Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Note! Your computer might be affected by .cryptes Files Virus and other threats.
Threats such as .cryptes Files Virus may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created to explain what is the .cryptes file ransomware, how to remove it from your computer system and how you can restore .cryptes encrypted files.
Yet another mysterious ransomware infection has been discovered by security researchers. The virus aims to encrypt the files on the compromised computers with the main purpose of getting users to pay hefty ransom fee to the cyber-criminals who are behind this virus. The ransomware does this by dropping a ransom note, called HOW TO DECRYPT ALL MY FILES.txt in which the conditions of the extortion are made clear. If your computer has been infected by the .cryptes files virus, we recommend that you read this article. It will help you remove this ransomware virus from your computer and try to recover as many files with .cryptes extension as possible.
Threat Summary
Name
.cryptes Files Virus
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
Aims to encrypt the files on your computer and then add a ransom note asking you to pay ransom to get the files back.
Symptoms
Files are encrypted with an added .cryptes file extension. A ransom note, called HOW TO DECRYPT ALL MY FILES.txt is dropped on the victim’s computer.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by .cryptes Files Virus
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.
.cryptes Files Virus – Update August 2018
In August, 2018 .cryptes Files Virus continues to infect computer systems across the World. The latest victims are reported to be from Poland and Italy. The most current malware sample can be seen on the screenshot below:
As you can see above, the VirusTotal service shows detections of the payload file, which has the name RegIstry.exe.
Note the following registry key:
“%APPDATA%\Windows Defender\Monitors.exe”
That key is being set in the Windows Registry under the path of:
Nothing new can be said for the activity of the .cryptes Files Virus, other than victims from various countries are reporting to have their computer files encrypted by this malware threat.
.cryptes Files Virus Distribution
The main infection method of the .cryptes ransomware is conducted based on various different types of activities, the main goal of which is to trick the victim into downloading and running the infection file of the virus that drops the payload files.
One such activity is to send you spam e-mails that contain a maicious e-mail attachment embedded within them. These e-mails may appear like the following:
In addition to e-mail, the infection with the .cryptes ransomware may also be conducted via other methods as well, like being uploaded online while pretend to be a legitimate type of file, from the likes of:
Fake setup of program.
Fake software activator.
Fake crack or patch.
Fake keygen (key generator).
.cryptes Files Virus – More Information
Once the .cryptes files virus has infected your computer, the malware may drop it’s payload files. The files may reside in the following Windows directories:
%AppData%
%Windows%
%SystemDrive%
%ProgamFiles%
%System%
%Temp%
%Local%
%LocalLow%
%Roaming%
%UserProfile%
Once the payload of this ransomware has been dropped, the malware may being to check if your computer has previously been infected by it. If so or if the .cryptes virus is running in a virtual environment, then it shuts down and deletes itself plus does not encrypt any files.
But if not, the .cryptes virus may modify the Windows Registry Editor of the victimized computer, prefferably by creating entries in the Run and RunOnce registry sub-keys:
In addition to this, the .cryptes ransomware may also delete the shadow volume copies of the infected computers by it, by possibly executing the vssadmin, bcedit and other commands in the Windows Command Prompt as an administrator without giving any chance to victims to stop the deletion.
The .cryptes virus also drops it’s ransom note, called HOW TO DECRYPT ALL MY FILES.txt and having the following ransom note:
All your files have been encrypted!
All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail: [email protected]
You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the decryption tool that will decrypt all your files. Free decryption as guarantee Before paying you can send us up to 5 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 10Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)
How to obtain Bitcoins The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click ‘Buy bitcoins’, and select the seller by payment method and price. https://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here: http://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/
Attention! Do not rename encrypted files. Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss. Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.
The ransom note contains instructions on how to pay BitCoin via Coindesk or Localbitcoisn and then send it to the cyber-criminals. The crooks even offer to decrypt up to 5 files for free as a guarantee that paying the ransom will work. Nonetheless paying the ransom to the crooks behind the .cryptes virus is strongly inadvisable, because you aid the crooks and there is no guarantee that after paying they won’t demand more money and continue the extortion process.
.cryptes Virus – How Does It Encrypt
The .crypted file ransowmare may initially scan your computer for the file types It wishes to render no longer openable. The .cryptes virus encrypts files, based on their file extensions, and the malware looks for file extensions associated with the following logical groups of files;
Audio files.
Video files.
Image files.
File types, associated with documents used by different programs.
Backup file typtes.
Database files.
File types used by often downloaded programs.
Archive file types.
After the encryption process has already finished, the ransomware virus may add the .cryptes file extension to the encrypted files, making them appear like the following:
Remove .cryptes Files Virus and Restore Files
To remove this ransomware virus completely from your computer system, it is strongly reccomended to follow the removal instructions underneath. They have been made so that they aid you in deleting the .cryptes file ransomware either manually or automatically. If manual removal does not seem to be working for you or you lack the experience in deleting this virus manually, experts recommend to turn to a more automated solution. One such solution is to use an advanced anti-malware software, that aims to detect and remove all of the files, related to this ransomware variant completely plus make sure that your computer is protected against future infections as well.
If you want to restore files that have been encrypted by the .cryptes virus, we recommend that you try the alternative methods for file recovery underneath in step “2. Restore files, encrypted by .cryptes Files Virus”. They have been created to help restore as many encrypted files as possible without actually having to pay ransom, although they are not a complete solution to this issue.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by .cryptes Files Virus and other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as .cryptes Files Virus. 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.
To remove .cryptes Files Virus follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .cryptes Files Virus files and objects
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
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
For Windows XP, Vista and 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 up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
2. Find files created by .cryptes Files Virus on your PC
Find files created by .cryptes Files Virus
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
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.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove .cryptes Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for .cryptes Files Virus and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove .cryptes Files Virus. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
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.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
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 with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
4. Try to Restore files encrypted by .cryptes Files Virus
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .cryptes Files Virus
Ransomware infections and .cryptes Files Virus aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to 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 these methods may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software. Another method for 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:
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:
To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for Volume Shadow Copies, if ransomware has not deleted them, in Windows using the below software:
Method 4: Finding the decryption key while the cryptovirus sends it over a network via a sniffing tool.
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:
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created to explain what is the .cryptes file ransomware, how to remove it from your computer system and how you can restore .cryptes encrypted files.
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for .cryptes Files Virus and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
