DEcovid19bot Ransomware
DEcovid19bot is a ransomware infection that has been lurking around the web for some time now. Its creators have decided to misuse the name of the nasty virus that has changed the world in 2020. Like the physical infection, this ransomware causes permanent damage to its victims.
It invades computer systems and obtains the rights to corrupt various essential settings. The worst impact caused by the so-called DEcovid19bot ransomware is victims’ data staying encrypted by the threat. Quite logically, the ransomware is developed to mark files it compromises with the extension .covid19.
Since .covid19 files are very likely to initially store valuable information the tool that can recover them has a price. Like a typical ransomware infection, the DEcovid19bot creates its ransom demanding noted on compromised systems and extorts a ransom payment from victims.
If you want to secure your PC and attempt to recover .covid19 files, keep up with this ransomware removal guide and avoid acting as expected by hackers.
DEcovid19bot Ransomware Summary
| Name | DEcovid19bot |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | A data locker ransomware that utilizes combination of two sophisticated cipher algorithms to encrypt valuable files stored on devices it infects and requests payment for .covid19 files recovery. |
| Symptoms | Important files are corrupted and renamed with the .covid19 or .locked extension. Ransom note appears on screen to extors a ransom payment. |
| Ransom Notes | !DECRYPT_FILES.txt / ATTENTION!!!.txt |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Corrupted Web Pages |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss DEcovid19bot 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. |
DEcovid19bot Virus in More Details
Hackers utilize various shady methods for the spread of the DEcovid19bot virus. All these methods are designed in a way to trick you into starting the ransomware payload on your PC without thinking that it will corrupt your whole system and data.
The main spread method is believed to be malwspam. It enables hackers to send spam email messages to a large number of people. These messages usually pretend to be sent by legitimate companies/businesses like internet providers, banking institutions, popular websites, delivery companies, and sometimes governmental institutions.
The malicious program is likely to establish a bunch of files in order to become able to complete its complex attack. By activating its malicious files, the ransomware can find a way to prevent being detected, obtain rights to load on every system start, and trick the PC to load its ransom note at the end of the attack.
Malicious files installed by the DEcovid19bot ransomware could be found inside the following system folders:
- \Desktop\
- \User_folders\
- \%TEMP%\
As reported this infection presents its victims with two different notes. So if you are a victim of this threat, you are likely to find the file !DECRYPT_FILES.txt or ATTENTION!!!.txt somewhere on the infected machine. Below you can see screenshots of these two notes:
And
These notes contain details on how to contact hackers (via DEcovid19bot chat channel on Telegram), how much time you have to pay the ransom, and other details about the negotiation process.
.covid19 Files
The main stage of the whole attack is the data encryption. It transforms files by making them completely inaccessible. Unfortunately, an infection with this crypto virus could lead to the corruption of valuable files including but not limiting to your:
- Audio files;
- Video files;
- Document files;
- Image files;
- Backup files;
- Banking credentials, etc.
Upon encryption, all corrupted files appear with three extensions the last of which is the extension .covid19. Another variant of the same threat is known to use the malicious extension .locked to mark files it corrupts. The two variants of DEcovid19bot or simply Covid19 ransomware use the ransom notes variants presented above to request a ransom fee.
Remove DEcovid19bot Ransomware Virus and Restore Data
Below you could find how a step-by-step DEcovid19bot ransomware removal guide. Since the manual removal approach demands a bit of technical experience and knowledge of how to recognize malicious traits left on the system, we included an automatic approach for all of you who don’t feel like dealing with ransomware manually. Beware that ransomware is a threat with highly complex code that plagues not only your files but your whole system. This, in turn, prevents you from using the infected machine securely until the moment when you clean all malware files from it.
Beware that before beginning the data recovery process shown in the guide you should back up all encrypted files to an external drive. This step is important as it will help you to prevent irreversibly losing your files.
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.
- Guide 1: How to Remove DEcovid19bot Ransomware from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of DEcovid19bot Ransomware from Mac OS X.
How to Remove DEcovid19bot Ransomware from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove DEcovid19bot Ransomware
Step 2: Uninstall DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by DEcovid19bot 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 DEcovid19bot 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: Scan for DEcovid19bot Ransomware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by DEcovid19bot Ransomware.
Ransomware infections and DEcovid19bot 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 top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
Get rid of DEcovid19bot Ransomware from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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:
- 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 DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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:
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 DEcovid19bot Ransomware.
Ransomware infections and DEcovid19bot 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 top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
DEcovid19bot Ransomware FAQ
What is DEcovid19bot Ransomware ransomware and how does it work?
DEcovid19bot 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 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 DEcovid19bot Ransomware ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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 DEcovid19bot 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 .DEcovid19bot Ransomware files?
You can't. At this point the .DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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 .DEcovid19bot Ransomware files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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 ".DEcovid19bot Ransomware" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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 DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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 DEcovid19bot Ransomware ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .DEcovid19bot Ransomware files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like DEcovid19bot Ransomware 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.
