An infection with the dangerous .locky Ransomware leads to serious security issues. Victims can restore and protect their computers by following our complete removal guide.
Remove .locky Ransomware and Restore PC
Manual Removal Guide
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Distribution of .locky Ransomware
The .locky ransomware 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 .locky ransomware 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 labeled 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 .locky Ransomware infection.
The computer criminals behind the malware can create malicious sites or download portals which distribute malware of different kinds, including the .locky Ransomware. 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 .locky Ransomware. 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 .locky Ransomware
The .locky ransomware is a new strain of the Hidden Tear malware family. This is a yet another offpsring of the popular open-source threat which has started to target computer users worldwide. As it is an offspring of the well-known base code the .locky ransomware is nothing more than a customized version of the base engine. Such viruses are very easy to make as the underlying code is widely available on both the hacker underground markets as well as the open Internet. Beginner hackers usually start their malware practices by customizing Hidden Tear kits to produce strains like this one.
Like other related threats the .locky ransomware follows a well-known infection pattern divided between a pre-ransomware and post-ransomware actions. The first part of the infection starts with the setup of conditions required by the ransomware process. Depending on the hacker configuration a persistent installation may be imposed which actively prevents the user or a security program from removing the infection. If it is deemed by the criminals behind the .locky ransomware changes to the operating system may be done ‒ modifications to the Windows registry or important configuration files. This can lead to one of the following:
- Performance Issues
- App Failure
- Settings Changes
As the .locky ransomware in its current configuration contains only the base engine and as it is built on a modular deisng it can be further updated with newer components. Examples include the following:
- Trojan Module ‒ It allows the hackers to remote control or spy on the users activities.
- Data Theft ‒ The criminals can steal user files prior to the encryption phase.
- Persistent Installation ‒ This is a deep infection tactic which actively prevents manual removal attempts from the user’s part. When such a threat is involved in a computer attack the only way to effectively remove is by using a quality anti-malware solution.
- Additional Virus Delivery ‒ The .locky ransomware can be used to install other viruses to the target machines as well.
Once all pre-encryption processes are complete the ransomware module is loaded. Like other similar threats it uses a list of target file type extensions that correspond to the most popular user data. Examples include the following: images, videos, music, documents, archives, databases, backups, configuration files and others. A background image is imposed as the desktop wallpaper which reads the following text in Spanish:
No debes asustarte…
Pero hemos bloqueado todos
Tus archivos
de manera que sean
Inutilizables.Si quieres desbloquearlos…
Abre el Archivo Leeme.txt
Que esta en tu escritorio.
Y sigue cuidadosamente
Las Instrucciones.Un paso en Falso y Sera un dano
Irreparable.
An English-translated version reads the following:
269/5000
You must not scare …
But we have blocked all
Your files
so that they are
UnusableIf you want to unblock them …
Open the Leeme.txt file
What is on your desk
And carefully follow
The instructions.One step in False and it will be a damage
Irreparable.
The file reads in Spanish a ransomware sum request written by the hackers. They request $10 to be sent to them via the PAYZA payment system. This is a popula payment service similar to Paypal. We recommend that all users abstain from communicating with the hackers and use our full .locky ransomware removal guide below to recover their data and delete the active infections.
Remove .locky Ransomware and Restore PC
WARNING! Manual removal of the .locky Ransomware 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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.locky Ransomware – 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 .locky 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 .locky 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
