This article explains the issues that occur in case of infection with .a files virus and provides a complete guide on how to remove malicious files and how to potentially recover files encrypted by this ransomware.
.a Virus Files
The one-letter name A is given to a ransomware program. It is a strain of the HiddenTear ransomware family. The malicious program is developed to invade computer operating systems to encode particular files stored on them. The encryption is realized after the activation of a strong cipher algorithm. The outcome is all valuable files locked with the .a extension and a ransom note that extorts a ransom fee for their recovery. The payment of 0.2 BTC (currently close to $7200) is highly advisable to be avoided. It does not guarantee the recovery of .a files.
A Files Virus Summary
| Detection Names | Generic.Ransom.Hiddentear.A.29080EF9, Ransom.HiddenTear, Ransom_CRYPTEAR.SM0 |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Malicious Extension | .a |
| Ransom Demanding Notes | READ_ME.TXT |
| Short Description | A data locker ransomware that utilizes AES cihper algorithm to encrypt important files stored on infected devices. To decrypt files it demands a ransom payment. |
| Symptoms | Important files are corrupted and inaccessible. They are all renamed with .a extension. A ransom note appears on screen to extort a ransom. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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The A Ransomware Virus in Detail
The A ransomware or the .a files virus is an infection that has been spotted in the wild by security researchers. In the event that it has infected your PC, it was probably a malicious email attachment you opened on the system or a hacked site you loaded in the browser.
The payload is usually an executable file. Its unattended load could happen along with a load of a corrupted email attachment or web page. Spam emails part of ransomware spread campaigns are often designed to resemble the emails we receive from legitimate sources.
A cryptovirus belongs to the HiddenTear ransomware family. An infection with this threat begins soon after its payload is started on a target system. When this event occurs the ransomware becomes able to run various malicious commands in order to plague system settings and continue with the attack.
Once A ransomware is ready to continue with the data encryption stage, it performs a scan of all computer drives to locate and encrypt each file that appears in its target data list. During the data encryption process, similar to previous HiddenTear variants A ransomware is believed to use the AES cipher algorithm. This cipher modifies parts of the original code of target files making their new versions completely unusable.
After a file is encrypted, it could be recognized by the file extension .a as it is appended to the original names of all corrupted data.
In order to achieve a higher level of persistence the ransomware is likely to add malicious registry entries in the Windows registry. Changes usually support the automatic execution of ransomware files every time the Windows system starts. By adding values under the sub-key presented below, A is also able to open its ransom note soon after the encryption process is done:
→HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
The ransom note file is called READ_ME.txt and it could be found on the system. Here is how it looks and what it reads:
Beware that paying the ransom does not guarantee the recovery of your .a files so we advise you to attempt to fix the problem with the help of available alternative solutions.
Remove A Ransomware and Restore .a Files
Below you could find how a step-by-step removal guide that may be helpful in attempting to remove A ransomware. The manual removal approach demands practice in recognizing the traits of malware files. Beware that ransomware is a threat with highly complex code that plagues not only your files but your whole system. So it should be secured properly before it could be used regularly again.
The automatic approach enables you to check the infected system for ransomware files and remove them with a few clicks after the scan. A reliable anti-malware program is also one of the best ways to protect the PC from ransomware.
If you want to understand how to fix .a files without paying the ransom make sure to read carefully all the details mentioned in the step “Restore files” from the guide below. Beware that before the recovery process you should back up all encrypted files to an external drive in order to prevent their irreversible loss.
Gergana Ivanova
Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online security.
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Attention! SensorsTechForum strongly recommends that all malware victims should look for assistance only by reputable sources. Many guides out there claim to offer free recovery and decryption for files encrypted by ransomware viruses. Be advised that some of them may only be after your money.
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.
- Verify Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter personal profiles.
How to Remove A Files Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove A Files Virus
Step 2: Uninstall A Files Virus and related software 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 uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by A Files Virus 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 A Files Virus 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: Scan for A Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by A Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and A Files Virus 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 top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
Get rid of A Files Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall A Files Virus and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove A Files Virus via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by A Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and A Files Virus 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 top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
A Files Virus FAQ
What is A Files Virus ransomware and how does it work?
A Files Virus 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 algorithm how 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.
How does A Files Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.A Files Virus Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing e-mails, 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.
After you download and execute this attachment, a drive-by download occurs and your computer is infected with the ransomware virus.
Another way, you may become a victim of A Files Virus 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 .A Files Virus files?
You can't. At this point the .A Files Virus files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted.
Decryptor did not decrypt my data. What now?
Do not panic and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your .A Files Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by A Files Virus ransomware is to use a decryptor for it. But since it's a new virus, advised that the decryption keys for it may not be out yet and available to the public. We will update this article and keep you posted as soon as this decryptor is released.
How Do I restore ".A Files Virus" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .A Files Virus files.
These methods are in no way 100% guarantee that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How do I get rid of A Files Virus ransomware virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti malware software. It will scan for and locate A Files Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .A Files Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like A Files Virus ransomware also install Trojans and keyloggers that can steal your passwords and accounts. Scanning your computer with an anti-malware software will make sure that all of these virus components are removed and your computer is protected in the future.
What to Do If nothing works?
There is still a lot you can do. If none of the above methods seem to work for you, then try these methods:
- Try to find a safe computer from where you can can login on your own line accounts like One Drive, iDrive, Google Drive and so on.
- Try to contact your friends, relatives and other people so that they can check if they have some of your important photos or documents just in case you sent them.
- Also, check if some of the files that were encrypted it can be re-downloaded from the web.
- Another clever way to get back some of your files is to find another old computer, a flash drive or even a CD or a DVD where you may have saved your older documents. You might be surprised what will turn up.
- You can also go to your email account to check if you can send any attachments to other people. Usually what is sent the email is saved on your account and you can re-download it. But most importantly, make sure that this is done from a safe computer and make sure to remove the virus first.
More tips you can find on our forums, where you can also asks any questions about your ransomware problem.
How to 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.
