Malware analyst dnwls0719 was the person who originally recognized the Time Time ransomware, which belongs with the ransomware locker type of infection. Malware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file.
”Time Time ransomware”: what is known so far?
☝️ A strictly accurate designation for the Time time would be “a ransomware-type infection”.
“Time Time” will add its specific .timetime extension to the title of each encoded file. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.timetime”. Likewise, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.timetime”, and so forth.
The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. That is it.
Time Time overview:
| Name | Time Time Ransomware |
| Extension | .timetime |
| Ransom | €100 of paysafecard |
| Detection | WinGo/Agent.DG, Ransom:MSIL/Thanos.MK!MTB, Trojan.Upatre.NT |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .timetime extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Time time virus |
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Time time looks like. Each filename has the “.timetime” extension appended to it.
An example of encrypted .timetime files.
How did Time time ransomware end up on my PC?
There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for criminals to have ransomware planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.
If you access your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a viral file enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan file scheme1. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC pretending to be something different. For example, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful program that compromises your data. As the installation wizard can have any name 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 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. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.
How do I get rid of the Time time virus?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Time time virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware2 can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Often racketeers would unblock several of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. As Time time virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware developers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.
Sure thing, if the tamperers do the job of encoding victim’s critical data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of hackers just disappearing after getting the ransom 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 disk or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be not enough. Your most important thing could be that one you were working on 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 system restoration.
There are other ransomware products, besides Time time, that work similarly. For instance, Rl, Hudf, Matrix, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Time time are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encoded files.
Some fortunate users were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware specialists. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How to avoid ransomware injection?
Time time ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, so as any similar malware.
You can armour your system 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 expecting (can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious email with caution. A hoax letter will surely have a mistake.
- Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can 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, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful defense for your personal computer.
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 computer.
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 system for Time time 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 finished, 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 “.timetime” files?Are the “.timetime” files accessible?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.timetime” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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 Time time 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 the malware from your computer. The virus that has infected your PC is must be still active and running scans every so often to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Time time ransomware 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 should I do if the Time time malware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.
If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your machine. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Many of the encoded files might still be at your disposal
- 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 family members. Simply ask them to give those images back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a portable device, mobile, flash memory, etc.
HINT: You can use data recovery programs5 to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the virus 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 TIME TIME Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: TIME TIME Virus
Description: TIME TIME Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .timetime 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’s the list of Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
