This article will help you remove Evil Lock Virus totally. Follow the ransomware removal instructions given at the end of this article.
Evil Lock Virus is a new version of the Evil ransomware. Your files will get encrypted and receive the .evillock extension this time. Afterward, the Evil cryptovirus puts files with a ransom message on your PC, and some of them are placed on your Desktop. Read on to see what ways you could try out to see if you can potentially restore some of your files.
Threat Summary
| Name | Evil Lock |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts files on your computer and displays a ransom message afterward. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt your files and put the .evillock extension on each of them. |
| 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 Evil Lock. |
| 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. |
Evil Lock Virus – Distribution Methods
Evil Lock ransomware could be distributed through different methods. One of the ways is via a payload file which executes the malicious script for the ransomware. That script drops the payload, which in turn infects your computer machine. The ransomware also utilizes a JavaScript exploit that usually sends the OZV Trojan downloader. You can see the analysis for one of these payload files for the previous version of the ransomware on the VirusTotal service:
Evil Lock ransomware might also be distributing that payload file on social media sites and file-sharing services. Freeware applications found on the Internet can be presented as beneficial but also could be hiding the malicious script for this cryptovirus. Do not open files when you download them, especially if they come from suspicious sources, such as links and e-mails. First, you should scan the files with a security tool, and check their size and signatures for anything that seems out of place. You should read the ransomware preventing tips in the forum section.
Evil Lock Virus – Detailed Description
Evil Lock Virus is also a cryptovirus and the new variant for Evil Ransomware. The new iteration of the virus has changes in the ransom note and puts a different extension to encrypted files. All files on your computer machine while appending the .evillock extension to them when the process finishes.
Evil ransomware creates the following files on an infected system:
- HOW_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES.TXT
- HOW_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES.HTML
- background.png
- list.txt
The last file written above contains a list with the file that the ransomware has encrypted and is located in the following directory:
→%User%/AppData/Local/Temp/list.txt
Evil Lock ransomware could make entries in the Windows Registry aiming to achieve a high level of persistence. Such registry entries are typically designed in a way that will keep the virus automatically starting with each boot of the Windows Operating System.
The ransom note appears right after the encryption process is finished. The note provides the demands of the cyber criminals, such as the ransom price, along with all other instructions for decrypting your files. The note is contained in a file called HOW_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES.html which is copied to your desktop. A .txt file containing the same text is also created and put inside your disk drives. You can preview how the ransom note looks from the picture below:
That ransom note reads the following:
Hello.
Your UID: [Redacted] As you can see some of your files have been encrypted!
Encryption was made using a unique strongest AES key.
If you want restore your files you need to BUY the key, it costs 0.3 BTC.
Send me your ID to gena1983@mbx.kz
Just google how to buy bitcoins in your country. You have only 3 days to deadline!
After, your key will be deleted!
List of encrypted files
P.S. I can decrypt one encrypted file as evidence that there is decrypt
The ransomware developers of the Evil Lock virus have clearly stated their demands in the ransom note. The e-mail suggests that they want people to believe that Kazakhstan is the source of this malware. The cybercriminals claim that they will decrypt your files if you pay, but that may not be the case. Once they receive your money, they may want you to pay more or never even contact you. You should NOT in any circumstance pay them. Your files might not get restored, nd nothing can guarantee that. In addition, giving money to the criminals will most likely just motivate them to continue doing criminal acts.
Here you can see the full list with file extensions that the Evil Lock ransomware seeks to encrypt.
→.3fr, .accdb, .ai, .arw, .bay, .cdr, .cer, .certs, .cr2, .crt, .crw, .dbf, .dcr, .der, .dng, .doc, .dwg, .dxf, .dxg, .eps, .erf, .img, .indd, .jpg, .kdc, .mdb, .mdf, .mef, .mrw, .nef, .nrw, .odb, .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt, .orf, .p12, .p7b, .p7c, .pdd, .pef, .pem, .pfx, .ppt, .psd, .pst, .ptx, .pub, .r3d, .raf, .raw, .rtf, .rw2, .rwl, .sr2, .srf, .srw, .wb2, .wpd, .wps, .x3f, .xlk, .xls
All of the files that become encrypted will receive the same extension appended to each one of them, which is .evillock. The encryption algorithm that is utilized is AES or at least that is what is stated inside the ransom note message.
The Evil Lock cryptovirus is likely to erase the Shadow Copies from the Windows operating system by using the following command:
→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet
Continue to read and find out what kind of ways you can try out to potentially restore your files.
Remove Evil Lock Virus and Restore .evillock Files
If your computer got infected with the Evil Lock 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.
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 Evil Lock Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Evil Lock
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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock.
Ransomware infections and Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock:
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 Evil Lock. 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 Evil Lock. 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock. 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 Evil Lock.
Ransomware infections and Evil Lock 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.
Evil Lock FAQ
What is Evil Lock ransomware and how does it work?
Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 .Evil Lock files?
You can't. At this point the .Evil Lock 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 .Evil Lock files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by Evil Lock 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 ".Evil Lock" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock 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 Evil Lock ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .Evil Lock files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like Evil Lock 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.
