TRIGONA Ransomware 🔐 (._LOCKED File) — Removal Guide

The Trigona virus belongs with the ransomware type of infection. Harmful software of this type encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the how_to_decrypt.hta files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

Trigona virus: what is known so far?

☝️ A scientifically correct denomination for the Trigona would be “a ransomware infection”.

Trigona will append its extra ._locked extension to every file’s title. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be turned into “photo.jpg._locked”. Likewise, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx._locked”, and so forth.

In each folder with the encrypted files, a how_to_decrypt.hta text document will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. That is it.

Trigona outline:

In the picture below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Trigona looks like. Each filename has the “._locked” extension added to it.

How did my computer get infected with Trigona ransomware?

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

There are currently three most popular ways for criminals to have the Trigona virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a malicious file enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.

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 Web. You can never guess 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 anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of the Trigona virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Trigona virus will most likely deploy the Azorult Spyware on your machine to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware² can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Sometimes criminals would unblock some of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Trigona 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 arrive.

Of course, if the criminals do the job of encrypting victim’s essential files, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying to racketeers 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 victim. There were reports about criminals simply vanishing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The best countermeasure to ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be not enough. Your most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.

Trigona 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 Tcvp, Kcvp, Fate, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Trigona are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: files become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in each folder containing encoded files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the racketeers mistakenly 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. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How to avoid ransomware infiltration?

Trigona ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can armour your computer from ransomware injection within three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (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 dubious letter with caution. A hoax email will surely contain mistakes.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked products, possibly under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft³

Download Removal Tool.

Run the setup file.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

Click on “Clean Now”.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “._locked” files?Can I somehow access “._locked” files?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “._locked” files are decrypted.

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 What to do if the Trigona virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try downloading them again.
• Your messengers, social networks 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, cellphone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use file recovery utilities⁵ to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following governmental 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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