.KEYPASS Files Virus – How to Remove and Restore Data

This is an article that provides specific details on .KEYPASS files virus as well as a step-by-step removal followed by alternative data recovery approaches.

The so-called .KEYPASS files virus is a ransomware threat of unknown origin. As a typical data locker ransomware it plagues computer systems with the primary purpose to encode important files stored on their drives and enable hackers to blackmail victims into paying a ransom for a decryption key. Files corrupted by this threat are renamed with the distinctive extension .KEYPASS. The access to their data is restricted due to modifications of their code. Upon encryption a ransom message kept in the file !!!KEYPASS_DECRYPTION_INFO!!!.txt appears on the screen to demand a ransom payment of $300.

Threat Summary

Name	.KEYPASS Files Virus
Type	Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description	A data locker ransomware that utilizes strong cihper algorithm to encrypt valuable files stored on the infected computer. Upon encryption a ransom message blacmails victims into paying a ransom of $300 for a decryption key.
Symptoms	Important files are locked and renamed with .KEYPASS extension. The access to their information remains blocked until an efficient recovery tool reverses their original code.
Distribution Method	Spam Emails, Email Attachments
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by .KEYPASS Files Virus Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join Our Forum to Discuss .KEYPASS 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.

.KEYPASS Files Virus – Distribution

Security researchers detected that ongoing campaigns are spreading .KEYPASS ransomware payload worldwide. The infection code of .KEYPASS files virus may be spread with the help of malspam e-mail campaigns. E-mails used for malicious purposes usually contain one or more of the following components:

• A link that lands on compromised web page set to download and execute the infection file directly on the PC.
• A malicious file attachment masked as a legitimate document and uploaded in a .rar or .zip archive. Such a file could be set to evade detection and this way tricks you into allowing the ransomware to start on your PC.

As reported by users infected by .KEYRASS ransomware some of the products uploaded on the malicious website cracksfiles.com are also set to distribute the infection files of the threat. Eventually, once opened on a computer, files downloaded by this website infect it with the ransomware. The bad news is that this website is likely to be just one of many other unknown compromised websites that distribute .KEYPASS crypto virus.

In addition, fake software installers, fake update notifications, compromised software setups, files shared on forums and other techniques may download and activate the ransomware module.

.KEYPASS Files Virus – Infection Overview

An infection with .KEYPASS files virus leads to corrupted system settings and data encryption. Once the ransomware payload is executed on the system it initiates a sequence of malicious operations that enable it to complete the attack to its very end.

When loaded for the first time on the computer .KEYPASS files virus creates a copy of its executable file and places it in the following folder:

• %AppData%

Then it launches the newly created file and deletes the initial file version from the original location. The ransomware is also likely to create or drop additional malicious files on the system. And there are several other folders that may store associated malicious files:

• %AppData%
• %Local%
• %LocalLow%
• %Roaming%
• %Temp%
• %Windows%

Once all malicious files are established the ransomware is ready to implement some changes that ensure its persistent presence on the system. These changes mostly affect the registry sub-keys Run and RunOnce. This could be explained by the fact that these keys manage the automatic execution of all essential files and objects that support the normal system load on its start. By manipulating their functionalities .KEYPASS virus takes the advantage to execute automatically its malicious files on each system start. Which in turn leads to the corruption of all files created before the last system shut down.

After all infection stages are competed the ransomware drops a file called !!!KEYPASS_DECRYPTION_INFO!!!.txt on the device. This file contains a ransom message left by hackers and all it reads is:

Attention!

All your files, documents, photos, databases and other important files are encrypted and have the extension: .KEYPASS
The only method of recovering files is to purchase an decrypt software and unique private key.
After purchase you will start decrypt software, enter your unique private key and it will decrypt all your data.
Only we can give you this key and only we can recover your files.
You need to contact us by e-mail [email protected] send us your personal ID and wait for further instructions.
For you to be sure, that we can decrypt your files – you can send us a 1-3 any not very big encrypted files and we will send you back it in a original form FREE.
Price for decryption $300.
This price avaliable if you contact us first 72 hours.
E-mail address to contact us:
[email protected]
Reserve e-mail address to contact us
[email protected]
Your personal id:
[redacted 40 alpha]

It becomes clear that hackers hope that you will contact them and pay a ransom of $300. However, we strongly advise you to refrain from these actions and attempt to overcome the problem by yourself. You can do this with the help of the removal guide at the end. It presents steps on how to clean all harmful files from the system and how to potentially restore some of the encrypted files.

.KEYPASS Files Virus – Data Encryption Process

The primary purpose of .KEYPASS crypto virus alike each other data locker ransomware is data encryption. When it reaches this stage of the infection the ransomware triggers its built-in encryption module that uses the symmetric algorithm AES-256 to change parts of the original code of target files.

This stage begins with a scan of predefined system drives for target types of files and ends with the corruption of all files that match all parameters set in the code. As a result, the access to valuable files remains restricted until an efficient recovery tool reverts their original code. All of the following types of data may be encrypted by .KEYPASS files virus:

• Audio files
• Video files
• Document files
• Image files
• Backup files
• Banking credentials, etc

The analysis of threat’s samples reveal that files stored in the following folders remain untouched and safe:

• C:\Windows\
• C:\Program Files \Mozilla Firefox\
• C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\
• C:\Program Files\Google\
• D:\Windows\
• D:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\
• D:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\
• D:\Program Files\Google\

In fact, the name of this ransomware is a derivative of the distinctive extension it uses to mark corrupted files – .KEYPASS. An additional impact caused by the threat may be the deletion of Shadow Volume Copies from the Windows operating system. This happens after the following command is run in the command prompt pannel:

→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet

With this command, the ransomware aims to eliminate one of the prominent ways of data recovery. Happily, there are other alternative methods that may help you to restore a few to all of your .KEYPASS files. Find some of them int he guide that follows.

Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus and Restore Data

Below you could find how to remove .KEYPASS crypto virus step by step. To manually remove this ransomware you need to have a bit of technical experience and ability to recognize traits of malware files. Beware that ransomware is a threat with highly complex code that plagues not only your files but your whole system. So as recommended by security researchers you need to utilize an advanced anti-malware tool for its complete removal. Such a tool will keep your system protected against devastating threats like .KEYPASS virus and other kinds of malware that endanger your online security.

After you remove the ransomware make sure to check the “Restore Files” step listed in the guide below. But before you take any further actions, don’t forget to back up all encrypted files to an external drive in order to prevent their irreversible loss.

Manually delete .KEYPASS Files Virus from your computer

Note! Substantial notification about the .KEYPASS Files Virus threat: Manual removal of .KEYPASS Files Virus 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 .KEYPASS Files 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 .KEYPASS Files Virus 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 of your computer to change different settings. This is why manual clean up of your Windows Registry Database is strongly recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit lenghty, we recommend following our instructive article about fixing registry entries.

2. Find malicious files created by .KEYPASS Files Virus on your PC

Find malicious files created by .KEYPASS Files 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.

Automatically remove .KEYPASS Files Virus by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove .KEYPASS Files Virus.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus. Back up your data to secure it against infections and file encryption by .KEYPASS Files Virus in the future.

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 update automatically.

Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab first and from the window that apears click on ‘Start Scan’.

Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any .KEYPASS Files Virus files, you can remove them automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 3: Once the intrusions 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 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

2. Restore files encrypted by .KEYPASS Files Virus

Restore Files Encrypted by .KEYPASS Files Virus

Ransomware infections like .KEYPASS Files Virus aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to directly 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 they may not be 100% effective but they may help you little or a lot in some situations.

Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software.
Another method of 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:

• Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery Technicians License(Pro version with more features)
• Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery
• Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery

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:

• Kaspersky Decryptors
• Emsisoft Decryptors

Urgent! It is strongly advisable to first remove the .KEYPASS Files Virus threat before attempting any decryption, since it may interfere with system files and registries. You can do the removal yourself just in 5 minutes, using an advanced malware removal tool.

Method 3: Using Shadow Explorer

To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for shadow copies in Windows using this software if ransomware has not deleted them:

• Shadow Explorer

Method 4: Finding .KEYPASS Files Virus decryption key while it communicates it via a network sniffing software.

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:

Instructions on How to Find Decryption Key for Files Encrypted By Ransowmare

Optional: Using Alternative Anti-Malware Tools

Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus Using Other Alternative Tools

STOPZilla Anti Malware

1. Download and Install STOPZilla Anti-malware to Scan for And Remove .KEYPASS Files Virus.
Step 1: Download STOPZilla by clicking here.
Step 2: A pop-up window will appear. Click on the ‘Save File’ button. If it does not, click on the Download button and save it afterwards.

Step 3: After you have downloaded the setup, simply open it.
Step 4: The installer should appear. Click on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 5: Check the ‘I accept the agreement’ check circle if not checked if you accept it and click the ‘Next’ button once again.

Step 6: Review and click on the ‘Install’ button.

Step 7: After the installation process has completed click on the ‘Finish’ button.

2. Scan your PC with STOPZilla Anti Malware to remove all .KEYPASS Files Virus associated files completely.
Step 1: Launch STOPZilla if you haven’t launched it after install.
Step 2: Wait for the software to automatically scan and then click on the ‘Repair Now’ button. If it does not scan automatically, click on the ‘Scan Now’ button.

Step 3: After the removal of all threats and associated objects, you should Restart your PC.

Gergana Ivanova

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.

More Posts

Follow Me: