Yet another variant belonging to the Rannoh/Rakni also known as Shade and XTBL ransomware has been spotted amongst many. This variant seems to be an updated version of this ransomware family and it does not hesitate when it comes to file encryption. The virus uses a strong AES encryption algorithm to render the files no longer able to be opened on the computers it infects. After this has been done by the Guardware ransomware, the malware changes the interfix of the encrypted files to a unique ID for the infected computer. When the e-mail is contacted, the criminals associated with Guardware ransomware request payment usually in online cryptocurrency, such as BitCoin.

Fortunately, now there has been a decryptor released and we at Sensors Tech Forum advise you to read the instructions below to learn how to remove this nasty virus from your computer and decrypt your files for free.

Threat Summary

Name	Guardware
Type	Ransomware
Short Description	The ransomware encrypts files with the AES cipher and requests a payment from the user to grant access back to the files.
Symptoms	After encryption the ransomware steals login passwords and adds the .xtbl extension and the e-mail for ransom payoff and contact after every file name.
Distribution Method	Spam Emails, Email Attachments, File Sharing Networks.
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by Guardware Download Malware Removal Tool
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.

[email protected] XTBL Ransowmare – More Information

Users on reddit forums have discovered the new ransomware being spread via malicious executable with the following name:

→ Guardware.exe

The Guardware virus is believed to not have been active at first when it was discovered back in September 2016, but to increase infection rate exponentially since.

To infect maximum amount of users, the creators may have spammed this executable on multiple locations, including suspicious websites, malvertised hosts as well as uploaded it on torrent sites. However, let us not exclude the possibility of the executable being uploaded directly as an e-mail attachment in a spam message being sent out to the user to foll him or her into opening the –-mail.

Whaveter the case may be, this ransomware virus also known as “The Splash Trojan”, may interefere with the following registry entries after an infection takes place:

→ HKLM/Software/Microsoft/WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon/Shell
HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run/

Then, this CrySiS iteration may uninterruptedly and unnoticed to attack and encrypt a wide variety of file extensions:

→ .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt, .docm, .docx, .doc, .odb, .mp4, sql, .7z, .m4a, .rar, .wma, .gdb, .tax, .pkpass, .bc6, .bc7, .avi, .wmv, .csv, .d3dbsp, .zip, .sie, .sum, .ibank, .t13, .t12, .qdf, .bkp, .qic, .bkf, .sidn, .sidd, .mddata, .itl, .itdb, .icxs, .hvpl, .hplg, .hkdb, .mdbackup, .syncdb, .gho, .cas, .svg, .map, .wmo, .itm, .sb, .fos, .mov, .vdf, .ztmp, .sis, .sid, .ncf, .menu, .layout, .dmp, .blob, .esm, .vcf, .vtf, .dazip, .fpk, .mlx, .kf, .iwd, .vpk, .tor, .psk, .rim, .w3x, .fsh, .ntl, .arch00, .lvl, .snx, .cfr, .ff, .vpp_pc, .lrf, .m2, .mcmeta, .vfs0, .mpqge, .kdb, .db0, .dba, .rofl, .hkx, .bar, .upk, .das, .iwi, .litemod, .asset, .forge, .ltx, .bsa, .apk, .re4, .sav, .lbf, .slm, .bik, .epk, .rgss3a, .pak, .big, wallet, .wotreplay, .xxx, .desc, .py, .m3u, .flv, .js, .css, .rb, .png, .jpeg, .txt, .p7c, .p7b, .p12, .pfx, .pem, .crt, .cer, .der, .x3f, .srw, .pef, .ptx, .r3d, .rw2, .rwl, .raw, .raf, .orf, .nrw, .mrwref, .mef, .erf, .kdc, .dcr, .cr2, .crw, .bay, .sr2, .srf, .arw, .3fr, .dng, .jpe, .jpg, .cdr, .indd, .ai, .eps, .pdf, .pdd, .psd, .dbf, .mdf, .wb2, .rtf, .wpd, .dxg, .xf, .dwg, .pst, .accdb, .mdb, .pptm, .pptx, .ppt, .xlk, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xls, .wps

The encrypted files usually have an extremely long name that consists of the e-mail address for contact if you have become affected as well as the .xtbl file extension. Here is how an encrypted file by [email protected] ransomware may appear:

Fortunately we can help you restore your files. Malware researchers have developed a free decryptor that usually works for all the Shade variants using the .xtbl file extension. We have created instructions on how to download and use this decryptor and hopefully recover the lost files for free after removing Guardware ransomware completely.

Guardware Ransomware – Removal and Decryption Instructions

Phase 1 – Removal

Before you attempt any form of decryption, it is advisable that you remove this virus from your computer firstly, to be safe. We have provided a fast removal manual that will help you locate and delete the files of the Guardware ransomware virus before starting the decryption process.

Manually delete Guardware from your computer

Note! Substantial notification about the Guardware threat: Manual removal of Guardware 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 Guardware files and objects

Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode

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

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.

2. Find malicious files created by Guardware on your PC

Find malicious files created by Guardware

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 Guardware by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove Guardware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

Remove Guardware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove Guardware.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove Guardware.

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 Guardware 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.

2. Back up your data to secure it against infections and file encryption by Guardware in the future

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

To back up your files via Windows and prevent any future intrusions, follow these instructions:

1. For Windows 7 and earlier 1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 1. Enabling the Windows Defense Feature (Previous Versions)

1-Click on Windows Start Menu

2-Type Backup And Restore
3-Open it and click on Set Up Backup

4-A window will appear asking you where to set up backup. You should have a flash drive or an external hard drive. Mark it by clicking on it with your mouse then click on Next.

5-On the next window, the system will ask you what do you want to backup. Choose the ‘Let Me Choose’ option and then click on Next.

6-Click on ‘Save settings and run backup’ on the next window in order to protect your files from possible attacks by Guardware.

1-Press Windows button + R

2-In the window type ‘filehistory’ and press Enter

3-A File History window will appear. Click on ‘Configure file history settings’

4-The configuration menu for File History will appear. Click on ‘Turn On’. After its on, click on Select Drive in order to select the backup drive. It is recommended to choose an external HDD, SSD or a USB stick whose memory capacity is corresponding to the size of the files you want to backup.

5-Select the drive then click on ‘Ok’ in order to set up file backup and protect yourself from Guardware.

1- Press Windows button + R keys.

2- A run windows should appear. In it type ‘sysdm.cpl’ and then click on Run.

3- A System Properties windows should appear. In it choose System Protection.

5- Click on Turn on system protection and select the size on the hard disk you want to utilize for system protection.
6- Click on Ok and you should see an indication in Protection settings that the protection from Guardware is on.

Restoring a file via Windows Defense feature:
1-Right-click on the encrypted file, then choose Properties.

2-Click on the Previous Versions tab and then mark the last version of the file.

3-Click on Apply and Ok and the file encrypted by Guardware should be restored.

Phase 2 – Decryption

After you have removed this nasty ransomware, you should follow the bellow mentioned steps to try and decrypt files encrypted by Guardware ransomware.

Step 1: Prepare your computer to stay awake and not automatically turn off during scan by doing the following:

1)Click once on the icon for the power (battery icon) in your system tray that is located next to your clock in the bottom right. After this, a menu will appear and on it click on More Power Options.
2)After the Power Options menu shows up, click on Change Plan Settings to open the settings.
3)In there, make sure you set everything from “Turn off the display” to “Put Computer to Sleep” in all modes to “Never”.
4)Now go to “Change Advanced Plan Settings” and go to the expanding “Hard Disk” setting from the list and set it’s settings to “Never” as well.

Step 2: Download the Kaspersky Shade Decryptor by clicking on the button below and save the archive on your computer.

Step 3: Open the archive. For this, you need an archive reading program like the free WinRar, for example. Extract the ShadeDecryptor.exe file somewhere where you can easily locate it:

Step 4: Open the decrypter and click on the Start Scan button to open the file explorer:

Step 5: Choose an encrypted file and click on Open after which the decryptor should begin looking for keys corresponding to your computer. Be advised that you need to be patient since this process may take from hours up to days.

Guardware Ransomware Decryption – Conclusion and Tips

Bear in mind that if you follow these instructions, you should perform them on a secured computer and what is more important is that you should make copies of the encrypted files, just in case they break while the decryptor is decrypting them. We also advise you to be extremely careful and learn how to protect your data in the future, because unlike this ransomware, many other ransomware viruses such as Cerber and Locky have not been decrypted so far.

We also advise that you keep in mind how you store your data in the future:

Safely Store Your Important Files and Protect Them From Malware

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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