.Conficker File Virus – Remove and Restore Files (Update September 2017)

Article created to help you remove the Conficker ransomware and restore .conficker encrypted files on your computer.

A ransomware virus has appeared in the wild, created with the same name as the original Conficker virus back in 2008-2009. The virus, detected in April 2017 encrypts files on the computers infected by it, after which drops behind a ransom note, named Decrypt.txt, demanding victims to pay a hefty ransom fee (0.5 BTC) to get their files back to working state. In case your computer has been infected by the Conficker ransomware infection, reccomendations are to read the following article thoroughly.

Threat Summary

Name	Conficker
Type	Ransomware
Short Description	Encrypts important files and asks for 0.5 BTC ransom payoff to be made.
Symptoms	Files are encrypted with the .conficker file extension and an added decrypt.txt ransom note is added.
Distribution Method	Via an Exploit kit, Dll file attack, malicious JavaScript or a drive-by download of the malware itself in an obfuscated manner.
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by Conficker Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join our forum to Discuss Conficker.
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.

.Conficker File Virus – Update September 2017

A seemingly new variant of the Conficker file virus has been discovered by a few malware researchers. The picture of the ransom note message remains unchanged and identical to the variant described in this article. The new itertion of the virus is the Samarat Ransomware with .Samarat extension. Samarat is based on the HiddenTear open-source project.

.Conficker File Virus – How Does It Spread

For the distribution of the Conficker ransomware infection, the cyber-criminals behind the virus may take advantage of multiple different set of tools used in combination. These tools may include malicious web links, compromised e-mail addresses, fake e-mail accounts, exploit kits, web injectors, fake updates, self-extracting archives and others. Such may be used via spamming software to spread spam e-mails on a massive scale. Usually the spammed messages have deceitful character and they often aim to get users to either open an attachment on the e-mail or click on a malicious web link.

Other methods of spreading this malware may also include it’s uploading on torrent websites or software downloading sites that are suspicious or compromised. The virus may pose as a legitimate activator for different software, a key generator or a game crack.

.Conficker Ransomware – Infection Process

The infection process of Conficker is achieved by a dropper or a similar type of intermediary malware that is obfuscated and can successfully evade antivirus software. The way the infection works is once the user opens a malicious file or web link, the virus may drop it’s malicious files on several Windows directories, like the following:

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

The files are mostly executable and they also include the ransom note of Conficker. They are reported to be the following:

• ransomwarefineched.exe
• Decrypt.txt
• C_o_N_F_i_c_k_e_r Decryptor.exe
• winrar Setup 2017.exe
• winrar 2017.exe
• conficker.exe

In addition to dropping it’s malicious files, Conficker ransomware may compromise the Windows Registry Editor, creating malicious registry values in some of the following sub-keys:

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

After the modification of the sub-keys is performed, the Conficker ransomware may now run when Windows boots up.

Among the activities of Conficker ransomware may me multiple others, like the deletion of any backups as well as shadow volume copies. This is achievable by executing the vssadmin and bcedit commands on Windows Command Prompt in quiet mode without the user noticing, for example:

After this has been completed, the Conficker ransomware may begin the encryption process.

Conficker Virus – Encryption

The process of encrypting files is orchestrated with the assistance of an encryption algorithm which aims to encode the files by replacing blocks of data in them. Once this is done, the files seem corrupt and can no longer be opened. After the encryption process is complete, the Conficker threat may change the extensions of the encrypted files, making them appear like the following:

For the encryption process, Conlicker ransomware may target important files, carefully avoiding Windows system files, so that the OS is intact. Among the encrypted files may be the following file extensions:

→ “PNG .PSD .PSPIMAGE .TGA .THM .TIF .TIFF .YUV .AI .EPS .PS .SVG .INDD .PCT .PDF .XLR .XLS .XLSX .ACCDB .DB .DBF .MDB .PDB .SQL .APK .APP .BAT .CGI .COM .EXE .GADGET .JAR .PIF .WSF .DEM .GAM .NES .ROM .SAV CAD Files .DWG .DXF GIS Files .GPX .KML .KMZ .ASP .ASPX .CER .CFM .CSR .CSS .HTM .HTML .JS .JSP .PHP .RSS .XHTML. DOC .DOCX .LOG .MSG .ODT .PAGES .RTF .TEX .TXT .WPD .WPS .CSV .DAT .GED .KEY .KEYCHAIN .PPS .PPT .PPTX ..INI .PRF Encoded Files .HQX .MIM .UUE .7Z .CBR .DEB .GZ .PKG .RAR .RPM .SITX .TAR.GZ .ZIP .ZIPX .BIN .CUE .DMG .ISO .MDF .TOAST .VCD SDF .TAR .TAX2014 .TAX2015 .VCF .XML Audio Files .AIF .IFF .M3U .M4A .MID .MP3 .MPA .WAV .WMA Video Files .3G2 .3GP .ASF .AVI .FLV .M4V .MOV .MP4 .MPG .RM .SRT .SWF .VOB .WMV 3D .3DM .3DS .MAX .OBJ R.BMP .DDS .GIF .JPG ..CRX .PLUGIN .FNT .FON .OTF .TTF .CAB .CPL .CUR .DESKTHEMEPACK .DLL .DMP .DRV .ICNS .ICO .LNK .SYS .CFG”Source:fileinfo.com

After the encryption process is complete, the Conficker virus may change the wallpaper on the affected computer and in addition to this drop a ransom note, named decrypt.txt. Both the wallpaper and the ransom note have the same message:

C_o_N_F_i_c_k_e_r R_A_N_S_O_M_W_A_R_E
#####
Attention! Attention! Attention! Your Files has been encrypted By C_o_N_F_i_c_k_e_r R_A_N_S_O_M_W_A_R_E
#####
Send 0.5 Bitcoin To @ 1sUCn6JYa7B96t4nZz1tX5muU2W5YxCmS @
#####
If Send 0.5 Bitcoin We will send you the decryption key C_o_N_F_i_c_k_e_r Decryptor
#####

Remove Conficker Virus and Restore .conficker Encrypted Files

Before beginning the removal process of Conficker ransomware, recommendations are to backup the encrypted files first. After this, advices are to focus on following the removal instructions down below. They are carefully designed to help you get rid of the malicious files by first isolating Conficker in Safe Mode. For maximum effectiveness and proper removal, security experts recommend downloading and installing an advanced anti-malware program. It will automatically remove all malicious files related to Conficker ransomware and protect the system against future infections as well.

For the restoration of files encrypted by Conficker ransomware, we advise using the methods in step “2. Restore files encrypted by Conficker” below. They are no guarantee all the files will be restored but you may recover a big portion of them, at least until a decryptor is released for free.

Manually delete Conficker from your computer

Note! Substantial notification about the Conficker threat: Manual removal of Conficker requires interference with system files and registries. Thus, it can cause damage to your PC. Even if your computer skills are not at a professional level, don’t worry. You can do the removal yourself just in 5 minutes, using a malware removal tool.

1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Conficker files and objects

Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode

1. For Windows 7,XP and Vista. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by Conficker on your PC.

For Windows XP, Vista, 7 systems:

1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu.
2. Select one of the two options provided below:

– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.

– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.

3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.

4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account

While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.

Step 1: Open the Start Menu

Step 2: Whilst holding down Shift button, click on Power and then click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, the aftermentioned menu will appear. From there you should choose Troubleshoot.

Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu you can choose Advanced Options.

Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.

Step 6: Click on Restart.

Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You should choose Safe Mode by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.

Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries of your computer to change different settings. This is why manual clean up of your Windows Registry Database is strongly recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit lenghty, we recommend following our instructive article about fixing registry entries.

2.Find malicious files created by Conficker on your PC

Find malicious files created by Conficker

1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows 7,XP and Vista.

For Newer Windows Operating Systems

Step 1:

On your keyboard press  + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.

Step 2:

Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.

Step 3:

Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:

N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.

For Older Windows Operating Systems

In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:

Step 1:

Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.

Step 2:

After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.

Step 3:

After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.

Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.

Automatically remove Conficker by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove Conficker with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

Remove Conficker with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove Conficker.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove Conficker. Back up your data to secure it against infections and file encryption by Conficker in the future.

Step 1:Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is highly 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.

Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to automatically update.

Step1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Scan Computer Now’ button.

Step2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any Conficker files, click on the ‘Fix Threats’ button to remove them automatically and permanently.

Step3: Once the intrusions on your PC have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart it.

Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future

IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data automatically with cloud backup and insure it against any type of data loss on your device, even the most severe. We recommend reading more about and downloading SOS Online Backup .

SOS Online Backup

2. Restore files encrypted by Conficker

Restore Files Encrypted by Conficker

Ransomware infections like Conficker aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to directly decrypt. This is why we have suggested several alternative methods that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that they may not be 100% effective but they may help you little or a lot in some situations.

Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software.
Another method of restoring your files is by trying to bring back your files via data recovery software. Here are some suggestions for preferred data recovery software solutions:

• Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery Technicians License(Pro version with more features)
• Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery
• Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery

Method 2: Trying Kaspersky and EmsiSoft’s decryptors.
If the first method does not work, we suggest trying to use decryptors for other ransomware viruses, in case your virus is a variant of them. The two primary developers of decryptors are Kaspersky and EmsiSoft, links to which we have provided below:

• Kaspersky Decryptors
• Emsisoft Decryptors

Urgent! It is strongly advisable to first remove the Conficker threat before attempting any decryption, since it may interfere with system files and registries. You can do the removal yourself just in 5 minutes, using an advanced malware removal tool.

Method 3: Using Shadow Explorer

To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for shadow copies in Windows using this software if ransomware has not deleted them:

• Shadow Explorer

Method 4: Finding Conficker decryption key while it communicates it via a network sniffing software.

Another way to decrypt the files is by using a Network Sniffer to get the encryption key, while files are encrypted on your system. A Network Sniffer is a program and/or device monitoring data traveling over a network, such as its internet traffic and internet packets. If you have a sniffer set before the attack happened you might get information about the decryption key. See how-to instructions below:

Instructions on How to Find Decryption Key for Files Encrypted By Ransowmare

Optional: Using Alternative Anti-Malware Tools

Remove Conficker Using Other Alternative Tools

STOPZilla Anti Malware

1. Download and Install STOPZilla Anti-malware to Scan for And Remove Conficker.
Step 1: Download STOPZilla by clicking here.
Step 2: A pop-up window will appear. Click on the ‘Save File’ button. If it does not, click on the Download button and save it afterwards.

Step 3: After you have downloaded the setup, simply open it.
Step 4: The installer should appear. Click on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 5: Check the ‘I accept the agreement’ check circle if not checked if you accept it and click the ‘Next’ button once again.

Step 6: Review and click on the ‘Install’ button.

Step 7: After the installation process has completed click on the ‘Finish’ button.

2. Scan your PC with STOPZilla Anti Malware to remove all Conficker associated files completely.
Step 1: Launch STOPZilla if you haven’t launched it after install.
Step 2: Wait for the software to automatically scan and then click on the ‘Repair Now’ button. If it does not scan automatically, click on the ‘Scan Now’ button.

Step 3: After the removal of all threats and associated objects, you should Restart your PC.

Vencislav Krustev

A network administrator and malware researcher at SensorsTechForum with passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cyber security. Strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.

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