TmrCrypt0r Virus Ransomware (.TMRCRYPT0R File)

The TmrCrypt0rvirus belongs under the Xorist ransomware family. A harmful program of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, documents, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file.

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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What is TmrCrypt0r virus?

☝️ A scientifically accurate denomination for the TmrCrypt0r would be “a Xorist family ransomware infection”.

TmrCrypt0r will add its extra .TMRCRYPT0R extension to every file’s name. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.TMRCRYPT0R”. Likewise, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.TMRCRYPT0R”, and so forth.

The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. That is pretty much the scheme of the felony.

TmrCrypt0r abstract:

The note accompanying the TmrCrypt0r malware states the following:

You have become a victim of the TmrCrypt0r ransomware!
What happened to my computer?
All your important files are encrypted. Many of your documents, archives, photos, videos, music, databases and other files have been encrypted. You may be busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don\'t waste your time. No one can recover your files without our decryption service!
Is it possible to restore files?
Sure. We guarantee that you will be able to recover all your files easily and safely. But you don\'t have much time. You have only 3 days to send the payment, after that time the program will not be able to request access to the necessary utility descriptor.
How do I pay?
Payment is accepted exclusively through the Yoomoney wallet, the wallet number will be indicated below. The price of file redemption is $ 150 (in rubles).  Once again, we remind you, everything is serious. Do not touch or change the configuration of your computer. Please read this notice carefully as you will not see it again the next

In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the TmrCrypt0r looks like. Each filename has the “.TMRCRYPT0R” extension added to it.

That is how encrypted “.TMRCRYPT0R” files look.

How did TmrCrypt0r ransomware end up on my PC?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most exploited methods for hackers to have the TmrCrypt0r virus working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer file transfer.

If you access your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a viral file attached to them. Thus it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.

Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer disguised as something different. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful agent that compromises your data. Since the update file can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software developers’ official websites.

As for the peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.

How do I get rid of the TmrCrypt0r virus?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the TmrCrypt0r virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Sometimes racketeers would unblock some of your files to prove that they really have the decryption tool. As TmrCrypt0r virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Of course, if the hackers succeed in encrypting someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. However, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still risky. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about hackers simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The best safety measure 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 storage. Surely, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the system is rolled back.

TmrCrypt0r 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, Neon, Neqp, Xaro, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the TmrCrypt0r are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-ransomware experts. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decryption code to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How to avoid ransomware infiltration?

TmrCrypt0r ransomware has no superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can protect your system from ransomware injection within three easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with 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 questionable letter carefully. A fake letter will always contain mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your PC.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft²

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft³.

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 computer for TmrCrypt0r 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 “.TMRCRYPT0R” files? Are the “.TMRCRYPT0R” files accessible?

Unfortunately, you cannot open the “.TMRCRYPT0R” files directly. They need to be decrypted first in order to access their contents.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.TMRCRYPT0R” files ASAP. How can I do that?

In this situation, it is important to have a copy of the important files. If you have a backup or have saved restore points using System Restore, you may be able to recover the files. However, decrypting ransomware files can be time-consuming, and alternative methods may be required.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Tmrcrypt0r virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

No, GridinSoft Anti-Malware is designed to remove viruses and malware from your computer, but it does not remove the encrypted files. The Tmrcrypt0r virus is still active on your PC and may continue to encrypt new files. It is important to remove the malware to prevent further damage and protect your system from potential backdoors and keyloggers that can compromise your security.

🤔 What should I do if the TmrCrypt0r malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code?

If your computer is blocked by the TmrCrypt0r malware and you are unable to access the activation code, you can try using a flash memory card with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Boot your computer in Safe Mode to execute the procedure. Safe Mode allows only essential programs to run, preventing the ransomware from automatically encrypting new files. You can find instructions on how to boot Windows in Safe Mode in our Safe Mode booting guide.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Some of the blocked data can be found elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to send those pictures 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 media 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 notebook, phone, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can employ file recovery programs⁴ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
3. More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
4. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.