Remove MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) - Restore .Encrypted Files

by Berta Bilbao | January 15, 2018 | 0 Comments file-encryption, virus

Threat Summary MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Distribution MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Description MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Encryption Remove MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) and Restore .Encrypted Files

This article will help you remove MoneroPay virus (SpriteCoin) fully. Follow the ransomware virus removal instructions provided at the end of the article.

MoneroPay is a virus that encrypts your files and demands money as a ransom to get your files recovered. Files are locked with the AES military grade encryption algorithms. The MoneroPay cryptovirus will encrypt your data and files, while also appending the .encrypted extension to each file. The virus will pretend that is actually “SpriteCoin” while locking your files. Read on through the article and see how you could try to potentially restore some of your files.

Threat Summary

Name	MoneroPay
Type	Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description	The ransomware encrypts files on your computer machine and demands a ransom to be paid in Monero to allegedly recover them.
Symptoms	The ransomware will encrypt your files with the AES encryption algorithm. All locked files will have the .encrypted extension.
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 MoneroPay.
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.

MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Distribution

MoneroPay ransomware might spread its infection in various ways. A payload dropper which initiates the malicious script for this ransomware is being spread around the World Wide Web, and researchers have gotten their hands on a malware sample. If that file lands on your computer system and you somehow execute it – your computer system will become infected. You can see the detections of such a file on the VirusTotal service right here:

MoneroPay ransomware might also distribute its payload file on social media and file-sharing services. Freeware which is found on the Web can be presented as helpful also be hiding the malicious script for the cryptovirus. Refrain from opening files right after you have downloaded them. You should first scan them with a security tool, while also checking their size and signatures for anything that seems out of the ordinary. You should read the tips for preventing ransomware found in the forum section.

MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Description

MoneroPay is a cryptovirus that encrypts your files and shows a window with instructions on your computer screen. The ransomware is hidden as the next good Cryptocurrency “SpriteCoin”. The cybercriminals want you to pay a ransom in Monero for the alleged restoration of your files.

MoneroPay ransomware could make entries in the Windows Registry to achieve persistence, and could launch or repress processes in a Windows environment. Such entries are typically designed in a way to launch the virus automatically with each start of the Windows operating system.

When you have the virus downloaded on your computer, you will have a file with the name of SpriteCoin.zip. After extracting the archive and running the executable, you will see the following window popping up:

And when you click to continue, the window will claim that it is downloading the Blockchain for that “SpriteCoin”. While you see that window (shown below) your files will be encrypted in the background:

After encryption the MoneroPay virus shows a ransom message inside a User Interface window titled “MoneroPay”. You can check out the ransom note message from the following screenshot given here:

The ransom note states the following:

Your files are encrypted
If you close this window, you can always restart and it should appear again.
All your files have been encrypted by us. This means you will be unable to access or use them. In order to retrieve them, you must send 0.3 monero (about $120 USD) to:
46FXmRvyffu59NNUs95rHx5cVQqU2z2zQD5qP7wYfDiGaGjBGtP7cf8EhaQ1qy7wqV7bcNnrNUf2n1gugrQmKPG8U6AqHwy
Make sure you include your payment ID:
Use CTRL +C to copy both
IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR PAYMENT ID, YOUR FILES CANNOT BE DECRYPTED. Do not waste your time — only we can decrypt your files.
If you have paid, click on the DECRYPT button to return your files to normal. Don’t worry, we’ll give you your files back if you pay.
[DECRYPT] FAQ
• What is monero?
Monero is a cryptocurrency, like bitcoin.
• How do I get monero?
You can buy monero in many of the same places you can get bitcoin. [More info] • What happens if I don’t pay?

The note of the MoneroPay ransomware states that your files are encrypted. You are demanded to pay 120 US dollars in the Monero cryptocurrency. However, you should NOT under any circumstances pay any ransom. Your files may not get recovered, and nobody could give you a guarantee for that. Moreover, giving money to cybercriminals will most likely motivate them to create more ransomware viruses or commit different criminal acts.

MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) – Encryption

What is known for the encryption process of the MoneroPay ransomware is that every file that gets encrypted will receive the .encrypted extension. The encryption algorithm used to lock your files is AES but some malware researchers think otherwise.

The targeted extensions of files which are sought to get encrypted are currently unknown and if a list is discovered, it will be posted here as the article gets updated. The files used most by users and which are probably encrypted are from the following categories:

Audio files
Video files
Document files
Image files
Backup files
Banking credentials, etc

The MoneroPay cryptovirus could be set to erase all the Shadow Volume Copies from the Windows operating system with the help of the following command:

→vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet

In case the above-stated command is executed that will make the encryption process more efficient. That is due to the fact that the command eliminates one of the prominent ways to restore your data. If your computer device was infected with this ransomware and your files are locked, read on through to find out how you could potentially restore your files back to normal.

Remove MoneroPay Virus (SpriteCoin) and Restore .Encrypted Files

If your computer got infected with the MoneroPay 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.

Berta Bilbao

Berta is a dedicated malware researcher, dreaming for a more secure cyber space. Her fascination with IT security began a few years ago when a malware locked her out of her own computer.

Guide 1: How to Remove MoneroPay from Windows.
Guide 2: Get rid of MoneroPay on Mac OS X.
Guide 3: Remove MoneroPay in Google Chrome.

Guide 4: Erase MoneroPay from Mozilla Firefox.
Guide 5: Uninstall MoneroPay from Microsoft Edge.
Guide 6: Remove MoneroPay from Safari.
Guide 7: Eliminate MoneroPay from Internet Explorer.
Guide 8: Disable MoneroPay Push Notifications in Your Browsers.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

How to Remove MoneroPay from Windows.

Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove MoneroPay

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter's malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter's EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria

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".

Tip: Make sure to reverse those changes by unticking Safe Boot after that, because your system will always boot in Safe Boot from now on.

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 MoneroPay 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 MoneroPay 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 MoneroPay 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.

IMPORTANT!
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 MoneroPay with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool

1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.

Download

Malware Removal Tool

It is 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. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter's EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.

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.

If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Get rid of MoneroPay from Mac OS X.

Step 1: Uninstall MoneroPay and remove related files and objects

OFFER

Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your Mac with SpyHunter for Mac

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter for Mac needs to purchased to remove the malware threats. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy

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 MoneroPay:

Tip: To quit a process completely, choose the “Force Quit” option.

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 MoneroPay. 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 MoneroPay. 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 MoneroPay 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:

Disclaimer! If you are about to tamper with Library files on Mac, be sure to know the name of the virus file, because if you delete the wrong file, it may cause irreversible damage to your MacOS. Continue on your own responsibility!

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 MoneroPay. 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 2: Scan for and remove MoneroPay files from your Mac

When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as MoneroPay, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.

Click the button below below to download SpyHunter for Mac and scan for MoneroPay:

Download

SpyHunter for Mac

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Remove MoneroPay from Google Chrome.

Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu

Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"

Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.

Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Erase MoneroPay from Mozilla Firefox.

Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window

Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.

Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"

Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Uninstall MoneroPay from Microsoft Edge.

Step 1: Start Edge browser.

Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.

Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".

Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.

Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Remove MoneroPay from Safari.

Step 1: Start the Safari app.

Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.

Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".

Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.

Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.

Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.

A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the MoneroPay will be removed.

How to Reset Safari
IMPORTANT: Before resetting Safari make sure you back up all your saved passwords within the browser in case you forget them.

Start Safari and then click on the gear leaver icon.

Click the Reset Safari button and you will reset the browser.

Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups

Eliminate MoneroPay from Internet Explorer.

Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.

Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'

Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.

Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.

Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.