This article will help you to remove Scarab ransomware in full. Follow the ransomware removal instructions provided at the end of the article.
Scarab is a virus which encrypts your files and demands money as a ransom to get your files restored. According to some malware researchers, all files of a compromised computer get locked with the AES military grade encryption algorithm. The Scarab cryptovirus will encrypt your data, while also appending the custom .crab extension to each of the encrypted files. Read on to see how you could try to potentially recover some of your files.
Threat Summary
| Name | .crab Files Virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts files on your computer system and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt your files with the AES encryption algorithm. All locked files will have the .crab extension appended to them. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .crab 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. |
.crab Files Virus (Scarab) – Delivery
Scarab ransomware might spread its infection in various ways. A payload dropper which initiates the malicious script for this ransomware is being spread around the World Wide Web, and researchers have gotten their hands on a malware sample. If that file lands on your computer system and you somehow execute it – your computer device will become infected. Below, you can see the payload file of the cryptovirus being detected by the VirusTotal service:
Freeware which is found on the Web can be presented as helpful also be hiding the malicious script for the cryptovirus. Refrain from opening files right after you have downloaded them. You should first scan them with a security tool, while also checking their size and signatures for anything that seems out of the ordinary. You should read the tips for preventing ransomware located at the corresponding forum thread.
.crab Files Virus (Scarab) – Information
Scarab is a virus that encrypts your files and places a .txt file, with instructions inside the infected computer system. The extortionists want you to pay a ransom fee for the alleged restoration of your files.
Scarab ransomware could make entries in the Windows Registry to achieve persistence, and could launch or repress processes in a Windows environment. Such entries are typically designed in a way to launch the virus automatically with each start of the Windows operating system.
After encryption the Scarab virus shows a ransom message located inside a .txt file.
You can see its contents of this file, labeled HOW TO RECOVER ENCRYPTED FILES.TXT, from the following screenshot given down below:
The ransom note states the following:
Your files are now encrypted!
Your personal identifier:
6A02000000000000148442F21592870D0031080357A298B6FF62B948AF6F01E3731219795531117B922E646DA5328FEACDF6
509810777DEEIA676A5418BE327SF7BIDDBDC686577729F18SDlESSC9333BAB818BA7D4FECA80196368184ACACB6C559C888
4C64B27861C15D1BE90A7C49138C5877DA47EE16D256FF8779DA74C771F9B4869646A51A97AB1973D111DD4C49596D2E8D
058608680498563883E279661F21E38A74841885895908A7EI75F783AA93A1254875900809A901ECCE456218C5638231353KG
F8B531B65A45D88042D40CF4EC0684A15B8CEC4E270E8CADC7F6AA6FBDACD19BBF39B8B85FBF88C142FC4E734E5E847E8A7E
2FBAB24416860BCBCCFBA5014927EAEDlBSDA5F85CB2A1EBDB56510539496579399A1C3896SF908FD4488EE7628FDFDB7BA5
601921B15DEE88B1441CF019870880BA2F901C1F33EBE807For instructions for decrypting files, please write here:
crab7765@gmx.de
crab7765@protonmail.comIf you have not received an answer, write to me again!!
The note of the Scarab ransomware states that your files are encrypted and that you have to pay a ransom to get them back to normal. However, 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. Adding to that, giving money to cybercriminals will most likely motivate them to create more ransomware viruses or commit different criminal activities. That may even result to you getting your files encrypted once again.
.crab Files Virus (Scarab) – Encryption
What is known for the encryption process of the Scarab ransomware is that every file that gets encrypted will receive the .crab suffix. That suffix is appended to the name of an encrypted file as a secondary extension. The original extension and filenames remain unchanged after encryption, as the .crab extension is added. Due to this change, users often refer to the ransomware as “Crab File Virus”, “Crab virus” or “Crab file”.
The extension has been used in GandCrab ransomware.
Currently there is no information regarding which types of files get encrypted by the malicious application.
The files which are used the most by users that probably get encrypted are probably from the following categories:
- Audio files
- Video files
- Document files
- Image files
- Backup files
- Banking credentials, etc
This ransomware might be decryptable, but no specific decryption tool is released yet.
The Scarab cryptovirus deletes all Shadow Volume Copies from the Windows operating system with the help of the following command:
→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet
Along with the above-stated command, other ones are executed, which remove backups, making the effects of the encryption process more efficient. Those commands remove some of the viable ways to restore your data via Windows inherent processes. If a computer device was infected with this ransomware and your files are locked, read on through to find out how you could potentially restore some files back to their original state.
Remove Scarab Ransomware Virus and Restore .crab Files
If your computer system got infected with the Scarab 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.
Tsetso Mihailov
Tsetso Mihailov is a tech-geek and loves everything that is tech-related, while observing the latest news surrounding technologies. He has worked in IT before, as a system administrator and a computer repair technician. Dealing with malware since his teens, he is determined to spread word about the latest threats revolving around computer 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.
- Guide 1: How to Remove .crab Files Virus from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of .crab Files Virus from Mac OS X.
How to Remove .crab Files Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .crab Files Virus
Step 2: Uninstall .crab 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 .crab 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 .crab 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 .crab Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .crab Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and .crab 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 .crab Files Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .crab 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 .crab 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 .crab Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and .crab 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.
.crab Files Virus FAQ
What is .crab Files Virus ransomware and how does it work?
.crab 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 .crab Files Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways..crab 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 .crab 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 ..crab Files Virus files?
You can't. At this point the ..crab 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 ..crab Files Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by .crab 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 "..crab 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 ..crab 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 .crab 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 .crab Files Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..crab Files Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like .crab 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.
