This article has been created in order to explain how to remove the RotorCrypt ransomware from your computer and how to restore !_____INKOGNITO8000@TUTAMAIL.COM_______.SPG encrypted files.
A new variant of the RotorCrypt ransomware infection has hit the wild and has begun infecting the computers of victims. The malware uses encryption mode in order to render the important files on the victim’s computer no longer able to be opened. Then, the .SPG files virus leaves behind it’s file extension, plus the anonymous e-mail INKGNITO8000@TUTAMAIL.COM. The ransomware’s end goal is for victims to pay a hefty ransom In BitCoins in order to get their encrypted files recovered back to normal. But if you have become a victim of the .SPG variant of RotorCrypt ransomware, we advise that you follow the removal instructions underneath this article. They have been created in order to help you by explaining how to remove this malware and how you can try and recover as many files as possible without actually damaging your PC and without having to pay ransom.
Threat Summary
| Name | RotorCrypt .SPG Virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | Encrypts the files on your computer and asks you to pay ransom in order to decrypt them. |
| Symptoms | Files are no longer able to be opened with the file suffix !_____INKOGNITO8000@TUTAMAIL.COM_______.SPG added after their names and extensions. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss RotorCrypt .SPG Virus. |
| 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. |
RotorCrypt .SPG Ransomware – Infection
In order to infect computers of the victims, the creators of RotorCrypt may use different pre-obtained lists of e-mail addresses that are used by actual people. This e-mail list is targeted with different templates of e-mails that pretend to originate from big companies, like PayPal, eBay, Amazon, DHL and several others. They often pretend to be seemingly legitimate types of files, like order receipts, confirmation of orders and even scare potential victims that some service they are using is terminated. The end goal is to either click on a malicious URL or open a malicious e-mail attachment. The result of this is the victim becoming infected right away.
In some cases, the cyber-criminals who infect with the RotorCrypt .SPG virus may also use Microsoft Office files in a macros-enabling attack, meaning that they may be legitimate Microsoft Office documents, but once they have been opened, the malicious files may not show what is the content inside them and in order to see it, the user must enable macros, which triggers the infection. The whole process appears somewhat like the following:
But this is not all. RotorCrypt’s .SPG file version may also use another form of a more passive infection. The hackers may upload files online that pretend to be legitimate. These files are silently waiting on suspicious websites for users to download and open them, while they are pretending to be:
- Fake software setups.
- Fraudulent patches.
- Game cracks.
- Software license activators.
- Fake portable programs.
.SPG Files Virus – Analysis
The .SPG files virus is the type of ransomware which encrypts files on your computer until you pay the ones behind it to use them again. To reach it’s end goal, the malware uses it’s main infection file, reported at VirusTotal to have the following parameters:
→ Signature SHA-256:0ed58c615e2701e06458e2a4eac9d698584f4197681430fc2ad9924cf57185f7
Name:7bdbf3c473630ec65b13be661296d2fe.virus
Size:72.5 KB
Once triggered, the malicious file begins to check your computer for the following information:
- If it’s running in a virtual environment.
- Your IP address.
- Your location and language.
- Windows version.
- Security software that is installed.
Based on this data, the virus may download or drop different types of infection modules, the primary purpose of which is to make sure that the malware remains silent and undetectable on your computer. The main payload files that are dropped are believed to be in the following locations:
→ %TEMP%\.exe
C:\Users\User_name\AppData\local\.exe
C:\Users\User_name\Desktop\.exe
C:\{random}_Unpack.EXE
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft Help\{random}.exe
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{random}.lnk
Once the files have been dropped, RotorCrypt ransomware may begin to perform different infection activities on the infected PC. These possibly include running a script that triggers Windows Command Prompt as an administrator. This activity results in Windows Command Prompt running in the background of the user’s computer
→ vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /Quiet
bcdedit.exe /set {current} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
bcdedit.exe /set {current} recoveryenabled no
After this has been done, the ransomware virus may start to perform a set of unwanted activities on the victim’s computer, like encrypting the file and modifying them so that they can no longer be opened.
.SPG Files Virus – Encryption Process
In order to encrypt the files on the infected computer, the .SPG ransomware may first scan for the files it wants to encode. These files often include documents, videos, images, audio types of files, archives and the files that are used very often. To best target the files, the virus looks for them based on their file extensions:
“PNG .PSD .PSPIMAGE .TGA .THM .TIF .TIFF .YUV .AI .EPS .PS .SVG .INDD .PCT .PDF .XLR .XLS .XLSX .ACCDB .DB .DBF .MDB .PDB .SQL .APK .APP .BAT .CGI .COM .EXE .GADGET .JAR .PIF .WSF .DEM .GAM .NES .ROM .SAV CAD Files .DWG .DXF GIS Files .GPX .KML .KMZ .ASP .ASPX .CER .CFM .CSR .CSS .HTM .HTML .JS .JSP .PHP .RSS .XHTML. DOC .DOCX .LOG .MSG .ODT .PAGES .RTF .TEX .TXT .WPD .WPS .CSV .DAT .GED .KEY .KEYCHAIN .PPS .PPT .PPTX ..INI .PRF Encoded Files .HQX .MIM .UUE .7Z .CBR .DEB .GZ .PKG .RAR .RPM .SITX .TAR.GZ .ZIP .ZIPX .BIN .CUE .DMG .ISO .MDF .TOAST .VCD SDF .TAR .TAX2014 .TAX2015 .VCF .XML Audio Files .AIF .IFF .M3U .M4A .MID .MP3 .MPA .WAV .WMA Video Files .3G2 .3GP .ASF .AVI .FLV .M4V .MOV .MP4 .MPG .RM .SRT .SWF .VOB .WMV 3D .3DM .3DS .MAX .OBJ R.BMP .DDS .GIF .JPG ..CRX .PLUGIN .FNT .FON .OTF .TTF .CAB .CPL .CUR .DESKTHEMEPACK .DLL .DMP .DRV .ICNS .ICO .LNK .SYS .CFG”
After the .SPG variant of RotorCrypt ransowmare detects the files it wants to encrypt, the virus is very careful not to encrypt Windows files, this is why, while scanning it skips scanning system folders. The files are encrypted in a way that their code structure is replaced with the scambled symbols of the encryption cipher being used. This makes their file icon dissapear as Windows can no longer detect the programs it will use in order to get those files to work. The RotorCrypt ransowmare also adds the e-mail of the cyber-crooks as a file suffix, to get the victim to establish communication with the perpetrators of the encryption.
The .SPG encrypted files appear like the following image shows:
Remove .SPG Files Virus and Restore Encrypted Data
In order to remove this version of RotorCrypt ransomware, it may be a good idea to follow the removal instructions underneath as they are divided in manual as well as automatic removal methods and you can choose the appropriate one that suits you best. Either way, be advised that most security analysts and engineers often advise to remove viruses, like RotorCrypt .SPG ransowmare automatically, preferrably by downloading an advanced anti-malware software. It will help you to make sure that this malware is permenantly gone from your computer by scanning for each of it’s malicious objects and also it will make sure to protect your computer in real-time against any future infections that might take place.
In addition to this, if you want to try and restore files that have been encrypted with the .SPG file suffix added to them, you are welcome to try one of the alternative methods for file recovery we have suggested in step “2. Restore files, encrypted by RotorCrypt .SPG Virus”. They may not be fully effective in restoring your files, but with their aid you may succeed in recovering some or most of the encoded files.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of RotorCrypt .SPG Virus from Mac OS X.
How to Remove RotorCrypt .SPG Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove RotorCrypt .SPG Virus
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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus.
Ransomware infections and RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus:
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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus. 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus. 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus. 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus.
Ransomware infections and RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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.
RotorCrypt .SPG Virus FAQ
What is RotorCrypt .SPG Virus ransomware and how does it work?
RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 .RotorCrypt .SPG Virus files?
You can't. At this point the .RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 .RotorCrypt .SPG Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 ".RotorCrypt .SPG Virus" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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 RotorCrypt .SPG Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .RotorCrypt .SPG Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like RotorCrypt .SPG Virus 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.