Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Note! Your computer might be affected by Spectre Ransomware and other threats.
Threats such as Spectre Ransomware may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Read this article to learn how to remove Spectre ransomware and how to try and restore .spectre encrypted files.
A new ransomware string has been detected by malware researchers, identifying itself as Spectre ransomware. The virus changes the names of the important files on the computers it infects to random and ads the .spectre file extension to them as a suffix. Then it drops a HowToDecryptIMPORTANT!.txt note file in which the cyber-criminals demand the sum of approximately 200$ to be paid in order to get back the encrypted files.
Threat Summary
Name
Spectre Ransomware
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
The virus encrypts the files on the computers it infects and asks the owners to pay 200$ to the cyber-criminals to get their files back.
Symptoms
Reportedly uses AES-256 algorithm on the encrypted files, the .spectre file extension and HowToDecryptIMPORTANT!.txt ransom note file.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by Spectre Ransomware
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.
Spectre Ransomware – Distribution Methods
The .spectre file virus is a type of malware you do not want on your computer. It is by far the wors type – file encryption ransomware. However, many may have already fallen victims to this virus. In case you are one of them, bear in mind that there are several methods by which the Spectre virus may have infected your computer system. These methods are generally summed up by two spammed objects – malicious web links and malicious files. You may have seen such links on e-mail spam messages directed towards your computer system. These e-mail spam messages usually contain a false statement that the web link or e-mail attachment on them is a legitimate type of file. This attachment or link is usually portrayed as an invoice or other document. It may even be a compromised Microsoft Word document that has malicious macros in them and infects your computer when you click on the “Enable Editing” button. After this is done, here is what happens to your computer:
Other methods by which you could become a victim of the Spectre ransomware are via malicious files uploaded as fake setups, patches, updates, key generators, license activators and other software uploaded on shady sites you should not have trust.
Analysis of the .spectre Virus
When an infection by .spectre file virus has happened, the virus establishes connection to the following domain and host:
From this host, Spectre ransomware’s loader script downloads the following types of files:
systemlog.exe – main executable which encrypts files.
HowToDecryptIMPORTANT!.txt
In addition to this, the ransomware virus also automatically may open it’s ransom note. It asks the victim of the virus to visit a Tor-based web page:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION! All your files are encrypted by encryption algorithm AES-256, you can’t decrypt your files without a key. If you want to decrypt your files you should pay 200$. To decrypt your files go to a0142503.xspn{.}ru/login.php your ID: {23412414}
When the web page is visited, the user sees the main ransom note screen of the ransomware virus, which is the following:
It advertises the so-called SPECTRE DECRYPTOR which decrypts the encrypted files. However, security experts strongly advise against paying the cyber-criminals behind this ransomware for 2 main reasons:
You may not get your files back.
You support them to further spread and develop their malware and infect more users.
Spectre Ransomware – The Encryption Process
The Spectre virus encrypts via the Advanced Encryption Standard algorithm with 256 bit of strength. This is by far the strongest stable AES cipher which is classified as a Suite.B algorithm for data security (one of the strongest). If properly implemented, there is little chance that it can be decrypted. The Spectre virus aims at the following file types
If the virus detects those files on your computer, which are basically documents, media files, archives, text files, videos and others, it encrypts them by replacing data in the files. This makes the files seem corrupt and no program can open them. The virus does not stop there. Spectre ransomware also changes the names of the files themselves to custom names that consist of random letters, numbers and symbols.
The files assume the following appearance after they have been encrypted by Spectre:
Remove Spectre Ransomware and Restore Encrypted Files
Before actually removing this virus from your computer, we advise you to do a backup of your files.
After doing so, it is important to remove all files associated objects which Spectre ransomware has created on your computer. To do this, you can either manually look for the files by following the instructions below, or you can automatically remove Spectre ransomware. Since manual removal may present some difficulties, because viruses, like Spectre create multiple hidden objects, some of which can damage your PC if remove, the virus should be removed with specific software, according to experts.
After removing Spectre ransomware, it is recommended to focus on restoring your encrypted files with other methods, at least until a decrypter is released by researchers. We have suggested several tools with which you can recover your data. They are in no way 100 percent guarantee of you recovering all your files, but with their aid you may restore at least some of the files. Furthermore, make sure to follow our blog, as we will update with more new information regarding Specter, if available.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by Spectre Ransomware and other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as Spectre Ransomware. 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.
To remove Spectre Ransomware follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Spectre Ransomware files and objects
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
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
For Windows XP, Vista and 7 systems:
1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu. 2. Select one of the two options provided below:
– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.
– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.
3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.
4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account
While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.
Step 1: Open up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
2. Find files created by Spectre Ransomware on your PC
Find files created by Spectre Ransomware
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
Step 1:
On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
Step 2:
Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
Step 3:
Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:
Step 1:
Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
Step 2:
After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
Step 3:
After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
IMPORTANT! Before starting the Automatic Removal below, 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.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove Spectre Ransomware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Spectre Ransomware and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove Spectre Ransomware. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
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.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
4. Try to Restore files encrypted by Spectre Ransomware
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by Spectre Ransomware
Ransomware infections and Spectre Ransomware aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested several alternative methods that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that these methods may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software. Another method for restoring your files is by trying to bring back your files via data recovery software. Here are some suggestions for preferred data recovery software solutions:
Method 2: Trying Kaspersky and EmsiSoft’s decryptors. If the first method does not work, we suggest trying to use decryptors for other ransomware viruses, in case your virus is a variant of them. The two primary developers of decryptors are Kaspersky and EmsiSoft, links to which we have provided below:
To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for Volume Shadow Copies, if ransomware has not deleted them, in Windows using the below software:
Method 4: Finding the decryption key while the cryptovirus sends it over a network via a sniffing tool.
Another way to decrypt the files is by using a Network Sniffer to get the encryption key, while files are encrypted on your system. A Network Sniffer is a program and/or device monitoring data traveling over a network, such as its internet traffic and internet packets. If you have a sniffer set before the attack happened you might get information about the decryption key. See how-to instructions below:
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Read this article to learn how to remove Spectre ransomware and how to try and restore .spectre encrypted files.
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Spectre Ransomware and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
