Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
Note! Your computer might be affected by .INCANTO file virus and other threats.
Threats such as .INCANTO file 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
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
The malicious file extension .INCANTO is associated with a new data locker ransomware of undetermined family. Ransomware is a type of malware that penetrates the PC to take control over the system and corrupt valuable data stored on it. Then it drops a file named !!!GetBackData!!!.txt which holds the ransom note. The message blackmails victims to pay a ransom in Bitcoins for .INCANTO files recovery.
This article has the goal to provide support for the .INCANTO file virus removal process and reveal more information about its adverse impact on the infected computer.
Threat Summary
Name
.INCANTO file virus
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
Encrypts the files on the infected computer. Demands ransom payoff in BitCoin. The ransom varies.
Symptoms
The files are encrypted with the .INCANTO file extension added to them. The virus drops a ransom note, named !!!GetBackData!!!.txt.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by .INCANTO file 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.
.INCANTO File Virus – Delivery
There are many attack vectors and different techniques used for ransomware delivery. Generally cyber criminals choose spam email messages that impersonate legitimate organizations and institutions. This technique is preferred as users are more prone to follow the instructions in the email and download the ransomware payload on their systems. The payload is usually hidden in an attachment – document with embedded malicious macros, archive file, JavaScript, PDF that may be named invoice, payment reference, report, etc. Once an infected file is opened on the PC the ransomware starts to infect the system. Another way of ransomware distribution that is used often is a web link that redirect to corrupted website that is set to download the payload automatically on the computer and triggers the attack. Except spam emails such links may be posted on social media networks or used for malvertising.
.INCANTO File Virus – Overview
This new ransomware is named after the specific file extension it uses for encrypted files – .INCANTO. The threat can be triggered by an executable file that controls all subsequent impacts. In order to fulfill the attack, .INCANTO crypto virus is considered to create or drop additional malicious files. They may be situated in some of the stated Windows folders below:
%AppData%
%Temp%
%Roaming%
%UserProfile%
Being a typical ransomware .INCANTO virus is believed to access Windows Registry targeting the Run and RunOnce keys. All it needs to do to ensure its stable presence on the computer is adding specific values in the mentioned registry keys. These keys enable the automatic execution of ransomware payload each time the Windows is started. They can be also used at the end of the attack when the ransom message should be noticed by the victim. The ransom note is a text file called !!!GetBackData!!! that reads the following:
All your important files were encrypted on this PC.
All files with .INCANTO extension are encrypted.
Encryption was produced using unique private key RSA-1024 generated for this computer.
To decrypt your files, you need to obtain private key + decrypt software.
The single copy of the private key, with will allow you to decrypt the files, is locate on a secret server on the internet.
To retrieve the private key, you need to contact us by email [email protected] send us an email your !!!GetBackData!!!.txt file and wait for further instructions.
For you to be sure, that we can decrypt your files – you can send us a 1-2 not very big encrypted files and we will send you back it in a decrypted form free.
Contact, negotiations and payments should be restricted as security researchers are still investigating the ransomware samples. Hopefully, they will crack its code and release a freely available decryption tool.
Another damage caused by .INCANTO file virus is preventing one of the possible recovery options. This is possible once it accesses the Command Prompt and writes the command:
→ vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet
.INCANTO File Virus – Encryption
For the encryption .INCANTO crypto virus is believed to use the RSA cipher algorithm that transforms the original code of target files making them completely unworkable. It is likely to attempt to corrupt different frequently used files like: documents, archives, databases, backups, text files, configuration files, music, photos, videos and etc. All encrypted files receive the extension .INCANTO at the end of their names and remain unusable. They can be decrypted with the unique decryption key possessed by crooks. However, it is better to try all you can do by yourself to recover .INCANTO files. The good news is that there are alternative data recovery solutions that appear to be efficient in many similar cases. Check the step “Restore files encrypted by .INCANTO Ransomware” in the guide below.
Remove .INCANTO File Virus and Restore Data
To completely get rid of the .INCANTO file virus, carefully follow the step-by-step removal instructions provided below. After ransomware removal follows the data recovery step.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by .INCANTO file 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 .INCANTO file 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 .INCANTO file virus follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .INCANTO file virus files and objects
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 .INCANTO file virus on your PC
Find files created by .INCANTO file 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 .INCANTO file virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for .INCANTO file virus and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove .INCANTO file 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 .INCANTO file virus
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .INCANTO file virus
Ransomware infections and .INCANTO file 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:
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
Gergana has completed a bachelor degree in Marketing from the University of National and World Economy. She has been with the STF team for three years, researching malware and reporting on the latest infections. She believes that in times of constantly evolving dependency of network connected technologies, people should spread the word not the war.
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 .INCANTO file virus and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
