A ransomware labeling itself as HiddenTear 2.0 is currently spreading around the Internet. The extension the ransomware puts to encrypted files is .isis and makes a file with instructions. The ransomware is part of “educational” series of ransomware, that gives the decryption key in some way. To remove the ransomware and check how you can restore your data, you should read this article to the end.
Threat Summary
| Name | HiddenTear 2.0 |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Short Description | The ransomware uses the AES algorithm and encrypts files placing .isis as an extension to them. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware does not demand money for decryption but instead creates a file with a randomly-generated password for decryption. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Suspicious Sites |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss HiddenTear 2.0. |
| 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. |
HiddenTear 2.0 Ransomware – Delivery
HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware is delivered through spam email campaigns. Spam emails have a file attached to them. The malicious code is inside that file. One such file goes by the name “skypetool.exe” and has a very rigid logo resembling the one of Skype, as you can see in the picture. Opening such an attachment and your computer will get infected. In other cases, the ransomware creators make the body of the email contain malicious code, where upon opening the said email the infection is spread.
Sites for social media networks and services about file-sharing might have such malware files as well. The malware creators may have put them there. To avoid most chances of getting infected with this ransomware virus you have to watch out for suspicious files and links, redirects and advertising that tries to trick you into clicking stuff. Anything of unknown origin around the Internet is a potential threat – just keep your eyes open.
HiddenTear 2.0 Ransomware – Description
HiddenTear 2.0 is the name that this ransomware gives itself. It encrypts files and creates a ransom note. An interesting fact is that instead of wanting money or BitCoins as payment, it tells users where they can find their randomly-generated decryption key. Security researchers have concluded that is indeed part of the HiddenTear series of ransomware, and it is presumed this is not a real threat, but done with an educational purpose.
You can never really know what the creators have planned. It can be a test for other ransomware viruses, and encrypting your files without explaining anything and just giving a decryption key is not well-planned for a lesson. Not to mention that it’s the same as real ransomware threats as your files will be encrypted and unusable.
Security researcher Jakub Kroustek from AVG has found this ransomware and has given it the name EduCrypt, because of the ransomware’s nature.
The ransomware could create an entry in the Windows Registry to execute automatic running of itself with every Windows start:
→HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run [exe name]
After encryption, the HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware creates a file named “README.txt” , which contains instructions on how you can restore your files. A decrypter tool is given, but that decrypter still searches for files with the .locked extension and doesn’t work. This is a screenshot of the note:
The ransom note states:
Well hello there, seems you have a virus! Well you are going to get the decryptor which is here https://www.filedropper.com/decrypter_1 Don’t Download Random Shit On The Internet A Hidden .txt File Has Been Created With The Decrypt Password! Find It!..
The text file which is created by the ransomware is called DecryptPassword.txt and contains a 15 symbol decryption key.
The HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware uses the AES algorithm for the encryption of files. File extensions which can get encrypted are the following:
→.jpg, .bmp, .png, .csv, .sql, .mdb, .sln, .php, .asp, .aspx, .html, .txt, .exe, .doc, .docx, .xls, .index, .pdf, .zip, .rar, .css, .lnk, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .odt, .xml, .psd, .bk, .bat, .mp3,. mp4, .wav, .wma, .avi, .divx, .mkv, .mpeg, .wmv, .mov, .ogg
When the encryption process is complete, each file on your computer will have one, and the same extension as an appendix – .isis. That might be a hint that some ransomware viruses on the Internet gather money for terrorist organizations such as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).
HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware probably deletes Shadow Volume Copies from any Windows operating system. At the end of the article, see what you can do to restore your files back to normal.
Remove HiddenTear 2.0 Ransomware and Restore .isis Encrypted Files
If your computer is infected by the HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware, do not worry as there are ways you can get your files back. This ransomware has unknown intentions – it might be a test for other ransomware. After getting your files back, you should remove it and be prepared with having anti-malware software in case of future breaches to your security. You can find all that below in the step-by-step instructions manual that is provided.
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 HiddenTear 2.0 Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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
- Guide 1: How to Remove HiddenTear 2.0 from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of HiddenTear 2.0 from Mac OS X.
How to Remove HiddenTear 2.0 from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove HiddenTear 2.0
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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0.
Ransomware infections and HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0:
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 HiddenTear 2.0. 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 HiddenTear 2.0. 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0. 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 HiddenTear 2.0.
Ransomware infections and HiddenTear 2.0 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.
HiddenTear 2.0 FAQ
What is HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware and how does it work?
HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 .HiddenTear 2.0 files?
You can't. At this point the .HiddenTear 2.0 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 .HiddenTear 2.0 files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by HiddenTear 2.0 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 ".HiddenTear 2.0" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 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 HiddenTear 2.0 ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .HiddenTear 2.0 files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like HiddenTear 2.0 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.
