Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Note! Your computer might be affected by Spiteful Doubletake ransomware and other threats.
Threats such as Spiteful Doubletake 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
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
This article will aid you to remove Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware. Follow the ransomware removal instructions provided at the end of the article.
Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware is one that encrypts your data with and demands money as a ransom to get it restored. The Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware will leave ransomware instructions as text file. Keep on reading the article and see how you could try to potentially recover some of your locked files and data.
Threat Summary
Name
Spiteful Doubletake ransomware
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
The ransomware encrypts files on your computer system and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them.
Symptoms
The ransomware will encrypt your files and leave a ransom note with payment instructions.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by Spiteful Doubletake ransomware
Join Our Forum to Discuss Spiteful Doubletake ransomware.
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.
Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware – Distribution Techniques
This particular ransomware has been captured during live attacks. However the relatively low number of samples shows that there is no information about the main methods used to distribute it. This means that it is possible for several different one to be used at the same time.
A preferred method for sending out virus files is through coordinated phishing email messages. They are sent in bulk and are modeled after the legitimate notifications sent by well-known companies, products and services. When the recipients interact with any of the elements the associated virus infection will occur. This is the case both with attached files and the body contents — text links, images and etc.
The criminals can also build fake web sites which can impersonate download portals, search engines, landing pages and etc. which can deliver the virus file instead of the real requested file. A similar technique is when such content is distributed on file-sharing networks like BitTorrent which is one of the most popular platforms for spreading pirate data.
Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware samples can also be delivered via other files, a technique called payload delivery. This is done by placing the necessary code into files of various types. Two of the payloads are most widely used carriers:
Documents — The virus files can be delivered by scripts that are placed in the most popular document types: presentations, text files, databases and spreadsheets. Whenever they are opened by the users a prompt will appear asking the victims to run them in order to correctly view the document. This will actually lead to the Spiteful Doubletake ransomware installation.
Setup Files — The hackers can take the legitimate installers of popular software and modify them with the necessary code. The usual choices are popular applications downloaded by most end users: system utilities, creativity suites, productivity and office apps and etc.
Large-scale campaigns can be made by ordering the creation of browser hijackers. They are dangerous plugins which are made compatible with the most popular web browsers and are usually uploaded to the relevant repositories. They are uploaded with fake developer credentials and user reviews and feature elaborate descriptions promising exciting feature additions and performance optimizations. In reality as soon as they are installed many modifications will be made to the browsers which will redirect the victims to a hacker-controlled site. In addition to that the virus will be silently placed on the victim machines.
The Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware does not currently contain any advanced modules besides the ransomware engine. The initial code analysis shows that it doesn’t contain any code snippets from any of the famous malware families which is an indicator that the collective may be the authors of it.
Such viruses are usually upgraded with new functionality when the hackers are ready with the serious campaigns. Some of the upcoming additions include the following:
Data Harvesting — The Spiteful Doubletake ransomware can be equipped with an information retrieval component. It is usually configured to extract both machine metrics and personal data about the victim users themselves. This step is necessary as it enables each individual computer to be assigned an unique infection ID. It is generated by an algorithm that takes its input parameters from the list of installed hardware components, user settings and operating system environment values. On the other hand personal user information can also be acquired — it is used to directly expose the identity of the victims by searching for strings like their name, address, phone number, location and even any stored account credentials.
Security Bypass — Using the gathered information by the previous component the virus engine can search for applications and services that can block the virus executable: anti-virus programs, virtual machine hosts, firewalls and debug environments. They will be disabled or entirely removed.
Windows Registry Changes — The engine can be configured to change the Windows Registry in various different ways. It can both create, edit and delete values in it which can affect both the operating system and any third-party applications. As a result severe performance issues can be caused which can make the system unstable. Unexpected errors can be caused by the code which can cripple the functionality of both services and products.
Persistent Installation — The Spiteful Doubletake ransomware is able to change the boot options and configuration files to automatically start the virus threat as soon as the computer is powered on. This also renders most manual user removal guides non-working as access to the recovery menus can be blocked.
As the virus threat expands further on the compromised systems it will have the ability to load other threats. One of the most dangerous malware types that can be deployed are Trojans. They will establish connections with certain hacker-controlled servers which allows the criminals to take over control of the machines, steal the user information and spy on the victims in real-time.
Various other attack scenarios can be embedded as the hackers see fit.
Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware – Encryption Process
As soon as the ransomware engine is launched it will use the familiar tactic of using a list of target file type extensions. The Blowfish cipher is used with a hardcoded key to encrypt the user data. An example includes the following files:
Archives
Backups
Databases
Music
Videos
Images
The .enc extension will be placed to each affected file.
Remove Spiteful Doubletake Ransomware and Try to Restore Data
If your computer system got infected with the Spiteful Doubletake 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.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by Spiteful Doubletake 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 Spiteful Doubletake 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 Spiteful Doubletake ransomware follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Spiteful Doubletake 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 Spiteful Doubletake ransomware on your PC
Find files created by Spiteful Doubletake 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 Spiteful Doubletake ransomware with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Spiteful Doubletake ransomware and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove Spiteful Doubletake 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 Spiteful Doubletake ransomware
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by Spiteful Doubletake ransomware
Ransomware infections and Spiteful Doubletake 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:
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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 Spiteful Doubletake ransomware and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
