.Lotep Virus in Depth
Once the ecryption of your files is finished the .Lotep Ransomware will leave a _readme.txt file behind describing what you need to do.
ATTENTION!
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Every week dozens of new malware programs are released, which makes the Internet a rather unsafe place, especially if we have private information kept on our computer. One of the most dangerous types of malware that you may encounter nowadays is the so-called Ransomware. On this page, we will discuss one of the latest representatives of this infamous and highly dangerous malware category – the name of the specific virus is .Lotep and in the recent days, the number of users attacked by it has been exponentially increasing.
Is .Lotep Ransomware Dangerous?
Ransomware, in general, is a term used to describe computer infections which use file encryption or another blocking method to restrict the users’ access to certain files or to the entire machine. Those threats try to extort money from their victims via blackmailing and threatening messages containing ransom demands and threats related to the future of the sealed files. .Lotep Ransowmare, in particular, applies a complex encryption to the victim’s personal files and then displays a ransom-demanding message on their screen. The malicious software infects the computer silently and encrypts different types of data, forcing the attacked user to pay a certain amount of money to recover them.
But how does the Ransomware work and how can you get infected? This type of malware is usually presented to the user under the guise of something seemingly legitimate and safe, which tricks the user to click on it. For example, it can be hidden in attachments in e-mails, videos from pages of doubtful origin, or even in fake system or software updates.
Once the victim interacts with the transmitter, the malware gets activated and places its encryption on the data stored on the computer. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to decrypt the applied encryption if you do not have the special decryption key which corresponds to it. You should still be able to remove the malware itself, but unless you have backup copies of your files, there is no guarantee that you’d be able to unlock the encrypted data.
The hackers responsible for the creation of this cryptovirus, however, offer you to pay for the special decryption key and to get your files back by doing so. They display a warning message with information about the amount of money that has to be paid to obtain the key needed for the recovery of the information. To enhance the uncertainty and fear of the victim, the crooks sometimes threaten to destroy the decryption key if no payment has been received within a few hours. In many cases, however, even if you pay, they will not give you the promised decryption key and you would still have no way of unlocking the data.
Can I remove .Lotep Virus on my own?
Another option is to give a try to some alternative methods, such as the ones in the removal guide below. Of course, it is very important to first remove .Lotep and then try to save some of your files with the suggested methods, because with an active Ransomware in the system, anything you may manage to bring back may get encrypted again.
If you want to avoid being a victim of Ransomware like .Lotep, .Neras or .Docm in the future, we recommend that you implement the next few tips: first, keep your operating system updated to avoid security holes and install a reliable antivirus if your computer doesn’t have one; Next, you should also avoid opening emails or files from unknown senders; Finally, you should not access insecure pages with unverified content. If you still do not know how to deal with .Lotep, take a look at the steps we have prepared or use the professional .Lotep Virus removal tool for quick and safe removal.
SUMMARY:
| Name | .Lotep |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Danger Level | High (Ransomware is by far the worst threat you can encounter) |
| Symptoms | Very few and unnoticeable ones before the ransom notification comes up. |
| Distribution Method | From fake ads and fake system requests to spam emails and contagious web pages. |
Remove .Lotep Virus Ransomware
1: Preparations
Note: Before you go any further, we advise you to bookmark this page or have it open on a separate device such as your smartphone or another PC. Some of the steps might require you to exit your browser on this PC.
2: Task Manager
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to enter the Task Manager. Go to the Tab labeled Processes (Details for Win 8/10). Carefully look through the list of processes that are currently active on you PC.
If any of them seems shady, consumes too much RAM/CPU or has some strange description or no description at all, right-click on it, select Open File Location and delete everything there.
Also, even if you do not delete the files, be sure to stop the process by right-clicking on it and selecting End Process.
3: IP related to .Lotep
Go to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Open the hosts file with notepad.
Find where it says Localhost and take a look below that.
If you see any IP addresses there (below Localhost) send them to us here, in the comments since they might be coming from the .Lotep.
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4: Disable Startup programs
Re-open the Start Menu and type msconfig.
Click on the first search result. In the next window, go to the Startup tab. If you are on Win 10, it will send you to the Startup part of the task manager instead, as in the picture:
If you see any sketchy/shady looking entries in the list with an unknown manufacturer or a manufacturer name that looks suspicious as there could be a link between them and .Lotep , disable those programs and select OK.
5: Registry Editor
Press Windows key + R and in the resulting window type regedit.
Now, press Ctrl + F and type the name of the virus.
Delete everything that gets found. If you are not sure about whether to delete something, do not hesitate to ask us in the comments. Keep in mind that if you delete the wrong thing, you might cause all sorts of issues to your PC.
6: Deleting potentially malicious data – .Lotep
Type each of the following locations in the Windows search box and hit enter to open the locations:
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
%Temp%
Delete everything you see in Temp linked to .Lotep Ransomware. About the other folders, sort their contents by date and delete only the most recent entries. As always, if you are not sure about something, write to us in the comment section.
7: .Lotep Decryption
The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .Lotep Ransomware from your PC. However, in order to regain access to your files, you will also need to decrypt them or restore them. For that, we have a separate article with detailed instructions on what you have to do in order to unlock your data. Here is a link to that guide.
