ShutUpAndDance Ransomware

Posted by Lisa Blanc on September 10, 2018

What is ShutUpAndDance Ransomware?

One could think that ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is a very entertaining program, but it is only entertaining for its developers. For regular users and its victims, this is a dangerous threat that can cut you off from your data.

In this description, we will give you a short overview of the main ransomware distribution methods, and then we will talk about what this infection does to your system. Finally, you will be able to remove ShutUpAndDance Ransomware on your own, but if you do not feel confident enough about it, we would recommend investing in security application that would terminate the infection for you automatically. test

Where does ShutUpAndDance Ransomware come from?

According to our research team, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is based on the Hidden Tear Ransomware. Hidden Tear Ransomware is a well-known infection that has the open source code. It means that the malware code is available in public, and anyone can use it to create their own ransomware.

Needless to say, regular users cannot reach this code unless you know how to navigate the depths of Darknet. However, there are a lot of programs out there that were based on the Hidden Tear code, so ShutUpAndDance Ransomware isn’t exactly unique. Nevertheless, the decryption key necessary to decrypt all the affected files does not fit all the programs.

Therefore, it would be for the best to avoid this program altogether. It is actually quite easy to avoid ransomware if you know how they spread. ShutUpAndDance Ransomware and other similar programs come through spam email. The attached files that come with spam usually carry the infection. Here it is clear that users can choose to ignore such messages and avoid the infection. But then, what pushes them into opening those files?

This usually happens because the spam email messages look like legitimate notifications from various websites. Maybe it looks like an invoice from an online shop. Perhaps it impersonates a report from a bank. Maybe it uses some sort of languages that catches your attention and makes you download and open the file without any second thoughts. So here’s the point: you need to crack that habit that pushes you into opening the files without checking them. In fact, if you think that you must open a specific file, you can always scan it with a security tool before opening. That would certainly help you determine whether the file you are about to open is safe or not.

What does ShutUpAndDance Ransomware do?

The program works like your average ransomware application. It means that when it enters the victim’s computer, it looks for the files it can encrypt. Based on what we have found during our research, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware encrypts almost everything it finds in the %UserProfile% directory. It means that it targets the default user’s folders, and if you tend to save most of your files there, you can be sure that they will be affected by the encryption.

Once the encryption is complete, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware will display a ransom note. The program drops the ransom note on the Desktop. If you open the READ_IT.txt file, you will see the following message:

YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED!

SEND US AN EMAIL FOR INSTRUCTIONS

fsocietyhelp@yandex.com

And that’s it. There is nothing more that would indicate how much the criminals expect you to pay for the decryption key. Nevertheless, it does not mean that you have to contact them immediately. By contacting them and paying the ransom fee, you would only encourage them to continue attacking innocent users. You have to make it stop by ignoring these people and removing ShutUpAndDance Ransomware from your computer.

How do I remove ShutUpAndDance Ransomware?

This infection does not drop additional files, so it is very easy to remove it. You just need to delete the file that launched the infection. After that, remove the encrypted files and transfer healthy copies of your data back into your computer. That is, of course, if you have a system backup in an external hard drive where you can save all of your files.

If not, please consider contacting a professional that would tell you more about potential file recovery options. You should do everything you can to protect your system from harm, but please remember that sometimes the effects of a ransomware infection could be irreversible.