What is Exte Ransomware?
If you are not careful, it is very easy to let Exte Ransomware in. This dangerous infection was created to encrypt your files, and it can do that in a silent manner, without your notice. Once the files are encrypted, they become completely unrecognizable as their names are replaced by strings of random letters and numbers. Hopefully, that does not stop you from figuring out which files were encrypted. It is safe to say that the ransom will go after your photos, personal documents, media files, and similar data because it is more valuable than replaceable system files. The goal is to make you feel hopeless and then follow the demands that are represented via a TXT file called “_HELP_INSTRUCTION.TXT”. If you follow these instructions, you might be left without your money and, unfortunately, your files as well. Though you might be promised a decryptor in return of a ransom, cyber criminals are unlikely to keep their end of the deal. So, should you follow the demands or should you delete Exte Ransomware and count your losses? Anti-Spyware-101.com research team suggests there might be one other scenario.
How does Exte Ransomware work?
Exte Ransomware belongs to the CryptoMix ransomware family, just like Mole Ransomware, Revenge Ransomware, and many other infections that our researchers have reviewed in the past. The good news is that the infections within this family usually have free decryptors following them. At the time of research, a decryptor that would work with Exte Ransomware did not exist, but it might be created soon. So, if your files were encrypted, look into legitimate file decryptors, and, maybe, you will be able to get out of the situation without any losses. Unfortunately, a different scenario exists as well. Once the infection encrypts your files, it immediately introduces you to the “_HELP_INSTRUCTION.TXT” file, which is meant to push you into communicating cyber criminals. The ransom note does not mention any payments or anything like that, but it displays three different email addresses and a unique ID that is created for every victim. The strange ransom note instructs that you send the ID to exte1@msgden.net, exte2@protonmail.com, or exte3@reddithub.com. Once cyber crooks identify you, they can send you additional instructions that, undoubtedly, include the payment of a ransom.
The creator of Exte Ransomware has designed this infection to corrupt personal files because they matter more than, for example, software files that you can re-download again and again. When it comes to personal files, users often have one copy, and that is very risky. If files are important to you, you should back them up to ensure that they are not at risk, whether it is a risk related to malware or computer damage. If your personal files are backed up, Exte Ransomware is not that scary because although it has encrypted your files, you still have access to backups. When it comes to backups, we recommend using external drives and online clouds. If you rely on a system restore point, you might be disappointed because many ransomware infections are set to destroy backups. Overall, we hope that you will be able to escape the situation without any losses or damage, and if you cannot, let this teach you a lesson on how to take care of your operating system and files in the future.
How to delete Exte Ransomware
Whether or not you get your files decrypted, you cannot postpone the removal of Exte Ransomware. This dangerous infection must be eliminated immediately, and the first thing you have to decide is how you will get rid of it. Our research team advises using anti-malware software because it can erase the threat automatically, as well as ensure reliable protection against malware in the future. This tool will also ensure that any other active threats are deleted as well, and remember that some infections can be very sneaky, and you might be unaware of them. The other option would be to delete the ransomware manually, and that is not an extremely complicated task if you have at least a little bit of experience. If you are having issues following the removal guide below, or if you have questions for us, do not hesitate to leave a comment in the dialog box below.
Removal Instructions
- Right-click the Delete the file named _HELP_INSTRUCTION.TXT (might have multiple copies).
- Simultaneously tap Win+R keys to launch RUN.
- Enter regedit.exe into the dialog box to launch Registry Editor.
- Navigate to HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RUN.
- Delete two values representing unfamiliar files in the %AppData% folder (the names are random).
- Simultaneously tap Win+E to launch Windows Explorer.
- Type %AppData% into the bar at the top and tap Enter to access the folder.
- Delete two .exe files representing the ransomware (the names are random, but are the same as the deleted values).
- Empty Recycle Bin and perform a full system scan.
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