.hard2decrypt file extension is placed on all of your files? .hard2decrypt Virus File is also known as WastedLocker ransomware which locks files on a computer and demands money to be paid as a ransom for unlocking them.
WastedLocker Ransomware (.hard2decrypt Virus File)
WastedLocker or otherwise known as .hard2decrypt Virus File is a ransomware type virus. It encrypts files by appending the .hard2decrypt extension to them, making them inaccessible. All encrypted files will receive the new extension. The WastedLocker ransomware drops a ransom note, which gives instructions to victims on how they can allegedly restore their data by paying a ransom fee.
WastedLocker Ransomware Virus
WastedLocker Ransomware will encrypt all types of files such as audio, video, pictures, backups, banking data and other personal user files found on a compromised computer system.
.hard2decrypt Virus Summary
| Name | .hard2decrypt Virus |
| File Extension | .hard2decrypt |
| 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 WastedLocker ransomware will encrypt your files by appending the .hard2decrypt extension to them. |
| Ransom Demanding Note | _3ncrypt3d_help.txt |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .hard2decrypt Virus. |
.hard2decrypt Virus File – How Did It Infect My PC and What Happened?
The .hard2decrypt computer virus is a new derivative of the WastedLocker ransomware family. It has been detected in a worldwide attack that is governed by an unknown hacking group. What we know so far is that several different versions of it have been released. It may be possible that the different samples are actually released from different groups, but this is not confirmed yet. The scope of attacks is also not known at the moment — we assume that computer victims from all over the world are to be targeted in the current campaign.
Like other threats of this category different infection tactics may be used to spread the malware to the target users. Common variants include the sending out of individual virus file, or (the more popular technique) the use of payload carriers — data that when opened by the users will lead to the virus infection. They can be macro-infected documents of all popular office formats: spreadsheets, presentations, text documents and databases. When these documents are opened by the users, a warning window will open and ask for the scripts to be run — this will lead to the virus installation. The alternative to this is the creation of application installers of programs that are widely downloaded from the Internet. The criminals typically choose the most widely downloaded software in this case. They are created by taking the original files from their official sources and adding in the necessary code.
All of these virus files can be distributed to the target users by using different tactics. Most of them will rely on the use of manipulation — this is done by faking notifications and messages from well-known companies or services. This can be done via the use of email messages — they can be sent in bulk and can include the files directly as attachments or linked in the content. The creation of such fake websites is done by uploading stolen or faked design to similar-sounding domain names. All virus data can also be advertised through fake identities on online forums, chat rooms, file-sharing networks, and sites, as well as on social media.
Like other examples of this malware family when the virus is deployed on a given system, a built-in execution sequence will start. Most of the viruses of this type will execute some sort of a security bypass — the detection of installed protective software and services and their disabling. This allows further modules to be run by the main agent.
The .hard2decrypt ransomware virus is also capable of stealing sensitive information from the compromised machines. This can include all kinds of system data or personal user’s information. It can be used for blackmail purposes or for financial abuse.
A dangerous consequence of having such malware installed on a system is the ability of the malware to conduct system changes. They can be any of the following:
- Boot Option Changes — the .hard2decrypt virus can install itself as a persistent threat, meaning that it will run every time the computer is powered on. Additionally, it can block access to the recovery options, making it very hard to remove.
- Windows Registry Changes — Apart from editing configuration files the virus can modify the existing Windows Registry values or create new ones for itself. Manipulation of these values can lead to performance issues, data loss, and the inability to run certain services and programs.
- Data Removal — This ransomware can remove sensitive or important files from the system, including shadow volume copies and backups.
When all modules have finished running, the actual files encryption — this is done according to a very strong cipher. Major file type extensions will be targeted: documents, multimedia files, backups, archives, and etc. The processed data will become inacessible. The victim users will then be blackmailed to pay the hackers a ransomware decryption sum. This is done by creating text documents with these instructions in folders where there are encrypted files. At this time the ransom notes that are generated use several contact email addresses:
- albert9957@protonmail.com
- ashton8040@msgsafe.io
- branden4505@airmail.cc
- santino3046@tutanota.de
Remove .hard2decrypt Virus File
If your computer got infected with the .hard2decrypt Virus File, 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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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 .hard2decrypt Virus from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of .hard2decrypt Virus from Mac OS X.
How to Remove .hard2decrypt Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .hard2decrypt Virus
Step 2: Uninstall .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .hard2decrypt Virus.
Ransomware infections and .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt Virus.
Ransomware infections and .hard2decrypt 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.
.hard2decrypt Virus FAQ
What is .hard2decrypt Virus ransomware and how does it work?
.hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways..hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt 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 ..hard2decrypt Virus files?
You can't. At this point the ..hard2decrypt 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 ..hard2decrypt Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by .hard2decrypt 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 "..hard2decrypt 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 ..hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt 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 .hard2decrypt Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..hard2decrypt Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like .hard2decrypt 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.
