This article will help you remove ABC Locker ransomware absolutely. Follow the ransomware removal instructions given at the bottom.
ABC Locker is the name of a newly-found ransomware cryptovirus. The ransomware will encrypt your files and deem them inaccessible. The ABC Locker virus displays a ransom note inside a file called OPEN_TO_UNLOCK_YOUR_FILES.html. The file opens an HTML WebPage with text and instructions. The ransom of around 0.5 Bitcoins is demanded to be paid for allegedly getting your files back. Keep reading below to see how you could try to potentially restore some of your data.
Threat Summary
| Name | ABC Locker |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts files on your computer and displays a ransom message afterward. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt your files and put up a ransom note inside a text file called OPEN_TO_UNLOCK_YOUR_FILES.html. with the demand of paying 0.5 BitCoins. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
Download
Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss ABC Locker. |
| 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. |
ABC Locker – Update November 2017
A new string of the ABC Locker malware has been spotted in the middle of November and news about is already spreading. Interstingly enough, the virus uses the ransom note message of another malware family which is not very common in the ransomware world, although it has happened before.
The ABC ransomware uses the same Onion page on the TOR network as the Jaff and Locky Ransomware viruses:
The page reads the following:
ABC Decryptor™
We present a special software – ABC Decryptor™ –
which allows to decrypt and return control to all your encrypted files.How to buy ABC Decryptor™?
You can make a payment with BitCoins, there are many methods to get them.
You should register BitCoin wallet:
Simplest online wallet or Some other methods of creating wallet
Purchasing Bitcoins, although it’s not yet easy to buy bitcoins, it’s getting simpler every day.
Here are our recommendations:localbitcoins.com (WU) Buy Bitcoins with Western Union.
coincafe.com Recommended for fast, simple service.
Payment Methods: Western Union, Bank of America, Cash by FedEx, Moneygram, Money Order. In NYC: Bitcoin ATM, in person.
localbitcoins.com Service allows you to search for people in your community willing to sell bitcoins to you directly.
cex.io Buy Bitcoins with VISA/MASTERCARD or wire transfer.
btcdirect.eu The best for Europe.
bitquick.co Buy Bitcoins instantly for cash.
howtobuybitcoins.info An international directory of bitcoin exchanges.
cashintocoins.com Bitcoin for cash.
coinjar.com CoinJar allows direct bitcoin purchases on their site.
anxpro.com
bittylicious.comFree decryption as guarantee
Before paying you can send us up to 1 file for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 1Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.)Wait, we’ll send you a Decryptor by email.
The newly placed extensions to encrypted seem to be random for each victim. An example would be .k351povd. Malware researchers state that this variant of the virus has been noted to be circling the Web space since two months ago. However, more victims claim to be infected, this November.
ABC Locker Ransomware – Spread
ABC Locker ransomware could spread its infection with various methods. A payload dropper which initiates the malicious script for this ransomware is being spread around the World Wide Web, and researchers have gotten their hands on a malware sample. If that file lands on your computer system and you somehow execute it – your computer system will become infected. You can see the detections of such a file on the VirusTotal service right here:
ABC Locker ransomware 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. Refrain from opening files right after you have downloaded them. You should first scan them with a security tool, while also checking their size and signatures for anything that seems out of the ordinary. You should read the tips for preventing ransomware found in our forums.
ABC Locker Ransomware – Overview
ABC Locker is a virus that encrypts your files and extorts you to pay a ransom sum to get them back to normal. The ransom sum will double if you do not pay within 5 days.
ABC Locker ransomware might make entries in the Windows Registry to achieve persistence, and could launch or repress processes in a Windows environment. Such entries are typically designed in a way to launch the virus automatically with each start of the Windows Operating System.
That ransom note is inside a file called OPEN_TO_UNLOCK_YOUR_FILES.html which will open up an HTML Web page which you can preview down below:
The note reads the following:
All your files have been encrypted by ABC Locker
All your files have been encrypted with an unique password using AES-256 CBC encryption.You are able to unlock your files by paying 0.5 Bitcoins (~€249 / $275)
If payment is not made with 5 days the cost of decrypting your files will rise to 1 Bitcoins (~€500 / $550)!
The only way to get your files back is by purchasing the decryption password!
The decryption password will cost 0.5 Bitcoins = $/€249.
You have 5 days before the price increases to $/€500!Antivirus software will NOT be able to recover your files! The only way to recover your files is by purchasing the decryption password.
On this page you will be able to purchase the bitcoins needed to receive the unique decryption password and decryption software to unlock your files.
After you have paid the requested amount in bitcoins refresh this webpage.
At the bottom of the page and your unique decryption password will appear alongside a download link for the decryption software.How to buy Bitcoins:
1. Register a bitcoin wallet (optional)
You can either register your own bitcoin wallet or have the bitcoin seller send the bitcoins directly to your address (click here for more information)
2. Purchasing Bitcoins
You need to purchase 0.5 Bitcoins
Below are a couple websites that allow you to purchase bitcoins
https://bitonic.nl – Purchase Bitcoin with iDeal and MisterCash
https://www.coinbase.com – Purchase bitcoins with your bank account or credit card
https://www.litebit.eu – Purchase bitcoins with Sofort Banking / Giropay / iDeal
https://www.coinjar.com – Purchase Bitcoins with CreditCard / Bank Transfer
https://btcdirect.eu – Purchase Bitcoins with iDeal / Bancontact / Bank transfer
https://localbitcoins.com – Purchase bitcoins with a variety of payment methods such as bank transfer, western union, cash, paypal and credit card
https://www.bitstamp.net – Purchase Bitcoins through bank transfer
https://anycoindirect.eu – Purchase Bitcoins with Giropay / Trustpay / iDeal / SEPA / Bancontact / Mistercash3. Send \”0.5\” Bitcoins toNetwork.getAddress()
4. Confirm your payment
Once you have paid the required amount of bitcoins refresh this webpage
Please note that it can take up to 20 minutes for the payment to be confirmed.5. Go to https://dw2dzfkwejxaskxr.onion/abc/Form1.getMachineID() after making full payment and get the tool to decrypt your files and open them again. For help with payment, email abchelper@sigant.org
The note of the ABC Locker ransomware states that your files are encrypted. The demanded ransom sum is 0.5 BitCoin or 275 US dollars from the time the ransomware has been developed. At the time of writing of this article that amount of Bitcoin amounts to 1280 US dollars. If 5 days pass without you paying, the sum doubles. You should NOT under any circumstances pay anything. Your files may not get restored, and nobody could guarantee it. Moreover, giving money to cybercriminals will likely motivate them to create more ransomware viruses or do similar criminal acts.
ABC Locker Ransomware – Encryption
The encryption process of the ABC Locker ransomware is utilized with the help of AES-256 CBC encryption algorithm. It will encrypt your files and probably place an extension to all of them, after which it will create the above-mentioned ransom note.
The targeted extensions of files which are sought to get encrypted equal to a little over 240 different extensions and are listed right down here:
→.001, .1cd, .3fr, .3gp, .7z, .DayZProfile, .ac3, .acc, .accdb, .ai, .ape, .apk, .arch00, .arw, .asp, .asset, .avi, .bak, .bar, .bay, .bc6, .bc7, .big, .bik, .bkf, .bkp, .blob, .bmp, .bsa, .bson, .cas, .cdr, .cer, .cfr, .cpp, .cr2, .crt, .crw, .cs, .css, .csv, .d3dbsp, .das, .dat, .dazip, .db, .db0, .dbf, .dbfv, .dcr, .der, .desc, .divx, .djvu, .dmp, .dng, .doc, .docm, .docx, .dwg, .dxf, .dxg, .epk, .eps, .epub, .erf, .esm, .exif, .ff, .flac, .flv, .forge, .fos, .fpk, .fsh, .gdb, .gho, .gif, .gzip, .h, .hkdb, .hkx, .hplg, .htm, .html, .hvpl, .ibank, .icxs, .ifo, .indd, .iso, .itdb, .itl, .itm, .iwd, .iwi, .java, .jfif, .jpeg, .jpg, .js, .jsp, .kdb, .kdc, .kf, .kwm, .layout, .lbf, .litemod, .lrf, .ltx, .lvl, .m2, .m2v, .m3u, .m4a, .map, .max, .mcgame, .mcmeta, .md, .mdb, .mdbackup, .mddata, .mdf, .mef, .menu, .mkv, .mlx, .mov, .mp3, .mp4, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpqge, .mrw, .mrwref, .myd, .ncf, .nef, .nrw, .ntl, .odb, .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt, .orf, .p12, .p7b, .p7c, .pak, .pdd, .pdf, .pef, .pem, .pfx, .php, .pkpass, .png, .pps, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx, .psd, .psk, .pst, .ptx, .pwm, .py, .qbb, .qbw, .qdf, .qic, .r3d, .raf, .rar, .raw, .rb, .rdf, .re4, .rgss3a, .rim, .rofl, .rtf, .rw2, .rwl, .sav, .sb, .sc2save, .sid, .sidd, .sidn, .sie, .sis, .slm, .snx, .sql, .sqlite, .sr2, .srf, .srw, .sum, .svg, .syncdb, .t12, .t13, .tar, .tax, .tif, .tor, .torrent, .txt, .unity3d, .upk, .vdf, .vfs0, .vob, .vpk, .vpp_pc, .vtf, .w3x, .wav, .wb2, .wma, .wmo, .wmv, .wotreplay, .wpd, .wps, .x3f, .xf, .xlk, .xls, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xml, .xxx, .zip, .ztmp
The ABC Locker cryptovirus 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
In case the command stated above is executed that would make the encryption process more efficient as it will eliminate one of the ways for restoring your data. If your computer device was infected with this ransomware and your files are locked, read on through to find out how you could potentially recover your data.
Remove ABC Locker Ransomware and Restore Data
If your computer got infected with the ABC Locker 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.
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
- Step 5
Step 1: Scan for ABC Locker with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by ABC Locker.
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 ABC Locker 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.
ABC Locker-FAQ
What is ABC Locker Ransomware?
ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker Infect?
Via several ways.ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 .ABC Locker files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the .ABC Locker 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 .ABC Locker files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore ".ABC Locker" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this ABC Locker 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 ABC Locker 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.
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.