 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 disk or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
Swift 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 Lkfr, Sysdf, Z1n, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Swift are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes appear in each directory containing encoded files.
Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the arrested 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 extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a criminals’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How do I avert ransomware infiltration?
Swift ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can defend yourself from ransomware injection taking several easy steps:
- Never open any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A hoax email will always contain mistakes.
- Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” to prevent the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable 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 finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful defense for your system.
FAQ
🤔 Can I somehow access “.SWIFT” files?
There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.SWIFT” files are decrypted.
🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.SWIFT” files ASAP. How can I do that?
If the “.SWIFT” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. All other solutions require time.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Swift malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete active threats from your PC. The malware that has attacked your computer is must be still active and it scans your system every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been said above, the Swift malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide hackers with easy access to your PC after some time.
🤔 What to do if the Swift virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.
If that happened, you need to prepare a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your PC. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 What can I do right now?
Some of the encrypted data can be found elsewhere.
- If you exchanged your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give 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 computer, a notebook, phone, memory stick, etc.
HINT: You can employ file recovery programs2 to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.
