This article has been created to help explain what is the .leenapidx@snakebite.com.hrhr ransomware infection and how to remove it plus restore the .hrhr encrypted files by it.
A new mysterious file infection has been reported to cause problems on the computers of victims in the sense that it encrypts the files on them, adding the obnoxiously long file extension .leenapidx@snakebite.com.hrhr. Alongside the extension, the ransomware also drops a ransom note, named help.txt which has several different instructions for the victims on how to download Tor browser and visit a Tor web page in order to pay a hefty ransom to get the files restored. If your computer has been infected by the .hrhr ransomware infection, we advise you to read the following and learn how to remove this virus and restore the files encrypted by it.
Threat Summary
| Name | .hrhr Files Virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | Aims to encrypt the files on the computers infected by it and asks victims to contact the crooks via Tor to negotiate and likely pay for their files. |
| Symptoms | Files are no longer able to be opened and now contain the .hrhr file extension. A help.txt ransom note appears on the victim’s computer |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .hrhr 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. |
.hrhr Files Virus – How Did I Get infected
The primary method by which you likely have gotten infected with the .hrhr ransomware virus is believed to be via malicious e-mail attachments that are embedded within e-mails. The attachments may be files of the following types:
→ .vbs, .js, .exe, .bat, .cmd, .docm
If the files are executables, they are likely contained within archives in order to prevent e-mail spam filters from blocking the e-mails. If the e-mails carry .docm documents, .hrhr ransomware may only infect you if you click on the ‘Enable Content’ or ‘Enable Editing’. Usually such Microsoft Word documents are more often met, since they often seem legitimate up until the moment the user opens them and enables macros.
In addition to via e-mail, you can also become a victim of .hrhr ransomware by simply downloading the malicious file from the web, believing it is a legitimate one. Such malicious files are often resembling software installers, fake driver setups, fake game patches, cracks, software license activators and other types of executables.
.hrhr File Ransomware – Further Information
Once your computer becomes a victim of the .hrhr files virus you may immediately notice it, since the malware drops it’s help.txt file. It contains the following ransom instructions:
Hello. Your files have been encrypted.
For help, write to this e-mail: leenapidx@snakebite.com
Attach to the letter 1-2 files (no more than 3 MB) and your personal key.If within 24 hours you have not received a response, you need to follow the following instructions:
a) Download and install TOR browser: https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en
b) From the TOR browser, follow the link: torbox3uiot6wchz.onion
c) Register your e-mail (Sign Up)
d) Write us on e-mail: rikkibarker@torbox3uiot6wchz.onionATTENTION: e-mail (rikkibarker@torbox3uiot6wchz.onion) accepts emails, only with e-mail registered in the TOR browser at torbox3uiot6wchz.onion
Your personal key:
The e-mail aims to convince the victims into not only installing Tor browser but also using encrypted e-mail service only available on the Onion network, called TorBox by getting the to visit it’s home page in Tor:
In addition to this, .hrhr ransomware may also drop support modules which are responsible for encrypting the files and modifying some settings on the infected machine. Such files may exist in the following Windows directories:
- %AppData%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Roaming%
- %Temp%
In addition to this, the .hrhr files virus may also modify the following Windows Registry sub-keys in order to run the virus file and the ransom note file automatically on system login:
→ 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
After doing so, the .hrhr ransomware may also perform other malicious activities on your computer, such as connect to a remote host and rely different information about it, such as your IP address, language, network information and other data about your PC, which may even include your saved passwords and other personal data.
.hrhr Files Virus – How Does It Encrypt Files
The encryption procedure of the .hrhr files virus begins with scanning your computer for matches with a list of a pre-set file extensions of file types this ransomware virus has designated to encrypt. These files often include important files, like videos, documents, pictures, music and others. When we sum them up as file extensions, the list of files encrypted by .hrhr ransomware may contain the following files:
→ “PNG .PSD .PSPIMAGE .TGA .THM .TIF .TIFF .YUV .AI .EPS .PS .SVG .INDD .PCT .PDF .XLR .XLS .XLSX .ACCDB .DB .DBF .MDB .PDB .SQL .APK .APP .BAT .CGI .COM .EXE .GADGET .JAR .PIF .WSF .DEM .GAM .NES .ROM .SAV CAD Files .DWG .DXF GIS Files .GPX .KML .KMZ .ASP .ASPX .CER .CFM .CSR .CSS .HTM .HTML .JS .JSP .PHP .RSS .XHTML. DOC .DOCX .LOG .MSG .ODT .PAGES .RTF .TEX .TXT .WPD .WPS .CSV .DAT .GED .KEY .KEYCHAIN .PPS .PPT .PPTX ..INI .PRF Encoded Files .HQX .MIM .UUE .7Z .CBR .DEB .GZ .PKG .RAR .RPM .SITX .TAR.GZ .ZIP .ZIPX .BIN .CUE .DMG .ISO .MDF .TOAST .VCD SDF .TAR .TAX2014 .TAX2015 .VCF .XML Audio Files .AIF .IFF .M3U .M4A .MID .MP3 .MPA .WAV .WMA Video Files .3G2 .3GP .ASF .AVI .FLV .M4V .MOV .MP4 .MPG .RM .SRT .SWF .VOB .WMV 3D .3DM .3DS .MAX .OBJ R.BMP .DDS .GIF .JPG ..CRX .PLUGIN .FNT .FON .OTF .TTF .CAB .CPL .CUR .DESKTHEMEPACK .DLL .DMP .DRV .ICNS .ICO .LNK .SYS .CFG”
In addition to this, the .hrhr files virus also adds, it’s distinctive file extension to the encrypted files, making them appear like the following:
How to Remove .hrhr Files Virus and Restore Your Data
In order to remove this ransomware infection from your computer, we recommend that you follow the removal instructions underneath this article. They are divided in manual and automatic removal manuals, based on your skillset and experience in malware removal. If you lack such experience, malware researchers strongly advise using an advanced anti-malware software. Such will automatically scan your computer for the malicious objects, created by .hrhr files virus and completely secure your PC plus protect it against future infections.
In addition to removing .hrhr files virus, If you want to restore files that have been encrypted by it, we advise you to follow the file recovery instructions In step ‘2. Restore files encrypted by .hrhr Files Virus’. They may not be 100% guarantee that you will be able to restore files encrypted by this infection, but may surely help you to recover as many files as possible via those methods.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and 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 .hrhr Files Virus from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of .hrhr Files Virus from Mac OS X.
How to Remove .hrhr Files Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .hrhr Files Virus
Step 2: Uninstall .hrhr 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 .hrhr 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 .hrhr 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 .hrhr Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .hrhr Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and .hrhr 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 .hrhr Files Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .hrhr 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 .hrhr 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 .hrhr Files Virus.
Ransomware infections and .hrhr 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.
.hrhr Files Virus FAQ
What is .hrhr Files Virus ransomware and how does it work?
.hrhr 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 .hrhr Files Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways..hrhr 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 .hrhr 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 ..hrhr Files Virus files?
You can't. At this point the ..hrhr 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 ..hrhr Files Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by .hrhr 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 "..hrhr 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 ..hrhr 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 .hrhr 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 .hrhr Files Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..hrhr Files Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like .hrhr 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.
