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 WANNACRYPT and other threats.
Threats such as WANNACRYPT 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.
This article has been created in order to help you unlock your screen and folders in case they have been locked by the folder locker ransomware WANNACRYPT.
A new folder locker threat has been reported to infect the victims’ computers and set a lockscreen message whose primary purpose is to lock the screen on the infected computer and lock it’s folders, while demanding from victims the ransom amount of 0.05 BTC. The ransomware infection is the screenlocked type and it uses a simple password locker in order to get the folders on the affected computer to deny access. In case your computer has been affected by the WANNACRYPT folder locker ransomware, recommendations are to follow the instructions in this article to remove this malware from your computer system and restore your computer back to working state.
Threat Summary
Name
WANNACRYPT
Type
Ransomware, Cryptovirus
Short Description
WANNACRYPT Ransomware is from the folder locker type of malware which locks the folders on infected computers until a ransom has been paid to unlock them.
Symptoms
The screen of the victim’s computer is locked and the folders are no longer openable. A ransom note with a bar code under which the words WANNACRYPT or ANONYMOUS are written.
Distribution Method
Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files
Detection Tool
See If Your System Has Been Affected by WANNACRYPT
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.
WANNACRYPT Ransomware – How Does It Infect
In order to perform a successful infection on the computers of victims, the WANNACRYPT ransomware virus may use a variety of techniques to slither into your computer system. Such are reported to be different methods from the likes of spammed e-mail messages which contain either malicious e-mail attachments embedded within them or malicious web links that aim to infect the computers of victims by simply being clicked on, similar to the fake PayPal malicious link spam e-mail down below:
In addition to malicious e-mail spam messages, the WANNACRYPT Folder Locker ransomware may also perform other unwnated methods in order to slither into your computer, such as have malicious files uploaded and ready for you to download them, while believing they are legitimate:
Setups of free programs.
Software installers, like drivers and other types of important programs.
Game installers.
Cracks and patches for programs and games.
Software license activators.
Key generators.
Most users tend to become misled and download such suspicious programs on their computers, believing they are the installers they were looking for.
WANNACRYPT Folder Locker Ransomware – More Information and Activity
After being installed on your computer system, the WANNACRYPT ransomware virus may drop it’s primary malicious executable, detected at VirusTotal to be with the following parameters:
After the file is executed on the victim’s computer it may perform series of unwanted activities among the victim’s computer, starting with adding a scheduled task or a registry entry in Windows Registry Editor which both have the capability of running the file automatically in the future. The targeted registry sub-keys for this are believed to be the following:
After this ransomware infection has done various different types of activities on the victim’s computer that make it run automatically, WANNACRYPT Folder Locker begins to lock the important folders of the infected computer. The ransomware infection may lock the following folders, in which most of the important files of the user are likely to be located:
%Documents%
%Desktop%
%Downloads%
%Music%
%Photos%
%Videos%
%Program Files%
For the locking procedure, the developer of WANNACRYPT has likely taken the source code of a program which is similar to the programs Folder Lock or Doc Lock, which use simple encryption to lock folders and make them hidden, until the user enters a unique unlocking password.
After locking the folders on the victimized device, the WANNACRYPT virus sets the following ransom notes so that the victim knows of the virus’s presence:
Instructions from image:
“Your computer has been hacked and all your important files are now encrypted. To get back your all files you need to purchase the private key in Btcoin. Pay the EXACT amount to the Address given below Amount: 0.05 BTC”
At this moment, it is not clear whether or not the ransomware has become spread worldwide, like the WannaCry ransomware outbreak, but in the event that your computer has been infected by WANNACRYPT Folder Locker, we advise you to NOT PAY THE RANSOM, since this virus is now unlockable and you can unlock your folders for free.
Remove WANNACRYPT Ransomware and Restore Access to Your PC
Before beginning to actually remove this virus from your computer, we would advise you to enter the unlock code which was discovered by malware analyst and ransomware hunter Karsten Hahn (@struppigel) who kindly provided it in Twitter:
542UTFQ2NDU2HM9K2YTVGZNZKNVSSE
After unlocking your PC, we would recommend that you move all your important files away from it on a flash drive or some other external memory carrier. Then, you can proceed securing your computer.
For the removal of this ransomware virus, we would strongly advise you to follow the removal instructions we have stated down below. They are specifically divided in manual as well as automatic removal steps. To perform such a removal manually, it is a benefit if you have experience in malware removal, otherwise experts always recommend to use an advanced anti-malware software to remove WANNACRYPT automatically from your PC, using an advanced anti-malware software. Downloading and installing such program will make sure that the malware is gone from your system completely and will effectively protect your computer against future infections as well.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by WANNACRYPT 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 WANNACRYPT. 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 WANNACRYPT follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove WANNACRYPT 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 WANNACRYPT on your PC
Find files created by WANNACRYPT
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.
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 WANNACRYPT with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for WANNACRYPT and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove WANNACRYPT. 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 WANNACRYPT
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by WANNACRYPT
Ransomware infections and WANNACRYPT 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.
This article has been created in order to help you unlock your screen and folders in case they have been locked by the folder locker ransomware WANNACRYPT. 
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 WANNACRYPT and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
