What is .KRAB Files Virus?
.KRAB Files Virus is also known as GandCrab4 Ransomware, and its name derives from the extension (“.KRAB”) that is attached to the files after their encryption. According to Anti-Spyware-101.com research team, the current version of the threat not only encrypts files (e.g., archives, photos, videos, documents, application files, etc.) but network shares and mapped drives on the computer as well. Unfortunately, if files are encrypted by this malicious threat, there isn’t much anyone can do. At the time of research, a free decrypter did not exist, and the one offered by cyber criminals could not be trusted. We discuss this further in the report. Without a doubt, every victim has to remove .KRAB Files Virus from their operating system, but before you get rid of this malware, we suggest reading the full report to understand this infection and learn ways to protect your operating system against it in the future. The tips we share should help you keep the system free from all kinds of malware. If you cannot wait to delete the infection, use the guide, but note that your files will remain encrypted even if you succeed.
How does .KRAB Files Virus work?
Compromised WordPress sites can be set up to spread the malicious .KRAB Files Virus. It could also be distributed using malware installers and spam emails, which are the methods used by most file-encrypting threats. So, if you stay away from strange websites, installers and emails, you should evade this malware. Of course, the infection is concealed so that the user would execute it unknowingly. If the victim does not realize that they have let in malware, they are unlikely to delete .KRAB Files Virus in time. That means that the infection is free to encrypt the files and drives found on the operating system. Losing personal files is one of the scariest things that can happen to any user, and so it is only normal if you started panicking the moment you realized that most – if not all – of your personal files were locked and could not be opened. The bad news is that files are encrypted using the complex Salsa20 encryption key, and deciphering it might be impossible. This algorithm has not been used by all previous versions of the infection. RSA and AES were used instead. This is not the only change. The infection also does not need Internet connection anymore to perform file encryption. The only good news we have is that this malware does not create multiple elements, which should make the removal process easier.
The devious .KRAB Files Virus has two tasks, which are to encrypt files and to introduce you to the ransom demands. A file called “KRAB-DECRYPT.txt” is implemented for this purpose. It is safe to open this file, but note that you will need to remove it eventually. The message inside informs that only a unique private key can help decrypt files, and that you can retrieve it by downloading the Tor browser and visiting a special website (gandcrabmfe6mnef.onion/[random letters and numbers]). Of course, this website does not contain the installer of the private key. Instead, it gives instructions on how to pay a ransom, which the key should be presented in return for. The sample of the infection we tested in our internal lab requested a ransom of $1,200; however, it has been reported that different versions can request different sums. All in all, whether you are asked to pay $10 or $10,000, you cannot forget that cyber criminals can promise you anything just to get your money. If you expect that you would get the decryptor as soon as you paid the ransom, you are very naive.
How to delete .KRAB Files Virus
So, you can remove .KRAB Files Virus, but you cannot restore your files. That is a huge problem, and we do not have a solution for you at this time. Users who have backups are the only ones who can resolve the issue because they still have copies of the files that were encrypted. If that is your situation as well, go ahead and delete .KRAB Files Virus along with all encrypted files. Next, install a trusted anti-malware tool to ensure that your system stays protected in the future. After this, you can transfer the backups back onto the computer if you need it. You can solve these problems with one fell swoop by installing anti-malware software right now because that way you won't need to worry about the removal of the infection or the system’s protection. If you still have questions – post a comment below.
Removal Instructions
- Find the launcher ([unknown name].exe) file. It could be located anywhere.
- Right-click the file and choose Delete.
- Find and Delete all copies of the ransom file, KRAB-DECRYPT.txt.
- Empty Recycle Bin and immediately utilize a trusted malware scanner to run a full system scan.
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