This article will aid you to remove .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware. Follow the ransomware removal instructions provided at the end of the article.
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware is one that encrypts your data and demands money as a ransom to get it restored. Files will receive the .p3rf0rm4 extension. The .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware will leave ransomware instructions as a desktop wallpaper image. Keep on reading the article and see how you could try to potentially recover some of your locked files and data.
Threat Summary
| Name | .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts files by placing the .p3rf0rm4 extension on the target files on your computer system and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt your files and leave a ransom note with payment instructions. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware. |
| 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. |
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware – Distribution Techniques
The captured samples associated with the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware appear to belong to the Paradise family of viruses. This is a relatively new group of ransomware that are popular with hackers as customization options are frequently offered on the dark underground networks. There is no information available about the hacker collective behind the attacks, it is assumed that they might be inexperienced due to the choice of using a customized variant of a well-known threat.
The hackers can spread the threat by sending out phishing email messages which are sent in a large volume to the intended recipients. They are designed in order to replicate the design and contents of legitimate and well-known company and services. Through interaction with them or by accessing the attached files the virus infection can be invoked.
Another popular mechanism is the creation of malicious sites that are presented to the visitors as safe download portals, search engines and product landing pages. They may use similar sounding domain names and self-signed security certificates in order to appear as more legitimate.
Many of the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware infections can be caused by the use of payload carriers which are one of the most popular methods used by hackers. They aim to present files of various types that are frequently used by users by carrying inside them the virus deployment code. There are two main types:
- Software Setup Files — The virus engine can be placed in software installers. The hackers make them by taking the legitimate files from their official sources and modifying them to include the relevant code. Usually the target applications are system utilities, creativity programs, office and productivity tools and etc.
- Infected Documents — Macros that lead to the ransomware infection can be placed in the most popular document formats: presentations, rich text documents, databases and spreadsheets. Whenever they are opened a prompt appears that will ask the users to enable the built-in commands, usually the quoted reason is that this is required in order to correctly view the contents of the files.
Many of them are also shared on file sharing networks like BitTorrent which are used by computer users to share both legitimate and pirate content.
Larger distribution is usually made possible by the use of browser hijackers — dangerous web browser plugins which are usually uploaded to their relevant repositories. They are often added with fake user reviews and developer credentials that promise greater enhancement of the programs. As soon as they are installed by the users the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware will be installed.
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware – Detailed Analysis
The Paradise family of viruses of which the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware is part of is known to have a modular framework. This makes it possible for the engine to conduct various types of malware activities.
Many of them choose to begin the infection with a data harvesting module. It is primarily used to expose the identity of the victim users by looking for strings such as their name, address, interests and even any stored account credentials. The same mechanism can be applied in order to generate an unique ID which can be applied to every affected computer.
The collected information can be used by another module known as security bypass that can search and remove any programs and services that can block the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware from running. This is done by scanning the memory and hard disk contents for them: anti-virus programs, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, virtual machine hosts and etc.
As soon as the virus has ben deployed on the systems it will be able to cause a lot of system changes. Many of them are related to the Windows Registry where new values can be made and existing ones can be modified. This effectively leads to severe performance issues, data loss and unexpected errors. Viruses like this one can hook up to existing processes or create new ones, including ones with administrative privileges.
Additional threats can be deployed to the victims. One of the most common ones are the Trojans — they establish a persistent installation to a hacker-controlled server. As a consequence the hacker controllers will have the ability to take over control of the machines, steal user data and spy on the victims in real-time. Other components can be added at any time by the hackers by uploading the new modules and relaunching the attack campaigns.
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware – Encryption Process
Like other popular malware samples the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware will launch the encryption engine once all prior modules have finished running. It will probably use a built-in list of target file type extensions which are to be processed by a strong cipher. An example list can include the following data types:
- Backups
- Databases
- Archives
- Images
- Music
- Videos
All affected files are renamed with the .p3rf0rm4 extension. A ransomware note will be produced in a text file called “Instructions with your files.txt”.
Remove .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware and Try to Restore Data
If your computer system got infected with the .p3rf0rm4 ransomware virus, 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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Step 1: Scan for .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware and related malware 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 delete most unwanted and malicious programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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 .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware.
Method 1: Use STOP Decrypter by Emsisoft.
Not all variants of this ransomware can be decrypted for free, but we have added the decryptor used by researchers that is often updated with the variants which become eventually decrypted. You can try and decrypt your files using the instructions below, but if they do not work, then unfortunately your variant of the ransomware virus is not decryptable.
Follow the instructions below to use the Emsisoft decrypter and decrypt your files for free. You can download the Emsisoft decryption tool linked here and then follow the steps provided below:
1 Right-click on the decrypter and click on Run as Administrator as shown below:
2. Agree with the license terms:
3. Click on "Add Folder" and then add the folders where you want files decrypted as shown underneath:
4. Click on "Decrypt" and wait for your files to be decoded.
Note: Credit for the decryptor goes to Emsisoft researchers who have made the breakthrough with this virus.
Method 2: Use data recovery software
Ransomware infections and .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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 the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware-FAQ
What is .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Ransomware?
.p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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 algorithms 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.
What Does .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Ransomware Do?
Ransomware in general is a malicious software that is designed to block access to your computer or files until a ransom is paid.
Ransomware viruses can also damage your system, corrupt data and delete files, resulting in the permanent loss of important files.
How Does .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Infect?
Via several ways..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing emails, 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.
Another way you may become a victim of .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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 ..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the ..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted using a specific decryption key for the particular algorithm.
What to Do If a Decryptor Does Not Work?
Do not panic, and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your ..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore "..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore ..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware files.
These methods are in no way 100% guaranteed that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How To Get Rid of .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti-malware program.
It will scan for and locate .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..p3rf0rm4 Ransomware files.
Can I 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.
Can You Stop Ransomware from Encrypting Your Files?
Yes, you can prevent ransomware. The best way to do this is to ensure your computer system is updated with the latest security patches, use a reputable anti-malware program and firewall, backup your important files frequently, and avoid clicking on malicious links or downloading unknown files.
Can .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Ransomware Steal Your Data?
Yes, in most cases ransomware will steal your information. It is a form of malware that steals data from a user's computer, encrypts it, and then demands a ransom in order to decrypt it.
In many cases, the malware authors or attackers will threaten to delete the data or publish it online unless the ransom is paid.
Can Ransomware Infect WiFi?
Yes, ransomware can infect WiFi networks, as malicious actors can use it to gain control of the network, steal confidential data, and lock out users. If a ransomware attack is successful, it could lead to a loss of service and/or data, and in some cases, financial losses.
Should I Pay Ransomware?
No, you should not pay ransomware extortionists. Paying them only encourages criminals and does not guarantee that the files or data will be restored. The better approach is to have a secure backup of important data and be vigilant about security in the first place.
What Happens If I Don't Pay Ransom?
If you don't pay the ransom, the hackers may still have access to your computer, data, or files and may continue to threaten to expose or delete them, or even use them to commit cybercrimes. In some cases, they may even continue to demand additional ransom payments.
Can a Ransomware Attack Be Detected?
Yes, ransomware can be detected. Anti-malware software and other advanced security tools can detect ransomware and alert the user when it is present on a machine.
It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest security measures and to keep security software updated to ensure ransomware can be detected and prevented.
Do Ransomware Criminals Get Caught?
Yes, ransomware criminals do get caught. Law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, Interpol and others have been successful in tracking down and prosecuting ransomware criminals in the US and other countries. As ransomware threats continue to increase, so does the enforcement activity.
About the .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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 .p3rf0rm4 Ransomware 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.
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