Nowadays, data, especially digital data, is one of the most valuable resources which is why protecting it is so essential and important. And though the methods of keeping one’s important and valuable data safe are currently more accessible and easier to employ than they’ve ever been in the past, there are still many users out there who seem to forget just how essential it is to ensure that any important files they may have on their computers are kept safe. One of the most popular and easy to apply methods of protecting important files is the backup – it basically allows you to have intact copies of all of your valuable pieces of data on a location that is typically safer than your computer. However, there is still an overall lack of proper backups and this is is precisely what allows file-encrypting Ransomware viruses like .Dutan (which is the latest successor of the strain that includes .Hofos, .Roldat, .Todarius  and .Verasto) to thrive. Infections like this one have one single goal and that goal is to make all potentially important files in the targeted machine inaccessibly by employing a special, highly advanced encryption process. Ironically, the process of encrypting files is actually another very popular data-protection method that many people use to add an extra layer of security to their important files. However, when used by a cryptovirus Ransomware such as .Dutan (, this same helpful process gets turned at 180 degrees and becomes a tool of blackmailing and money extortion.

Since in most of the cases the only thing capable of unlocking an encrypted file is the unique key that corresponds to the applied encryption, the hackers behind viruses like .Dutan are able to blackmail their victims for that key, demanding a ransom payment in exchange for it. Usually, there would be some specific steps that need to be followed to complete the payment for the decryption key and those steps are explained within a ransom-demanding note that gets shown on the infected computer’s screen once the files on it are no longer accessible. Some hackers may even tell their victims that they would decrypt a a couple of their files for free in order to prove that they do indeed have a working decryption solution. Oftentimes, the victims of such an infection would be given a deadline, after which the decryption key would (supposedly) get destroyed or the demanded sum of money would go up.

So, is the payment of the ransom a viable option

Normally, we wouldn’t advise you to go for this course of action as it hides many risks, the most obvious of them being the risk of simply wasting the money you send as the criminals blackmailing you may easily decide to keep the key and not send it to you. Also, even if you pay and get your data back, the malware may still be left in your computer and cause issues in the future. Therefore, we advise you to use the steps we’ve provided in the removal guide for .Dutan down below and, through them, eliminate the infection. After that, you can try some of the suggested alternatives of data recovery – though they may not always work, they are still worth the try.

.Dutan SUMMARY:

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Remove .Dutan File 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 .Dutan

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 .Dutan.

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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 .Dutan , 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 – .Dutan

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 .Dutan 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: .Dutan Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .Dutan 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.

The post Remove .Dutan File Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

If you are on this page, this is most likely due to a recent infection with a threat called .Roldat. This threat operates as a Ransomware cryptovirus and won’t spare any of the files that you store on your HDD. Once it finds its way into your computer, the malware will infiltrate the entire OS and look for certain file-types that it will secretly encrypt. Next, .Roldat will generate a ransom-demanding message on the screen of the infected computer and will ask the victim to pay a certain amount of money in exchange for a special decryption key.

The text that you are about to read now, however, explains to the victims of his cryptovirus how they can deal with the consequences of its attack, how to safely remove the harmful code from their system and what they can do to protect themselves from it as well as from other similar threats. Our “How to remove” team has assembled a set of instructions and posted them below that will show you the exact removal steps that you need to take if you want to effectively get rid of .Roldat, as well as some file-recovery suggestions that may be able to recover the files that have been encrypted. Before you go straight to them, though, let us first tell you a few more words about this Ransomware.

How do the like .Roldat cryptoviruses work?

The Ransomware cryptoviruses ( like .Roldat, .Todarius , .Kiratos, .Verasto ) sneak inside the victim’s system in various ways. They start scanning the computer’s disks for certain types of files, for example, documents, pictures, video and audio materials, etc. Next, they begin to copy these files, applying to them the copies a unique encryption code that no program is able to crack. As a result, the copies of the files end up with a different extension and you are not able to open them until you apply a special decryption key. In the end, the original files are removed and this is where the real blackmailing begins – the criminals controlling the invasive Ransomware demand a ransom in exchange for the decryption key which is typically stored on their servers. As soon as the encryption process is over, they place a ransom notification on the screen of the victims and ask them to transfer a certain amount of money to a given cryptocurrency wallet. Unfortunately, nobody can tell you what will happen if you transfer the money. Needless to say, there’s nothing stopping the blackmailers from keeping the key to themselves instead of sending it to you. They may even ask for another payment with even higher ransom amount or send you another malware piece instead of a decryption solution. Therefore, the security experts advise against sending them your money. Of course, we cannot tell you what to do and how to act but what we can do is tell you how things really are and inform you about the options that you can choose from. If you want to continue to use your computer, however, it is necessary to remove .Roldat. This way, you will have a clean system and will be able to create and save new files in it without them getting encrypted. In case you don’t know how to do that, there are detailed instructions below, as well as a trusted removal tool for automatic assistance and a section with some file-recovery suggestions.

.Roldat SUMMARY:

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Remove .Roldat File 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 .Roldat

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 .Roldat.

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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 .Roldat , 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 – .Roldat

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 .Roldat 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: .Roldat Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .Roldat 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.

The post Remove .Roldat Ransomware Virus (+ File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

You definitely do not want a malware program the likes of .Norvasc File inside your computer. This malicious and nefarious cryptovirus uses a really advanced encryption code to make it impossible for its victims to open their own personal files that are being kept on their computers. The sneaky nature of .Norvasc ( like .Norvas ,.Moresa, .Guvara) allows it to sneak inside any machine and begin its file-encryption activities without anybody noticing it. In most instances, the antivirus programs of the victims of .Norvasc are unable to detect the infection due to the fact that the encryption process itself isn’t a harmful one. It doesn’t corrupt, damage or otherwise harm anything located in the system. This is one of the main advantages of these types of malware threats – they rarely get noticed on time and once their job is complete, there’s usually hardly anything that could be done to reverse the consequences.

The hackers’ offer

Of course, encrypting the files of the attacked users is only a means to an end for the hackers behind cryptoviruses like .Norvasc. The end itself is the extortion of a certain sum of money from each and every victim of the infection. The hackers manage to do that by offering the following “deal” to their victims. The users are told that if they pay a ransom to the hackers behind the virus, a special access key would be sent to them through which key they’d be able to open the encrypted files. This is how most infections like .Norvasc function and it is the main reason why they are collectively referred to as Ransomware cryptoviruses.

Since it can be indeed be nearly impossible to deal with the encryption a virus like that can place on the files without having hold of the decryption key, many users may indeed agree to carry out the demanded ransom payment, especially if the files that they are no longer able to open are of high importance to them. Here, however, is where we ought to remind the visitors of our site that it is never a very good idea to trust what some anonymous criminals and blackmailers from the Internet may tell you. Their promises of sending you the access key for your files can’t really be relied upon as you can never be truly sure if you won’t simply waste your money if you send it to them.

Can I remove .Norvasc myself?

Sadly, this is one of the worst aspects related to a Ransomware cryptovirus infection – no matter what you do and how many different methods you may try, sometimes you may simply not be able to bring back your data. Still, there are different courses of action that you may explore and some of them have been included in the guide below. One important thing to remember is that no matter if or how many of your files you may manage to recover, it is essential that you make sure the malware is removed and that is also something that you can learn more about from our guide.

.Norvasc SUMMARY:

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Remove .Norvasc File 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 .Norvasc

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 .Norvasc.

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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 .Norvasc , 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 – .Norvasc

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 .Norvasc 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: .Norvasc Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .Norvasc 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.

The post Remove .Norvasc Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

A new terrible computer infection that is used to extort money from its victims via blackmailing is on the loose and security experts are making warnings about it. The threat of this type ( .NamPoHyu, .Etols and .Tabufa) goes under the name of .Norvas and belongs to the Ransomware cryptovirus category. As such, this new piece of malware can encrypt various types of files on your computer and secretly render them inaccessible until a ransom is paid to the cyber criminals who are behind the blackmailing scheme.

The offer

According to the crooks, if you want to regain your access, you will have to pay a certain amount of money (typically requested in BitCoins) to a given cryptocurrency account and wait for them to send you a special decryption key for the liberation of your data. A special ransom-demanding notification will be displayed on your screen the moment .Norvas completes its secret encryption process and you will be prompted to release the payment immediately. You may be a subject of various threatening messages which may state that the only way to recover your files is through paying for the decryption key that the hackers hold in their servers and that if you don’t do it within a given deadline, your files will be gone for good.

If you’ve landed on our “How to remove guide” site, then you are most probably one of the numerous users who have already experienced the harmful consequences of getting their machines attacked by this specific piece of malware. What is more, you are most probably here to learn how to remove .Norvas, what methods you could use to save your personal files from its secret encryption and, most importantly, how you can bypass the ransom payment while still retrieving your data. That’s why, in the lines below this short post, we have prepared a detailed removal guide, packed with instructions on how to detect and carefully delete the nasty cryptovirus from your system as well as with a trusted .Norvas removal tool for professional assistance and some suggestions on file-recovery which do not involve paying a ransom to anyone.

Risks of .Norvas File Virus

As much as we would like to help you, we must say that there is no universal recovery solution when it comes to Ransomware attacks. Therefore, before you decide what to do, you should know that there can be no guarantees regarding the recovery from the consequences that an attack by a threat like .Norvas may lead to because such infections use very advanced and complex encryption algorithms and even the cyber criminals who have created them may be unable to restore the locked data in some of the cases. For this reason, we can’t promise you that all of your files will be restored if you use our instructions. The same, however, can be said for the ransom-payment option because you can never be sure that the encrypted data will be effectively recovered with the key the crooks send you (that is, if they send you such a key).

Nonetheless, giving a try to our guide won’t cost you anything and is something that might be worth the try before you consider the ransom payment as a possible way out of this situation. Moreover, with the removal guide’s help, you may be able to safely remove the nasty Ransomware code from your system which is very important if you want to continue to use your computer without fear of getting any new files that you create or download encrypted by the malware.

.Norvas SUMMARY:

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Remove .Norvas File 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 .Norvas

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 .Norvas.

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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 .Norvas , 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 – .Norvas

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 .Norvas 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: .Norvas Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .Norvas 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.

The post Remove .Norvas Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

.NamPoHyu is a new malware, the technical characteristics of which match with those of the representatives of the Ransomware cryptoviruses. After infecting the victim’s computer, this threat has the ability to secretly encrypt all the files found on it with a military-grade encryption algorithm and also replace their file extensions with some new ones which are unfamiliar for the system. Once all the data has been locked, the virus creates a special ransom-demanding notification and places it on the screen so that the victims can read it. The notification usually contains a message from the hackers behind the infection and a set of instructions which need to be followed if the users want to regain their access to malware-encrypted files. Typically, a certain amount of money (mostly in cryptocurrency) is requested to be paid within a given deadline in order for the malware victims to obtain a decryption key for the restoration of the sealed information.

The fraudsters promise, as other ransomwares .Etols, Raldug, Veracrypt@foxmail.com, to provide the decryption key and all the tools that you need to liberate your files as soon as the payment reaches their cryptocurrency wallet. Unfortunately, according to most security experts including our “How to remove” team, such promises cannot be trusted. For one, there is absolutely no guarantee that the hackers will send back anything once they get the money and, secondly, there is a high chance that a working decryption key may not even exist.

That’s why, in case that your files have been taken hostage by .NamPoHyu and you are wondering about what you must do, don’t rush with the payment that the blackmailers demand from you. Instead, our suggestion is to focus on the proper removal of the Ransomware and on the alternative file-recovery solutions you can use. That’s why, in the guide below, we have prepared a set of instructions, a trusted malware-removal tool and a special file-recovery section with suggestions for the restoration of your data.

Finding difficulty removing .NamPoHyu Virus Ransomware?

Dealing with malware from the Ransomware type, however, can be a complex task. One of the first things we advise you to do is to arm yourself with a reliable security program like the one linked below. If you already have a security program installed on your computer, restart the machine in Safe Mode with Networking (instructions are available below), install the latest security updates and scan the entire system. If you do not have any security software or your antivirus program fails to detect and deal with .NamPoHyu, you can use the suggested removal tool included in the guide below. It is not a good idea to try to delete the infection by yourself if you are facing such a threat for the first time and are not sure what exactly you have to delete. Otherwise, such attempts can cause even more damage to your computer and to your data. Still, the manual instructions on this page can also be helpful for the removal of the insidious Ransomware infection if you complete them correctly.

Once you ensure that your system is clean and there are no hidden leftovers from the Ransomware, it is time to give a try to alternative data-restoration methods. Unfortunately, removing the infection may not liberate your data from the secret encryption and that’s why you may need to take some additional steps to recover some of your files. If you have backup copies, that will be the ideal case as this is the best protection against threats of this kind.

.NamPoHyu SUMMARY:

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Remove .NamPoHyu 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 .NamPoHyu

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 .NamPoHyu.

[add_forth_banner]

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 .NamPoHyu , 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 – .NamPoHyu

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 .NamPoHyu 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: .NamPoHyu Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the .NamPoHyu 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.

The post Remove .NamPoHyu Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.