The .BANKS virus is a Phobos ransomware that is currently set against target end users on a global scale. There is no information available about the hacking group behind it. It is believed to be a new iteration of the famous ransomware family. This is one of the reasons why we believe that the hackers are experienced.
Once the .BANKS virus has started it will execute its built-in sequence of dangerous commands. Depending on local conditions or the specific hacker instructions various actions will take place. The file encryption will begin after them — the encrypting component will use a built-in list of target file type extensions. In the end the victim files will be renamed with the .BANKS extension.
Threat Summary
| Name | .BANKS virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts files on your computer machine and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly restore them. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will blackmail the victims to pay them a decryption fee. Sensitive user data may be encrypted by the ransomware code. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .BANKS 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. |
.BANKS Virus – Distribution and Impact
A new Phobos ransomware release has been spotted, this time its a virus version that places the .BANKS extension on the victim files. The extension is used to identify the different strains of the virus and help the victims identify what threat is affecting them. For each ransomware version there are different distribution tactics and several ones at once can be active. Commonly the hackers will use phishing tactics — e-mail messages and sites that will impersonate legitimate services and popular Internet portals. The messages can use forged headers and stolen content, as well as personalized or non-personalized greetings in the introductory part in order to manipulate the recipients into thinking that a legitimate party has reached out to them. The same is done with the websites, they can be hosted on similar sounding domain names and even feature security certificates.
The other strategy which is used by the criminals is the creation of infected executable files such as application installers of popular software: creativity suites, office and productivity tools and even computer games. This is done by taking the legitimate tools from their official sources and modifying them with the associated virus code. What’s particularly dangerous is that usually they are spread on the phishing sites and are also uploaded to file-sharing networks like BitTorrent. To facilitate an even larger attack the hackers can create numerous browser plugins that include scripts leading to the .BANKS virus infection. They are called hijackers and are frequently uploaded to the repositories with fake or stolen developer accounts. The provided description and reviews will further manipulate the users into installing it.
The .BANKS virus will follow the behavior pattern of previous Phobos samples. This means that usually the following set of actions will be started:
- Information Gathering — The module can be used to harvest data from the hosts that include both user personal files, as well as information that can be used to create an unique ID based on the installed parts. The collected information can also be used in crimes like identity theft and blackmail.
- Security Applications Blocking — By analyzing the memory and hard disk contents the .BANKS virus can search for any installed applications that can block the proper infection sequence: firewalls, anti-virus programs, debug environments and virtual machine hosts. They will be shut down or entirely removed.
- System Changes — The engine can be programmed into manipulating the boot options and thus starting the virus engine every time the computer is powered on. Other changes that can occur include the manipulation of system configuration files and the Windows Registry. As a consequence the victims can experience serious performance issues, errors and data loss.
- Additional Infection — The .BANKS virus can be used to deploy other malware onto the hosts. Popular examples are Trojans and cryptocurency miners.
When all operations have finished running the .BANKS virus will continue with the infection process by launching the ransomware component. It will use a built-in list of target file types that are to be processed by a strong cipher: multimedia files, archives, backups, documents and etc. In the end the associated .BANKS extension will be applied to them and a ransom note will be crafted to blackmail the victims.
.BANKS Virus – What Does It Do?
.BANKS Virus could spread its infection in various ways. A payload dropper which initiates the malicious script for this ransomware is being spread around the Internet. .BANKS Virus might also distribute its payload file on social media and file-sharing services. Freeware which is found on the Web can be presented as helpful also be hiding the malicious script for the cryptovirus. Read the tips for ransomware prevention from our forum.
.BANKS Virus is a cryptovirus that encrypts your files and shows a window with instructions on your computer screen. The extortionists want you to pay a ransom for the alleged restoration of your files. The main engine could make entries in the Windows Registry to achieve persistence, and interfere with processes in Windows.
The .BANKS Virus is a crypto virus programmed to encrypt user data. As soon as all modules have finished running in their prescribed order the lockscreen will launch an application frame which will prevent the users from interacting with their computers. It will display the ransomware note to the victims.
You should NOT under any circumstances pay any ransom sum. Your files may not get recovered, and nobody could give you a guarantee for that.
The .BANKS Virus cryptovirus could be set to erase all the Shadow Volume Copies from the Windows operating system with the help of the following command:
→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet
If your computer device was infected with this ransomware and your files are locked, read on through to find out how you could potentially restore your files back to normal.
Remove .BANKS Virus
If your computer system got infected with the .BANKS Files ransomware virus, you should have a bit of experience in removing malware. You should get rid of this ransomware as quickly as possible before it can have the chance to spread further and infect other computers. You should remove the ransomware and follow the step-by-step instructions guide provided below.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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Step 1: Scan for .BANKS virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall .BANKS virus 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 .BANKS 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 .BANKS 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: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .BANKS virus
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .BANKS virus.
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 .BANKS 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 the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
.BANKS virus-FAQ
What is .BANKS virus Ransomware?
.BANKS 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 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 .BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus Infect?
Via several ways..BANKS virus 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 .BANKS 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 ..BANKS virus files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the ..BANKS virus 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 ..BANKS virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore "..BANKS virus" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore ..BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this .BANKS virus 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 .BANKS virus 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.
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