An infection with the dangerous .Cyclone Virus leads to serious security issues. Victims can restore and protect their computers by following our complete removal guide.
Remove .Cyclone Virus and Restore PC
Manual Removal Guide
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Distribution of .Cyclone Virus
The .Cyclone Virus is a new virus which has been sighted in a limited attack campaign. At the moment the security researchers cannot determine the primary infection strategy. We presume that the most widely used tactics are going to be employed.
Among them are the email messages created in an automated way and sent to large lists of potential victims. The .Cyclone Virus can be directly attached to the messages. This is one of the easiest way for the criminals to attempt the infection. However a lot of email hosting providers usually capture the signatures of the virus and as such discard such messages or label them as dangerous or spam. Other infection methods related to this one is the option of inserting hyperlinks in the body content of the messages. The links are usually labelled as leading to a familiar website or a file of user interest. Redirects can redirect to hacker-controlled sites, infected payloads or other instances that can lead to an .Cyclone Virus infection.
The computer criminals behind the malware can create malicious sites or download portals which distribute malware of different kinds, including the .Cyclone Virus. A popular option is the use of infected documents which may be of different types ‒ spreadsheets, rich text documents, presentations and databases. They are modified to initiate the virus once the built-in scripts are run. Usually when the files are opened a notification will ask the users to run the macros (scripts). If this is done the infection follows.
The hacker-controlled sites are specialist portals that have been created either manually or automatically by the criminals behind the .Cyclone Virus. They can either directly distribute the threat by initiating various scripts or automated operations or link to such instances. Redirects are usually caused by email interaction, ad networks or other browsing activity. However one of the main sources is the availability of browser hijackers. They are malicious addons made for the most popular web browsers ‒ Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Microsoft Edge and Safari. Once installed they not only infect the users with the malware, but also redirect the victims to a hacker-controlled site. Depending on the configuration the browser hijackers can also steal sensitive information such as any stored passwords, account credentials, history, bookmarks, form data and settings.
Impact of .Cyclone Virus
The .cyclone virus is a new malware strain that is derived from the recently discovered Noblis malware family. The security community has alerted of a new attack campaign that is using it as the main payload. It is written in the Python programming language and contains the code name “Crypter” which is a generic identifier for this category of malware.
As it is made using a modular framework it can be updated and reconfigured depending on the targets. Like its parent it can be made into a multiple stage malware. Usually such attacks begin with an information gathering component that seeks to extract sensitive information from the target computer. This step is necessary to make a detailed profile of the host by extacting information such as the installed hardware components, available applications and all related user data. In the case of web browsers the code is usually compatible with the most popular ones: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
This allows the hackers to set up a malware infection process in several stages. This first one can include a stealth protection module. Using the extracted data it can detect the installed anti-virus software and atempt to either remove or disable it. If it is unable to do so it can remove itself to avoid detection.
A next stage of the .Cyclone virus infection would be to induce system changes to the operating system. This is used to modify the Windows registry, disable certain system services and components, as well as to disable user applications. And while some users may not immediately identify such infections they may notice performance issues. In connection with this the hackers can opt to disable certain recovery options. This is usually related to the persistent infection that is part of all advanced malware. The hackers use various tactics to make the threat hard to remove with manual methods. In such cases effective removal is done using a quality anti-spyware solution.
When it comes to file and process manipulation the .Cyclone virus has been found to be able to launch its own processes as well as hook up to existing ones with different privilege levels. Some versions of it can also include a Trojan component that allows the criminal operators to spy on the targets in real time. In certain situations it can also be used to record the keystrokes and mouse movement in a special database. The compromised hosts can also be controlled at any given time. This allows arbitrary code to be executed.
Once all preliminary stages have complete the encryption phase begins. The ransomware engine tends to target the most widely used files. It is likely that it uses the same file list of target file type extensions as the Noblis virus:
.doc, .docx, .jpg, .mp3, .msi, .pdf, .tar.gz, .tsx, .txt, .zip
Once this is done a lockscreen instance is set up to display the ransomware note. It is created in an application frame titled “Cyclone Ransomware v2.40” that prevents ordinary computer interaction until it is removed. The message reads the following:
Cyclone Ransomware
The important files on your computer have been encrypted
with military grade AES-256 bit encryption.Your documents, videos, images and other forms of data are now inaccessible, and cannot be unlocked without the decryption key. This key is currently being stored on a remote server.
To acquire this key, transfer the Bitcoin Fee to the specified wallet address before the time runs out.
If you fail to take action within this time window, the decryption key will be destroyed and access to your files will be permamently lost.
The criminal operators indicate their Bitcoin wallet and request a payment fee of 0.005 Bitcoins which by today’s currency exchange rate equals to about $95.
Remove .Cyclone Virus and Restore PC
WARNING! Manual removal of the .Cyclone Virus requires being familiar with system files and registries. Removing important data accidentally can lead to permanent system damage. If you don’t feel comfortable with manual instructions, download a powerful anti-malware tool that will scan your system for malware and clean it safely for you.
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.Cyclone Virus – Manual Removal Steps
Start the PC in Safe Mode with Network
This will isolate all files and objects created by the ransomware so they will be removed efficiently. The steps bellow are applicable to all Windows versions.
1. Hit the WIN Key + R
2. A Run window will appear. In it, write msconfig and then press Enter
3. A Configuration box shall appear. In it Choose the tab named Boot
4. Mark Safe Boot option and then go to Network under it to tick it too
5. Apply -> OK
Remove .Cyclone from Windows
Here’s a way to remove the program. This method will work regardless if you’re on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP. Simply selecting the program and pressing delete won’t work, as it’ll leave a lot of small files. That’s bad because these leftovers can linger on and cause all sorts of problems. The best way to delete a program is to uninstall it. Here’s how you can do that:
1. Hold the “Windows” button (It’s between CTRL and Alt on most keyboards) and press “R”. You’ll see a pop-up window.
2. In the textbox, type “appwiz.cpl”, then press“ Enter ”.
3. The “Programs and features” menu should now appear. It’s a list of all the programs installed on the PC. Here you can find the program, select it, and press “Uninstall“.
Remove .Cyclone Virus From Your Browser
Before resetting your browser’s settings, you should know that this action will wipe out all your recorded usernames, passwords, and other types of data. Make sure to save them in some way.
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1. Start Mozilla Firefox. In the upper right corner, click on the Open menu icon and select “Add-ons“.
2. Inside the Add-ons Manager select “Extensions“. Search the list of extensions for suspicious entries. If you find any, select them and click “Remove“.
3. Click again on the Open menu icon, then click “Options“.
4. In the Options window, under “General” tab, click “Restore to Default“.
5. Select “Search” in the left menu, mark the unknown search engine and press “Remove”.
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1. Start Google Chrome. On the upper-right corner, there a “Customize and Control” menu icon. Click on it, then click on “Settings“.
2. Click “Extensions” in the left menu. Then click on the trash bin icon to remove the suspicious extension.
3. Again in the left menu, under Chrome, Click on “Settings“. Go under “On Startup” and set a new page.
4. Afterward, scroll down to “Search“, click on “Manage search engines“.
5. In the default search settings list, find the unknown search engine and click on “X“. Then select your search engine of choice and click “Make default“. When you are ready click “Done” button in the right bottom corner.
2. In the “Manage add-ons” window, bellow “Add-on Types“, select “Toolbars and Extensions“. If you see a suspicious toolbar, select it and click “Remove“.
3. Then again in the “Manage Add-ons” window, in “Add-on Types“, Select “Search Providers“. Chose a search engine and click “Set as default“. Select the unknown search engine and click “Remove and Close”.
4. Open the Tools menu, select “Internet Options”.
5. In the “General” tab, in “Home page”, enter your preferred page. Click “Apply” and “OK”.
Repair Windows Registry
1. Again type simultaneously the WIN Key + R key combination
2. In the box, write regedit and hit Enter
3. Type the CTRL+ F and then write the malicious name in the search type field to locate the malicious executable
4. In case you have discovered registry keys and values related to the name, you should delete them, but be careful not to delete legitimate keys
Click for more information about Windows Registry and further repair help
