Malware researchers have recently discovered Princess Locker and what appears to be a second version. The methods of infection are still unknown, but the payload file is named ran.exe as submitted from various samples. Victims have a few days to pay the ransom, or the price will double, exactly like the previous version. The asked ransom price is 0.0600 Bitcoins. Read this article to the end to see how to remove the virus and try to decrypt your files.
Threat Summary
| Name | Princess Locker V2 |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Short Description | The ransomware will encrypt your files and display a ransom note. You are given a few days to pay, otherwise the ransom price will increase. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt files, and put an extension to them. The extension consists of five random symbols, just like it was with the previous version of the ransomware. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, File Sharing Networks, Exploit Kits |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Princess Locker V2. |
Princess Locker V2 Virus – Infection Spread
The Princess Locker ransomware virus is possibly spread with an Exploit Kit if it follows suit of the original variant. Other methods for distributing the infection probably exist. It might spread through spam emails with an attachment. If you open such an attachment put in a suspicious e-mail, your computer could get infected. Social media networks and file-share services could also contain files like those if the cybercriminals decided to place them there. So, you should be very careful with the interactions you make on the Internet, such as when you click, download or open unknown files.
Below you can see the payload file that distributes the ransomware on VirusTotal:
The file is named ran.exe and is also present in other threat detection databases. Most antivirus programs detect it already, probably because of the similarity between its code and that of the original variant.
Princess Locker V2 Virus – Technical Data
Princess Locker is a ransomware cryptovirus. The ransomware has the same design, encryption mechanism and similar file distribution tactics as the original variant of the Princess Locker Ransomware Virus.
When Princess Locker ransomware finishes encrypting files it will place an image and a text document containing the ransom note with decryption instructions inside. The text document file bares one of the following names:
- =_THIS_TO_FIX_cRtG.txt
- =_THIS_TO_FIX_fyust.txt
- = _THIS_TO_FIX_aknT0I.txt
Below you can see the contents of one of these ransom note files:
The note states the following:
hpeECbqS CqXdyb qhBGhoryp
Your ID: U2WbVAYRDcaMQxxx
Your extension: cRtG
() Your files are encrypted!
(kBFflrEv) Download and install Tor Browser:
https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html
() Follow this link via Tor Browser:
https://royal25fphqilqft.onion/
If you click on the latter link, which are given on there you will land on the following page inside your browser:
You enter your ID and as you do that you will see a counter pop up showing that you have only a few days remaining to pay the initial price. That price is 0.0600 Bitcoins or around 545 US dollars. After that small time frame of a week expires, the demanded ransom will increase.
It is strongly NOT advised to pay any of the sums to the cybercriminals – if you pay them, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will decrypt your files. You will only end up financially supporting them with your money with their criminal endeavors.
Princess Locker V2 Virus – Encryption Process
Princess Locker V2 ransomware should search to encrypt files with extensions such as its previous variant. The extension list might be even more extensive than the one provided below, but the following extensions are surely to be encrypted:
→.1cd, .3ds, .3gp, .accdb, .ape, .asp, .aspx, .bc6, .bc7, .bmp, .cdr, .cer, .cfg, .cfgx, .cpp, .cr2, .crt, .crw, .csr, .csv, .dbf, .dbx, .dcr, .dfx, .dib, .djvu, .doc, .docm, .docx, .dwg, .dwt, .dxf, .dxg, .eps, .htm, .html, .ibank, .indd, .jfif, .jpe, .jpeg, .jpg, .kdc, .kwm, .max, .mdb, .mdf, .odb, .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt, .orf, .p12, .p7b, .p7c, .pdf, .pef, .pem, .pfx, .php, .png, .pps, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx, .psd, .pst, .pub, .pwm, .qbb, .qbw, .raw, .rtf, .sln, .sql, .sqlite, .svg, .tif, .tiff, .txt, .vcf, .wallet, .wpd, .xls, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xml
If the Princess Locker ransomware is anything like its predecessor, files should be locked with the 128-bit AES encryption algorithm. Researchers have confirmed that files and their extension will not be changed. However, the extension that will be appended to files with five random characters will be placed as a secondary extension.
Below you can see a page on the TOR network, connected to the decryption instructions of the ransomware which allow you to decrypt a file up to 1 MB:
It is still unknown whether the Princess Locker ransomware virus can erase the Shadow Volume Copies of the Windows operating system, but there is a pretty high chance of that.
Remove Princess Locker V2 Virus and Restore Your Files
If your computer got compromised and is infected with the Princess Locker ransomware virus, you should have some experience with removing viruses before tampering with it. You should get rid of the ransomware fast before it can spread further on the network and encrypt more files. The recommended action for you is to remove the ransomware completely by following the step-by-step instructions written 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 Princess Locker V2 Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Princess Locker V2 from Mac OS X.
How to Remove Princess Locker V2 from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Princess Locker V2
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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2.
Ransomware infections and Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2:
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 Princess Locker V2. 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 Princess Locker V2. 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2. 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 Princess Locker V2.
Ransomware infections and Princess Locker V2 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.
Princess Locker V2 FAQ
What is Princess Locker V2 ransomware and how does it work?
Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 .Princess Locker V2 files?
You can't. At this point the .Princess Locker V2 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 .Princess Locker V2 files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by Princess Locker V2 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 ".Princess Locker V2" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 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 Princess Locker V2 ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .Princess Locker V2 files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like Princess Locker V2 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.