Ransomware infection, calling itself CryptoLockerEU 2016 uses the “.send 0.3 BTC crypt” file extension which it adds to files it encrypts on infected computers. This is the first case we’ve seen where the ransom money demanded are included in the file extension itself. The virus also drops a file, called “ĐŔŃŘČÔĐÎÂŔŇÜ ÔŔÉËŰ.txt” which translates to “ РАСШИФРОВАТЬ ФАЙЛЫ“, and means “DECRYPT FILES”, containing it’s ransom note. The file contains the ransom instructions on how to make a payoff to the cyber-criminals behind the virus so that they decrypt the files. Since such type of viruses often become decrypted, it is strongly advisable not to pay any ransom money since it is no guarantee you will get your files back. Instead, reccomendations are to remove CryptoLockerEU 2016 completely from your computer and while waiting for researchers to decrypt the virus if they succeed, to try alternative methods like the ones in the instructions below to restore your files.

SensorsTechForum is investigating this malware. Expect an update here soon.

Threat Summary

Name	CryptoLockerEU 2016
Type	Ransomware
Short Description	CryptoLockerEU 2016 encrypts files using a strong encryption cipher after which drops a ransom note in a .txt file with ransom demands.
Symptoms	A .txt file named “DECRYPT FILES” or “РАСШИФРОВАТЬ ФАЙЛЫ“ dropped on the infected PC. Files unopenable with an added “.send 0.3 BTC Crypt” file extension on them.
Distribution Method	Spam Emails, Email Attachments, File Sharing Networks.
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by CryptoLockerEU 2016 Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join our forum to Discuss CryptoLockerEU 2016 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.

CryptoLockerEU 2016 – Distribution Strategy

In case you have opened an e-mail attachment or clicked on a suspicious URL featured in a spam message you believed was real, there is a very good possibility that this may have caused a CryptoLockerEU 2016 infection. Such malware usually spreads via an exploit kit or a malicious .js(JavaScript) file that may cause a “fileless” infection. Common message topics that may spread the CryptoLockerEU 2016 could be on different subjects, similar to the following:

• Upgrade to Windows 10 for Free.
• Claim the free iTunes tracks now.
• You have lost access to your PayPal funds.
• Your flight status has been confirmed.
• Someone wants to add you on LinkedIn.

The e-mails usually may contain buttons that lead to malicious URLs or attachments concealed as documents or other legitimate types of files.

CryptoLockerEU 2016 – More Information

There is little information known about this threat. However, from what is familiar so far, it has not been created by someone experienced, because the ransom note is very poorly written and at times it is not understandable.

After infection, CryptoLockerEU 2016 may situate files in %User’sProfile% AND %AppData% folders. The files may be of the following file types:

The main executable file of the ransomware (.exe) may contain a completely random name, such as 982d230d23d32.exe and it may be set in a registry entry to run every time Windows starts. The entry may be located on one of the following keys in the Windows Registry editor:

When the malicious executable has been ran, it immediately may begin encrypting files. Similar to previous CryptoLocker versions, thit may look fo the following file extensions to encrypt them:

→.7z .rar .m4a .wma .avi .wmv .csv .d3dbsp .sc2save .sie .sum .ibank .t13 .t12 .qdf .gdb .tax .pkpass .bc6 .bc7 .bkp .qic .bkf .sidn .sidd .mddata .itl .itdb .icxs .hvpl .hplg .hkdb .mdbackup .syncdb .gho .cas .svg .map .wmo .itm .sb .fos .mcgame .vdf .ztmp .sis .sid .ncf .menu .layout .dmp .blob .esm .001 .vtf .dazip .fpk .mlx .kf .iwd .vpk .tor .psk .rim .w3x .fsh .ntl .arch00 .lvl .snx .cfr .ff .vpp_pc .lrf .m2 .mcmeta .vfs0 .mpqge .kdb .db0 .DayZProfile .rofl .hkx .bar .upk .das .iwi .litemod .asset .forge .ltx .bsa .apk .re4 .sav .lbf .slm .bik .epk .rgss3a .pak .big .unity3d .wotreplay .xxx .desc .py .m3u .flv .js .css .rb .png .jpeg .txt .p7c .p7b .p12 .pfx .pem .crt .cer .der .x3f .srw .pef .ptx .r3d .rw2 .rwl .raw .raf .orf .nrw .mrwref .mef .erf .kdc .dcr .cr2 .crw .bay .sr2 .srf .arw .3fr .dng .jpe .jpg .cdr .indd .ai .eps .pdf .pdd .psd .dbfv .mdf .wb2 .rtf .wpd .dxg .xf .dwg .pst .accdb .mdb .pptm .pptx .ppt .xlk .xlsb .xlsm .xlsx .xls .wps .docm .docx .doc .odb .odc .odm .odp .ods .odt

After the encryption process is complete, the files enciphered by CryptoLockerEU 2016 can no longer be opened by any type of software and looks like the following:

After the encryption, the virus drops a ransom note which is written in Russian and says “Decrypt Files”.txt in it’s names if you translate it. Interestingly enough the note itself is written in English:

This strongly suggests that CryptoLockerEU 2016 is created to be spread all over Europe as well as other places over the world.

CryptoLockerEU 2016 – Conclusion, Removal and File Restoration

The bottom line is that this virus appears to be created by a Russian cyber-crook who is not very experienced in malware and definitely in English. It may be someone pretending to be such by in any case malware researchers strongly advise against trusting the crook and paying the ransom. Instead, it is recommended to remove CryptoLockerEU 2016 by following the instructions below. In case you have difficulty in removing this malware manually it is experts recommend doing it automatically by using an advanced anti-malware tool which will scan for and find every object and file associated with CryptoLockerEU 2016 on your PC and protect it in the future as well.

To attempt and restore your files, you may want to try the methods which are illustrated in step “2. Restore files encrypted by CryptoLockerEU 2016” below until a free decryptor is publicly released.

Manually delete CryptoLockerEU 2016 from your computer

Note! Substantial notification about the CryptoLockerEU 2016 threat: Manual removal of CryptoLockerEU 2016 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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 files and objects

Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode

1. For Windows 7,XP and Vista. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by CryptoLockerEU 2016 on your PC.

For Windows XP, Vista, 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 the Start Menu

Step 2: Whilst holding down Shift button, click on Power and then click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, the aftermentioned menu will appear. From there you should choose Troubleshoot.

Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu you can choose Advanced Options.

Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.

Step 6: Click on Restart.

Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You should choose Safe Mode 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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 on your PC

Find malicious files created by CryptoLockerEU 2016

1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows 7,XP and Vista.

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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 by downloading an advanced anti-malware program

1. Remove CryptoLockerEU 2016 with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data

Remove CryptoLockerEU 2016 with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove CryptoLockerEU 2016.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove CryptoLockerEU 2016. Back up your data to secure it against infections and file encryption by CryptoLockerEU 2016 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 automatically update.

Step1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Scan Computer Now’ button.

Step2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any CryptoLockerEU 2016 files, click on the ‘Fix Threats’ button to remove them automatically and permanently.

Step3: Once the intrusions on your PC have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart it.

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 CryptoLockerEU 2016

Restore Files Encrypted by CryptoLockerEU 2016

Ransomware infections like CryptoLockerEU 2016 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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 Using Other Alternative Tools

STOPZilla Anti Malware

1. Download and Install STOPZilla Anti-malware to Scan for And Remove CryptoLockerEU 2016.
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 CryptoLockerEU 2016 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.

Vencislav Krustev

A network administrator and malware researcher at SensorsTechForum with passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cyber security. Strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.

More Posts - Website