.aes Encrypted Files Virus – What Is It + How to Remove And Restore Data

by Ventsislav Krastev | March 29, 2018 | 0 Comments file-encryption, malware, ransomware, Update February 2019

This article has been created in order to explain what exactly is the ransomware virus using the .aes file extension and how to remove it from your computer plus restore encrypted files having the .aes file extension added to them.

New ransomware infection, using the file extension .aes has been reported by malware researchers to cause various different troubles to victims after it encrypt the files on their computers, possibly using the AES-256 encryption algorithm. The ransomware virus has also been reported to set the .aes file suffix to the encrypted files and drop a ransom note, called Instruction.txt. It’s primary purpose is to get victims to pay a hefty ransom fee in order to get the cyber-crooks to decrypt your files. If your computer has been infected by the .aes files virus, we advise that you read this article to learn how to remove the .aes files virus and how to restore encrypted files without having to pay ransom.

Threat Summary

Name	.aes Files Virus
Type	Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description	Aims to encrypt the files on your computer after which demands a ransom payoff to get the files back.
Symptoms	Files are encrypted with added .aes extension. Ransom note is added, called Instruction.txt.
Distribution Method	Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss .aes Files Virus.
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.

.aes Files Virus – Update February 2019

February 2019 brings a new ransom note and variant to the .aes Files Virus. Researchers dubbed it the Australian AES ransomware. The ransom note’s message is wrapped up in a GUI interface with red color, which can be previewed from the below image:

The full text from the note reads:

** YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED. DO NOT CLOSE **
– Why have my files been encrypted? –
You files have been encrypted. This includes many of your important documents and other types of files, database, system files and more. Upon inspecting these encrypted files you may discover that they are using an unbreakable encryption algorithm, which can only be unlocked and decrypted with a special key.
This key can only be obtained though a bitcoin payment listed below. This is a certain way to recover and safely decrypt all your important files to get them back. All files after the amount is paid in full will be decrypted. This offer only has a certain time limit though and it’s your choice whether you want the key permanently destroyed, so your files can not be decrypted at all.
For some background info, this is a simple, fund raiser attempt in the desperate, dark void of the internet. It’s a noble thought intended to be good, as it’s also been thought for years, but it’s job is by doing right by those bad. All funds collected are filtered, then giving to charities that matter, so that as a collective of victims, a bigger reward is given to those who need it. If a small amount, is multiplied by thousands, those small interuptions in those people’s lives, come at a greater cost for those who benifit from it more.
—–
– How to pay for encrypted files? –
Bitcoin is a popular cryptocurrency nowdays, and therefore it’s easy to buy bitcoin. For Australian’s, bitcoin.com.au has a $50 BTC minimum limit.
Therefore, the amount is set at $60 AUD. Go to the bitcoin.com.au website and go through the steps to purchase the bitcoin. Next, use the bitcoin address provided below to send the bitcoins to that address. After that, simply wait for the time to expire and if the bitcoin’s have been paid, the decryption key will be released.

Send $60 worth of bitcoin to this BTC address: [Copy Address] 37XsqpzsJRu9pdi5KQmdZgAYPn3qhxbdDZ
Time left: 47:59:23
Decryption Key: *** [Copy Key] Enter Key: [ ] I have paid the BTC amount to the correct address above.
[Purchase Bitcoin] [Decrypt] —–
** WARNING: CLOSING THIS APPLICATION WILL RESULT IN ENCRYPTED FILES BEING PERMANENTLY ENCRYPTED ** [Minimise Window]

However, malware researchers have found a secret in the ransomware’s code. Pressing the combination of the Alt + M keys will display a set of other messages, in a small window box and provide the victim with a free decryption.

This is the content of the messages:

If you found this by accident, nice luck. The decryption key is released before the timer, you can now decrypt your files.
————————————————————————————————————————–
Your files are now being decrypted. DO NOT close the application or your files will be corrupted and unrecoverable. The program will alert upon completion of deletion.

Just wait and all files should get restored back to normal.

The decryption key was never going to be deleted, your files are now able to be unencrypted. To do so click the ‘I have purchased the BTC checkbox’ and using the decryption key, enter it into the textbox, and click decrypt. Watch as your files magically unencrypt. Thanks for the donation.
—
Times Up!!

The last message displayed above is actually hidden inside the code of the ransomware.

.aes Files Virus – How Does It Infect

The main method of infection used by the .aes files virus is believed to be via spammed e-mail messages similar to the one underneath:

In addition to this, the ransomware virus may also be spread via the malicious files being uploaded online, pretending to be:

Setup of a program or game.
Driver.
Patch.
Crackfix.
Key Generator.

.aes Files Virus – More Information and Activity

The .aes files ransomware is the type of infection whose primary purpose is to encrypt the files on the infected computer after which demand a ransom payment from victims. To do this, the malware may perform a set of malicious activities on the victim’s computer, starting with downloading it’s payload files, which may be located in the following windows folders:

%AppData%
%Roaming%
%Local%
%LocalLow%
%SystemDrive%
%Windows%
%System32%

The activity of the ransomware includes modifying the windows registry editor in order to make it so that the malicious executable runs automatically on system start. These keys are the Run and RunOnce sub-keys in the registry editor, in which value strings are added with instructions to run the files, by giving their location:

→ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\

The .aes Files Virus may also check for the location of the compromised computer and whether or not it is running In a virtual environment. If your PC is running on a virtual drive, it may begin to perform various different activities that may lead to it’s self deletion.

In addition to this, the .aes Files Virus may run the following commands as an administrator on the user’s computer:

→ process call create “cmd.exe /c
vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet
bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled no
bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures

Among the files dropped by the .aes files virus is the malware’s ransom note, named Instruction.txt. The ransom note aims to convince the victim to pay the ransom. It has the following contents:

“Important information! All files are encrypted with RSA – 2048 and AES – 256 ciphers. Do not worry, you can restore all the files. We guarantee that all files can be safely restored quickly and safely. For instructions on recovering files, contact us. contact information: tiwa1986@mail.ru”

.aes Files Virus – Encryption Process

To encrypt the files on the infected computer, this ransomware infection may use the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption algorithm whose primary purpose is to encrypt the files on the infected computer with a 256 bit strength. The virus aims to scan for legitimate types of files which are used often, like:

Documents.
Music.
Videos.
Recordings.
Images.
Virtual drive files.

After encryption, the .aes files virus generates a unique decryption mode, whose primary purpose is to be used to decrypt the files. However, the victim must pay a hefty ransom in order to obtain that decryption key.

The files appear like the following after they have been encrypted by .aes ransomware:

Remove .aes Files Virus and Restore Encrypted Files

In order to remove this ransomware virus completely from your computer, we advise you to read the following removal instructions and learn how to remove this infection completely from your computer. They are divided in manual or automatic removal manuals whose primary purpose is to help you to remove the .aes file ransomware based on how much experience you have with malware removal. Be advised that security professionals strongly recommend to download an advanced anti-malware software. Such program aims to help you to automatically remove the .aes ransomware from your computer and will also protect your PC against future ransomware infections and other intrusive software.

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.

How to Remove .aes Files Virus from Windows.

Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .aes Files Virus

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter's malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter's EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria

1. Hold Windows key() + R

2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.

3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".

Tip: Make sure to reverse those changes by unticking Safe Boot after that, because your system will always boot in Safe Boot from now on.

4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.

5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.

Step 2: Uninstall .aes 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:

1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.

2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.

3. This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press "Uninstall"

Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.

Step 3: Clean any registries, created by .aes 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 .aes Files Virus there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:

1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.

2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.

3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.

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.

IMPORTANT!
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 .aes Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter's EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.

3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.

4. After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the 'Next' button.

If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.

Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .aes Files Virus.

Ransomware infections and .aes 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.

1. Download the reccomended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:

EaseUS Data Recovery Software

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.

Windows Mac OS X

Get rid of .aes Files Virus from Mac OS X.

Step 1: Uninstall .aes Files Virus and remove related files and objects

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your Mac with SpyHunter for Mac

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter for Mac needs to purchased to remove the malware threats. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy

1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:

2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:

3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to .aes Files Virus:

Tip: To quit a process completely, choose the “Force Quit” option.

4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.

5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to .aes Files Virus. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.

6: Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to .aes Files Virus. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.

7: Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:

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 .aes 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:

Disclaimer! If you are about to tamper with Library files on Mac, be sure to know the name of the virus file, because if you delete the wrong file, it may cause irreversible damage to your MacOS. Continue on your own responsibility!

1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:

2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:

3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as .aes Files Virus. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.

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.

Click the button below below to download SpyHunter for Mac and scan for .aes Files Virus:

Download

SpyHunter for Mac

Step 3 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .aes Files Virus.

1. Download the reccomended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:

EaseUS Data Recovery Software

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.

.aes Files Virus FAQ

What is .aes Files Virus ransomware and how does it work?

.aes 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 .aes Files Virus ransomware infect my computer?

Via several ways..aes 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 .aes 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 ..aes Files Virus files?

You can't. At this point the ..aes 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 ..aes Files Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.

One way to restore files, encrypted by .aes 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 "..aes 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 ..aes 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 .aes 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 .aes Files Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..aes Files Virus files.

Also, keep in mind that viruses like .aes 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.