Beaf Ransomware
What is Beaf ransomware? It is a serious computer infection that has been released in the wild. It is developed to evade active security measures and then corrupt main system settings. Afterward, the virus scans system drives for different types of files with the purpose to encrypt their code. The data encryption process transforms files in such a way that they remain completely ususable. A trait that could help you recognize encrypted files is the extension .beaf that is part of their names.
Hackers have created this ransomware to extort ransom fees from victims. So, Beaf virus leaves a ransom message on all machines it infects. We do not recommend any contacts with cybercriminals.
Beaf Virus Summary
| Name | Beaf also known as Ransom:Win32/generic.ali2000027, Gen:Variant.Adware.ConvertAd.1427, Trojan:Win32/Genasom!MSR, ML.Attribute.HighConfidence |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Ransom Note | DecryptGuide.txt |
| Short Description | The threat encrypts files stored on your computer, marks them with the .beaf extension and displays a ransom message to demand a ransom payment for files recovery. |
| Symptoms | Important files are inaccessible and renamed with the .beaf extension. Hackers urge you to pay them a ransom for the decryption of .beaf files. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Corrupted Software Installers |
| Detection Tool |
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The Beaf Ransomware Virus In Details
Beaf is yet another ransomware that has been spotted in active attack campaigns. Its infection files are lurking around the web by being hidden in email attchments, torrent files, software installers, app cracks, etc. The ransomware could also be hosted on different hacked sites.
Malspam is the technique that is likely to be the main one used for the spread of Beaf virus files. It is the perfect choice for hackers as it enables them to reach the devices of many people around the globe. The malicious code may be delivered on PCs by being presented as a file attached to an email or a link featured in the email text message.
Crafted email messages part of malware attack campaigns tend to display the names of well-known businesses, services, and governmental institutions. Still, the email addresses may help you to recognize the threat before its too late. You should pay attention to them as they are often full of errors and contain starnge symbols.
If the Beaf ransomware manages to load on a PC, it will create several malicious files that will help it to finish the attack. You may find malicious files associated with Beaf virus in the following folders:
- %AppData%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Roaming%
- %Temp%
The infection process leads to lasting system changes that seriously disrupt the overall security. Hence, the PC infected by Beaf virus remains vulnerable to additional malware attacks as long as there are ransomware files running on it.
Infected may be the registry keys RUN and RUNONCE. The functionalities of these enalbe the ransomware to execute various files and apps automatically. And the Beaf ransomware will misuse them to load automatically its malicious files every time you start the infected PC.
When the data encryption stage takes place, the Beaf virus utilizes two complex cipher algorithms to encode personal files. The process leaves them out of order. Like other ransomware infections, this cryptovirus is likely to scan drives for all files that have one of following extensions:
→.zip, .rar, .7z, .tar, .gzip, .jpg, .jpeg, .psd, .cdr, .dwg, .max, .bmp, .gif, .png, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .txt, .pdf, .djvu, .htm, .html, .mdb, .cer, .p12, .pfx, .kwm, .pwm, .1cd, .md, .mdf, .dbf, .odt, .vob, .ifo, .lnk, .torrent, .mov, .m2v, .3gp, .mpeg, .mpg, .flv, .avi, .mp4, .wmv, .divx, .mkv, .mp3, .wav, .flac, .ape, .wma, .ac3
Whenever the threat detects a target file, it transforms parts of its original code. Then the file becomes unusable. It also appears with the extension .beaf appended to its name.
This nasty impact is misused by cybercriminals who stand behind Beaf ransomware attacks. Their threat will present you with a ransom message that forces you to pay a ransom fee for the recovery of .beaf files.
The ransom message stored by the text file DecryptGuide.txt reads the following:
[ATTENTION]All of your files are encrypted with RSA-2048 and AES-128 ciphers.
Decrypting of your files is only possible with the private key and decrypt program.Backups were either encrypted.
Shadow copies also removed, so F8 or any other methods may damage encrypted data but not recover.
We exclusively have decryption software for your situation.
No decryption software is available in the public.DO NOT RESET OR SHUTDOWN -files may be damaged.
DO NOT DELETE this file.To confirm your decryption software, please send 2 or 3 different random files and you will get them decrypted.
To get decryption, please contact us.
ha7medtit@tutanota.com
or
araujosantos@protonmail.comYou will receive btc address for payment in the reply letter.
!!!Your CODE is :
Apparently, the purpose of this file is to blackmail you to transfer a ransom fee to hackers’ cryptocurrency wallet. We recommend that you don’t trust hackers and cope with this ransomware by yourself instead. With the help of secure methods presented below you can clean your system and invest your time in a secure future for your PC.
Remove Beaf Virus and Try to Restore Data
The Xorist ransomware strain associated with Beaf extension is a threat with highly complex code that plagues not only your files but your whole system. So you should properly clean and secure your infected system before you could use it regularly again. Below you could find a step-by-step removal guide that may be helpful in attempting to remove this ransomware. Choose the manual removal approach if you have previous experience with malware files. If you don’t feel comfortable with the manual steps select the automatic section from the guide. Steps there enable you to check the infected system for ransomware files and remove them with a few mouse clicks.
Gergana Ivanova
Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online 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.
About the Beaf Virus Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Beaf Virus 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 Beaf Virus 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.
References
1. How to Recognize Spam Emails with Ransomware
2. How Does Ransomware Encryption Work?
3. How to Decrypt Ransomware Files
4. Ransomware Getting Greedier and Bigger, Attacks Increase by 40%
5. 1 in 5 Americans Victim of Ransomware
How to Remove Beaf Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Beaf Virus
1. Hold Windows Key + R.
2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.
3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".
4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.
5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.
Step 2: Uninstall Beaf 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:
1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.
2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.
3. This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press "Uninstall"
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by Beaf 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 Beaf Virus there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.
2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.
3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.
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 Beaf Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.
2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.
4. 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.
Video Guide for Automatic and Fast Removal
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by Beaf Virus.
Ransomware infections and Beaf 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
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.
Step 6: How to Restore Files Encrypted by Ransomware (Video Guide)
Get rid of Beaf Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Beaf 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:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to Beaf Virus:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to Beaf Virus. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash
”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference.
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to Beaf Virus. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- 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 Beaf 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:
1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as Beaf Virus. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
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 Beaf Virus.
Ransomware infections and Beaf 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
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.
Beaf Virus FAQ
What is Beaf Virus ransomware and how does it work?
Beaf 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 Beaf Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.Beaf 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 Beaf 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 .Beaf Virus files?
You can't. At this point the .Beaf 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 .Beaf Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by Beaf 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 ".Beaf 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 .Beaf 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 Beaf 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 Beaf Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .Beaf Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like Beaf 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.