This article aims to help you remove the iterations of DotRansomware and restore your files (.locked file extension) if they have been encrypted by it.
A ransomware-as-a-service virus, calling itself DotRansomware has appeared on the deep web. The virus has been created in English and is highly modifiable. It also uses AES encryption algorithm to encode the files on the victims’ computers. This encryption is sophisticated and generates a unique decryption key. The virus comes with it’s custom sales page which is oriented primarily towards selling it to people who want to infect users with it. The ransomware virus uses the TOR networking system to infect various users and hence remain untraceable. In case you have been infected by DotRansomware, recommendations are to read the following material and learn what DotRansomware exactly performs and how to neutralize it and try getting back the data.
Threat Summary
| Name |
DotRansomware |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Short Description | The malware is offered online as a part of a scheme to distribute it in a final variant for 50% of the ransom the victims pay for their files encrypted by the virus. |
| Symptoms | The user may witness ransom notes and “instructions” linking to a web page and a decryptor. Changed file names and the file-extension .locked has been used but may be changed with different versions. |
| Distribution Method | Via an Exploit kit, Dll file attack, malicious JavaScript or a drive-by download of the malware itself in an obfuscated manner. Depends on who is part of the RaaS scheme and spreads it. |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join our forum to Discuss DotRansomware. |
| Data Recovery Tool | Windows Data Recovery by Stellar Phoenix Notice! This product scans your drive sectors to recover lost files and it may not recover 100% of the encrypted files, but only few of them, depending on the situation and whether or not you have reformatted your drive. |
How Does DotRansomware Spread
This particular virus is advertised online to absolutely everyone who has access to some particular areas of the deep web. This means that DotRansomware may spread depending on what the cyber-criminal decides. Typically most cyber-criminals choose e-mail spam messages with deceitful content, like the example picture below shows:
Such e-mails aim to get the user to open malicious e-mail attachment which is the infection malware that downloads the payload of DotRansomware, in this hypothetical scenario.
However, there are many other methods by which this ransomware infection could infect users:
- Via fake installers or updates downloaded from shady websites.
- If the user activates a fake patch for cracking unlicensed software, usually downloaded from torrent websites.
- Via other malware that has previously infected a computer.
- Via potentially unwanted program (PUP) that aims to perform an infection via multiple different advertisements, redirects or pop-ups.
DotRansomware – Further Analysis
The virus has been uploaded on a TOR-based web page and as soon as you open it, the terms of the developers immediately become evident:
The cyber-criminals offer as much as half of the extorted money paid by the victim to the one who distributes their own version of DotRansomware. The registration process of the virus is also quite simple. All one needs to begin infecting is a BitCoin address. As tempting as it sounds, this is quite the risk and at the end, trusting cyber-criminals is never a good idea at all.
During the infection process, DotRansomware may drop multiple malicious files on the computers it compromises. The files may have different names and may be located in different Windows folders, for example:
The official file extension of the DotRansomware virus is .locked, but the ransomware may undergo some changes, it really depends on how it is configured:
Image Source: id-ransomware.blogspot.bg
Amongst the files types this virus encrypts are around 400 different files that are connected with various programs that are used on a daily basis:
→.001, .1dc, .3ds, .3fr, .7z, .a3s, .acb, .acbl, .accdb, .act, .ai, .ai3, .ai4, .ai5, .ai6, .ai7, .ai8, .aia, .aif, .aiff, .aip, .ait, .anim, .apk, .arch00, .ari, .art, .arw, .asc, .ase, .asef, .asp, .aspx, .asset, .avi, .bak, .bar, .bay, .bc6, .bc7, .bgeo, .big, .bik, .bkf, .bkp, .blob, .bmp, .bsa, .c, .c4d, .cap, .cas, .catpart, .catproduct, .cdr, .cef, .cer, .cfr, .cgm, .cha, .chr, .cld, .clx, .cpp, .cr2, .crt, .crw, .cs, .css, .csv, .cxx, .d3dbsp, .das, .dat, .dayzprofile, .dazip, .db, .db0, .dbf, .dbfv, .dcr, .dcs, .der, .desc, .dib, .dlc, .dle, .dlv, .dlv3, .dlv4, .dmp, .dng, .doc, .docm, .docx, .drf, .dvi, .dvr, .dwf, .dwg, .dxf, .dxg, .eip, .emf, .emz, .epf, .epk, .eps, .eps2, .eps3, .epsf, .epsp, .erf, .esm, .fbx, .ff, .fff, .fh10, .fh11, .fh7, .fh8, .fh9, .fig, .flt, .flv, .fmod, .forge, .fos, .fpk, .fsh, .ft8, .fxg, .gdb, .ge2, .geo, .gho, .gz, .h, .hip, .hipnc, .hkdb, .hkx, .hplg, .hpp, .hvpl, .hxx, .iam, .ibank, .icb, .icxs, .idea, .iff, .iiq, .indd, .ipt, .iros, .irs, .itdb, .itl, .itm, .iwd, .iwi, .j2k, .java, .jp2, .jpe, .jpeg, .jpf, .jpg, .jpx, .js, .k25, .kdb, .kdc, .kf, .kys, .layout, .lbf, .lex, .litemod, .lrf, .ltx, .lvl, .m, .m2, .m2t, .m2ts, .m3u, .m4a, .m4v, .ma, .map, .mat, .max, .mb, .mcfi, .mcfp, .mcgame, .mcmeta, .mdb, .mdbackup, .mdc, .mddata, .mdf, .mdl, .mdlp, .mef, .mel, .menu, .mkv, .mll, .mlx, .mn, .model, .mos, .mp, .mp4, .mpqge, .mrw, .mrwref, .mts, .mu, .mxf, .nb, .ncf, .nef, .nrw, .ntl, .obm, .ocdc, .odb, .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt, .omeg, .orf, .ott, .p12, .p7b, .p7c, .pak, .pct, .pcx, .pdd, .pdf, .pef, .pem, .pfx, .php, .php4, .php5, .pic, .picnc, .pkpass, .png, .ppd, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx, .prj, .prt, .prtl, .ps, .psb, .psd, .psf, .psid, .psk, .psq, .pst, .ptl, .ptx, .pwl, .pxn, .pxr, .py, .py, .qdf, .qic, .r3d, .raa, .raf, .rar, .raw, .rb, .rb, .re4, .rgss3a, .rim, .rofl, .rtf, .rtg, .rvt, .rw2, .rwl, .rwz, .sav, .sb, .sbx, .sc2save, .sdf, .shp, .sid, .sidd, .sidn, .sie, .sis, .skl, .skp, .sldasm, .sldprt, .slm, .slx, .slxp, .snx, .soft, .sqlite, .sqlite3, .sr2, .srf, .srw, .step, .stl, .stp, .sum, .svg, .svgz, .swatch, .syncdb, .t12, .t13, .tar, .tax, .tex, .tga, .tif, .tiff, .tor, .txt, .unity3d, .uof, .uos, .upk, .vda, .vdf, .vfl, .vfs0, .vpk, .vpp_pc, .vst, .vtf, .w3x, .wallet, .wav, .wb2, .wdx, .wma, .wmo, .wmv, .wotreplay, .wpd, .wps, .x3f, .xf, .xl, .xlk, .xls, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xvc, .xvz, .xxx, .ycbcra, .yuv, .zdct, .zip, .ztmp
These important files are rendered no longer openable and the virus also has a ransom note which can be customized. Malware researchers believe that it may be somehow connected to Unlock26 ransomware – a relatively new virus that hit the wild recently.
Remove DotRansomware and Try Getting Back the Files
In case you have been infected by an instance of this ransomware infection on your computer, the first deal of business is to immediately back up the encrypted files.
Then, experts recommend removing this ransomware infection from your computer with the one and only purpose of creating a safe environment to try the methods In step “2. Restore files encrypted by DotRansomware” below. In case you have difficulties in manually removing this ransomware infection from your computer, reccomendations are to focus on scanning your computer with an advanced anti-malware software. It will fully remove all files associated with this threat and make sure to protect your computer in the future as well.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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Step 1: Scan for DotRansomware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall DotRansomware and related malware from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully delete most unwanted and malicious programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by DotRansomware on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by DotRansomware there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Step 4: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove DotRansomware
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by DotRansomware.
Method 1: Use STOP Decrypter by Emsisoft.
Not all variants of this ransomware can be decrypted for free, but we have added the decryptor used by researchers that is often updated with the variants which become eventually decrypted. You can try and decrypt your files using the instructions below, but if they do not work, then unfortunately your variant of the ransomware virus is not decryptable.
Follow the instructions below to use the Emsisoft decrypter and decrypt your files for free. You can download the Emsisoft decryption tool linked here and then follow the steps provided below:
1 Right-click on the decrypter and click on Run as Administrator as shown below:
2. Agree with the license terms:
3. Click on "Add Folder" and then add the folders where you want files decrypted as shown underneath:
4. Click on "Decrypt" and wait for your files to be decoded.
Note: Credit for the decryptor goes to Emsisoft researchers who have made the breakthrough with this virus.
Method 2: Use data recovery software
Ransomware infections and DotRansomware aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested a data recovery method that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that this method may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
DotRansomware-FAQ
What is DotRansomware Ransomware?
DotRansomware is a ransomware infection - the malicious software that enters your computer silently and blocks either access to the computer itself or encrypt your files.
Many ransomware viruses use sophisticated encryption algorithms to make your files inaccessible. The goal of ransomware infections is to demand that you pay a ransom payment to get access to your files back.
What Does DotRansomware Ransomware Do?
Ransomware in general is a malicious software that is designed to block access to your computer or files until a ransom is paid.
Ransomware viruses can also damage your system, corrupt data and delete files, resulting in the permanent loss of important files.
How Does DotRansomware Infect?
Via several ways.DotRansomware Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing emails, containing virus attachment. This attachment is usually masked as an important document, like an invoice, bank document or even a plane ticket and it looks very convincing to users.
Another way you may become a victim of DotRansomware is if you download a fake installer, crack or patch from a low reputation website or if you click on a virus link. Many users report getting a ransomware infection by downloading torrents.
How to Open .DotRansomware files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the .DotRansomware files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted using a specific decryption key for the particular algorithm.
What to Do If a Decryptor Does Not Work?
Do not panic, and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your .DotRansomware files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore ".DotRansomware" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .DotRansomware files.
These methods are in no way 100% guaranteed that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How To Get Rid of DotRansomware Virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti-malware program.
It will scan for and locate DotRansomware ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .DotRansomware files.
Can I Report Ransomware to Authorities?
In case your computer got infected with a ransomware infection, you can report it to the local Police departments. It can help authorities worldwide track and determine the perpetrators behind the virus that has infected your computer.
Below, we have prepared a list with government websites, where you can file a report in case you are a victim of a cybercrime:
Cyber-security authorities, responsible for handling ransomware attack reports in different regions all over the world:
Germany - Offizielles Portal der deutschen Polizei
United States - IC3 Internet Crime Complaint Centre
United Kingdom - Action Fraud Police
France - Ministère de l'Intérieur
Italy - Polizia Di Stato
Spain - Policía Nacional
Netherlands - Politie
Poland - Policja
Portugal - Polícia Judiciária
Greece - Cyber Crime Unit (Hellenic Police)
India - Mumbai Police - CyberCrime Investigation Cell
Australia - Australian High Tech Crime Center
Reports may be responded to in different timeframes, depending on your local authorities.
Can You Stop Ransomware from Encrypting Your Files?
Yes, you can prevent ransomware. The best way to do this is to ensure your computer system is updated with the latest security patches, use a reputable anti-malware program and firewall, backup your important files frequently, and avoid clicking on malicious links or downloading unknown files.
Can DotRansomware Ransomware Steal Your Data?
Yes, in most cases ransomware will steal your information. It is a form of malware that steals data from a user's computer, encrypts it, and then demands a ransom in order to decrypt it.
In many cases, the malware authors or attackers will threaten to delete the data or publish it online unless the ransom is paid.
Can Ransomware Infect WiFi?
Yes, ransomware can infect WiFi networks, as malicious actors can use it to gain control of the network, steal confidential data, and lock out users. If a ransomware attack is successful, it could lead to a loss of service and/or data, and in some cases, financial losses.
Should I Pay Ransomware?
No, you should not pay ransomware extortionists. Paying them only encourages criminals and does not guarantee that the files or data will be restored. The better approach is to have a secure backup of important data and be vigilant about security in the first place.
What Happens If I Don't Pay Ransom?
If you don't pay the ransom, the hackers may still have access to your computer, data, or files and may continue to threaten to expose or delete them, or even use them to commit cybercrimes. In some cases, they may even continue to demand additional ransom payments.
Can a Ransomware Attack Be Detected?
Yes, ransomware can be detected. Anti-malware software and other advanced security tools can detect ransomware and alert the user when it is present on a machine.
It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest security measures and to keep security software updated to ensure ransomware can be detected and prevented.
Do Ransomware Criminals Get Caught?
Yes, ransomware criminals do get caught. Law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, Interpol and others have been successful in tracking down and prosecuting ransomware criminals in the US and other countries. As ransomware threats continue to increase, so does the enforcement activity.
About the DotRansomware Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this DotRansomware how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific malware and restore your encrypted files.
How did we conduct the research on this ransomware?
Our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, and as such, we receive daily updates on the latest malware and ransomware definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the DotRansomware ransomware threat is backed with VirusTotal and the NoMoreRansom project.
To better understand the ransomware threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
As a site that has been dedicated to providing free removal instructions for ransomware and malware since 2014, SensorsTechForum’s recommendation is to only pay attention to trustworthy sources.
How to recognize trustworthy sources:
- Always check "About Us" web page.
- Profile of the content creator.
- Make sure that real people are behind the site and not fake names and profiles.
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