.horsedeal file extension is placed on all of your files? .horsedeal Virus File is also known as Horsedeal ransomware which locks files on a computer and demands money to be paid as a ransom for unlocking them.
Horsedeal Ransomware (.horsedeal Virus File)
Horsedeal or otherwise known as .horsedeal Virus File is a ransomware type virus. It encrypts files by appending the .horsedeal extension to them, making them inaccessible. All encrypted files will receive the new extension as a secondary one. The Horsedeal ransomware drops a ransom note, which gives instructions to victims on how they can allegedly restore their data by paying a ransom fee.
Horsedeal Ransomware Virus
Horsedeal 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.
Threat Summary
| Name | Horsedeal Virus |
| File Extension | .horsedeal |
| 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 Horsedeal ransomware will encrypt your files by appending the .horsedeal extension to them, along with a unique identification number placing the new .horsedeal extension as a secondary. |
| Ransom Demanding Note | #Decryption#.txt |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Horsedeal Virus. |
On January 20 a new security report has been made available to us giving further details about the latest versions of the .horsedeal ransomware. It appears that the new iteration has been developed by a very experienced criminal or hacker group as it leverages one of the most dangerous vulnerabilities of late which is tracked in CVE-2020-0601. This is a exploit that can overcome the encryption process used by the Microsoft Windows operating system — the consequence of this action will be that that malware will appear to the system as legitimate apps.
A complete analysis of the latest versions of the .horsedeal virus reveals that the released malware include a very advanced infection sequence. One of the dangerous aspects associated with infections of this type is the fact the ransomware includes a MBR overwrite feature — it will replace the original boot code with a virus one making it almost impossible to effectively restore the machines using manual methods alone. This is also connected to the persistent installation mechanism — the malware code will be launched every time the computer is powered on.
One of the malicious actions that are part of the infection sequence is the system modification which encompasses several different areas:
- System Configuration Modification — The engine can easily disable the system configuration and restore tools by making the necessary changes in the configuration settings used by the operating system.
- Process Control — The virus engine will take advantage of its ability to interact with active processes and obtain administrative privileges. This will allow it to monitor, hijack and create new processes of its own. The consequences of this action will mean that the hackers will have access to the information and data which are displayed by the active programs.
- Files Operations — The virus can create, edit and delete data found on the hard drive of the infected machine. This can include backups, archives, shadow volume copies and restore files.
- Security Bypass — The main engine of the .horsedeal virus has the ability to look for information regarding installed applications and services that can block or remove the ransomware. This usually acts against firewalls, anti-virus programs, virtual machine hosts and sandbox environments.
.horsedeal Virus File might spread its infection via a payload dropper, which initiates the malicious script for this ransomware. The virus might also distribute its payload file on social media and file-sharing services. Freeware which is found on the Web can be presented as helpful also be hiding the malicious script for the cryptovirus. Read the tips for ransomware prevention from our forum.
Horsedeal or better known as the .horsedeal Virus File is ransomware much like the HORSELIKER ransomware. It will encrypts your files and shows ransomware instructions inside a ransom note called #Decryption#.txt:
Beside the instructions you can see in the above image, there is a note that states the following:
All your files have been ENCRYPTED!!!
Write to our ICQ https://icq.im/bigbosshorse
Or contact us via jabber – bigbosshorse@xmpp.jp
Jabber client installation instructions:
Download the jabber (Pidgin) client from https://pidgin.im/download/windows/
After installation, the Pidgin client will prompt you to create a new account.
Click – Add
In the -Protocol field, select XMPP
In -Username – come up with any name
In the field -domain – enter any jabber-server, there are a lot of them, for example – exploit.im
Create a password
At the bottom, put a tick -Create account
Click add
If you selected -domain – exploit.im, then a new window should appear in which you will need to re-enter your data:
User
password
You will need to follow the link to the captcha (there you will see the characters that you need to enter in the field below)
If you don’t understand our Pidgin client installation instructions, you can find many installation tutorials on youtube – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pidgin+jabber+install
If you have not received a response from us then we may have technical problems and please write to us using Jaber here bigbosshorse@xmpp.jp or on icq
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.
tell your unique ID
kTRjw264lzZ7JC7gzkXghgEkTTiH0T/lArdIOOwwt0xG7vTzu8QYsiuWpvvXg1OH0jg
You should NOT under any circumstances pay any ransom sum.
The extortionists want you to pay a ransom for the alleged restoration of your files, same as with a lot of ransomware viruses. .horsedeal Virus File ransomware could make entries in the Windows Registry to achieve persistence, and could launch or repress processes in a Windows system. All encrypted will receive the .horsedeal extension alongside a random generated one. That extension will be placed as a secondary one to each file and look something like .horsedeal. Audio, video, image files as well as documents, backups and banking data can be encrypted by the ransomware.
The .horsedeal Virus File could be set to erase all the Shadow Volume Copies from the Windows operating system with the help of the following command:
→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet
If your computer device was infected with this ransomware and your files are locked, read on through to find out how you could potentially restore your files back to normal.
Remove .horsedeal Virus File
If your computer got infected with the .horsedeal 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.
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.
About the Horsedeal Virus Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Horsedeal Virus how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific malware and restore your encrypted files.
How did we conduct the research on this ransomware?
Our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, and as such, we receive daily updates on the latest malware and ransomware definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the Horsedeal Virus ransomware threat is backed with VirusTotal and the NoMoreRansom project.
To better understand the ransomware threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
References
1. How to Recognize Spam Emails with Ransomware
2. How Does Ransomware Encryption Work?
3. How to Decrypt Ransomware Files
4. Ransomware Getting Greedier and Bigger, Attacks Increase by 40%
5. 1 in 5 Americans Victim of Ransomware
- Guide 1: How to Remove Horsedeal Virus from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Horsedeal Virus from Mac OS X.
How to Remove Horsedeal Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Horsedeal Virus
1. Hold Windows Key + R.
2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.
3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".
4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.
5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.
Step 2: Uninstall Horsedeal 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:
1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.
2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.
3. This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press "Uninstall"
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by Horsedeal 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 Horsedeal Virus there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.
2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.
3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.
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 Horsedeal Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.
2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.
4. 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.
Video Guide for Automatic and Fast Removal
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by Horsedeal Virus.
Ransomware infections and Horsedeal 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
Step 6: How to Restore Files Encrypted by Ransomware (Video Guide)
Get rid of Horsedeal Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Horsedeal 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:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to Horsedeal Virus:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to Horsedeal Virus. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash
”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference.
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to Horsedeal Virus. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- 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 Horsedeal 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:
1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as Horsedeal Virus. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
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 Horsedeal Virus.
Ransomware infections and Horsedeal 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
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.
Horsedeal Virus FAQ
What is Horsedeal Virus ransomware and how does it work?
Horsedeal 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 Horsedeal Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.Horsedeal 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 Horsedeal 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 .Horsedeal Virus files?
You can't. At this point the .Horsedeal 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 .Horsedeal Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by Horsedeal 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 ".Horsedeal 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 .Horsedeal 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 Horsedeal 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 Horsedeal Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .Horsedeal Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like Horsedeal 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.
