Remove BlackMatter Ransomware: Open Encrypted Files

BlackMatter Ransomware: Simple Delete Process

BlackMatter Ransomware has been designed by a team of vicious cyber criminals with an aim to encrypt users’ files and force them to pay an amount of ransom for their decryption. It has ability to infect various data types including videos, audios, images, documents, PDFs, spreadsheets and make them completely inaccessible. During the encryption process, it also renames the infected files by appending an extension with each of them consisting of a random character. The BlackMatter virus is supposedly the rebranded DarkSide ransomware. There is proof to support this claim. (e.g., similarities in unique encryption routines, matches in color schemes and language used in Tor websites, etc.).

BlackMatter Ransomware Shows Ransom Note After Encryption:

Once the encryption process is completed, BlackMatter Ransomware displays a ransom note (“[random_string].README.txt”) and informs the affected people regarding the attack. It states that victims’ network has been encrypted and 1 TB of data was exfiltrated from it. The note mentions that attackers’ goals are just monetary-based. Hence, users are instructed to pay them a ransom to acquire the required tools and recover the compromised files after that.

BlackMatter Ransomware victims are warned that if they don’t fulfill criminals’ demands, the stolen data (e.g., employees’ personal details, network information, active project data, building schemes, architectural details, contracts, and finance-related information) will be leaked online. To establish contact with the crooks, users are asked to open their website that can be accessed via the Tor browser. They are also warned against modifying or repairing the infected files, or else it may cause permanent data loss.

Never Trust Cyber Offenders:

In most cases, data encrypted by BlackMatter Ransomware or other crypto-viruses can’t be opened without the interference of attackers. But still, there is no need to make any sort of payment to such people or even contact them. Remember, their only objective is to extort illicit ransom money from the victimized users; they are not in data-recovery business. Many victims paid ransom to the hackers but didn’t receive anything in return and ended up with losing both files as well as money. So, never do that and try to perform BlackMatter Ransomware removal from the machine immediately.

Use Backup For Data Recovery:

As far as restoring the infected files is concerned, you should use a recently made backup created before the attack and stored on any external location like SSD, SD card, pen drive, hard drive, cloud storage etc. It is very important for the computer users to keep making regular backups of their vital files and documents as it can be helpful in retrieving the compromised data in such perilous situation. But if this is not available, you can also try an effective third-party data-recovery application.

Ways To Propagate BlackMatter Ransomware:

BlackMatter Ransomware, or other file-locking viruses are generally spread with the help of spam campaigns that are sent by criminals in thousands in a mass-scale operation. These phishing emails are usually presented as “official”, “important”, or “urgent” but often contain vicious files attached to them or linked inside them. The vicious files could be in multiple formats e.g., JavaScript, archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), PDF and Microsoft Office documents, and so forth. The moment it is opened, it triggers the installation of crypto-malware.

To prevent these lethal attacks, you should not open suspicious and irrelevant emails, especially avoid downloading their attachments without scanning it with a reliable anti-malware tool. Moreover, choose only official sites and reliable sources to download software and stay away from unofficial channels and third-party downloaders. Also, update and activate software using the tools/functions provided by legitimate developers only. But at the moment, you must remove BlackMatter Ransomware from the device without wasting any time.

Text Presented In The Ransom Note:

BLACK

Matter

>>> What happens?

Your network is encrypted, and currently not operational. We have downloaded 1TB from your fileserver.

We need only money, after payment we will give you a decryptor for the entire network and you will restore all the data.

>>> What guarantees?

We are not a politically motivated group and we do not need anything other than your money.

If you pay, we will provide you the programs for decryption and we will delete your data.

If we do not give you decrypters or we do not delete your data, no one will pay us in the future, this does not comply with our goals.

We always keep our promises.

>> Data leak includes

1. Full emloyeers personal data
2. Network information
3. Schemes of buildings, active project information, architect details and contracts,
4. Finance info

>>> How to contact with us?

1. Download and install TOR Browser (hxxps://www.torproject.org/).
2. Open hxxp://supp24yy6a66hwszu2piygicgwzdtbwftb76htfj7vnip3getgqnzxid.onion/7NT6LXKC1XQHW5039BLOV.

>>> Warning! Recovery recommendations. 

We strongly recommend you to do not MODIFY or REPAIR your files, that will damage them.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove BlackMatter Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete BlackMatter Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove BlackMatter Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

For Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Boot the PC in “Safe Mode”. Click on “Start” option and continuously press on F8 during the start process until the “Windows Advanced Option” menu appears on the screen. Choose “Safe Mode with Networking” from the list.

Now, a windows homescreen appears on the desktop and work-station is now working on “Safe mode with networking”.

For Windows 8 Users: Go to the “Start Screen”. In the search results select settings, type “Advanced”. In the “General PC Settings” option, choose “Advanced startup” option. Again, click on the “Restart Now” option. The work-station boots to “Advanced Startup Option Menu”. Press on “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options” button.  In the “Advanced Option Screen”, press on “Startup Settings”. Again, click on “Restart” button. The work-station will now restart in to the “Startup Setting” screen. Next is to press F5 to boot in Safe Mode in Networking.

For Windows 10 Users: Press on Windows logo and on the “Power” icon. In the newly opened menu, choose “Restart” while continuously holding “Shift” button on the keyboard. In the new open “Choose an option” window, click on “Troubleshoot” and then on the “Advanced Options”. Select “Startup Settings” and press on “Restart”. In the next window, click on “F5” button on the key-board.

Step 2: Delete BlackMatter Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with BlackMatter Ransomware. Open the browser and download a legitimate anti-malware tool. Do a full System scanning. Remove all the malicious detected entries.

In case if you cannot start the PC in “Safe Mode with Networking”, Try using “System Restore”

• During the “Startup”, continuously press on F8 key until the “Advanced Option” menu appears. From the list, choose “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” and then press “Enter”

• In the new opened command prompt, enter “cd restore” and then press “Enter”.

• Type: rstrui.exe and Press “ENTER”

• Click “Next” on the new windows

• Choose any of the “Restore Points” and click on “Next”. (This step will restore the work-station to its earlier time and date prior to BlackMatter Ransomware infiltration in the PC.

• In the newly opened windows, press on “Yes”.

Once your PC gets restored to its previous date and time, download the recommended anti-malware tool and perform a deep scanning in order to remove BlackMatter Ransomware files if they left in the work-station.

In order to restore the each (separate) file by this ransomware, use “Windows Previous Version” feature. This method is effective when “System Restore Function” is enabled in the work-station.

Important Note: Some variants of BlackMatter Ransomware delete the “Shadow Volume Copies” as well hence this feature may not work all the time and is applicable for selective computers only.

How to Restore Individual Encrypted File:

In order to restore a single file, right click on it and go to “Properties”. Select “Previous Version” tab. Select a “Restore Point” and click on “Restore” option.

In order to access the files encrypted by BlackMatter Ransomware, you can also try using “Shadow Explorer”. In order to get more information on this application, press here.

Important: Data Encryption Ransomware are highly dangerous and it is always better that you take precautions to avoid its attack on your work-station. It is advised to use a powerful anti-malware tool in order to get protection in real-time. With this help of “SpyHunter”, “group policy objects” are implanted in the registries in order to block harmful infections like BlackMatter Ransomware.

Also, In Windows 10, you get a very unique feature called “Fall Creators Update” that offer “Controlled Folder Access” feature in order to block any kind of encryption to the files. With the help of this feature, any files stored in the locations such as “Documents”, “Pictures”, “Music”, “Videos”, “Favorites” and “Desktop” folders are safe by default.

It is very important that you install this “Windows 10 Fall Creators Update” in your PC to protect your important files and data from ransomware encryption. The more information on how to get this update and add an additional protection form rnasomware attack has been discussed here.

How to Recover the Files Encrypted by BlackMatter Ransomware?

Till now, you would have understood that what had happed to your personal files that got encrypted and how you can remove the scripts and payloads associated with BlackMatter Ransomware in order to protect your personal files that has not been damaged or encrypted until now. In order to retrieve the locked files, the depth information related to “System Restore” and “Shadow Volume Copies” has already been discussed earlier. However, in case if you are still unable to access the encrypted files then you can try using a data recovery tool.

Use of Data Recovery Tool

This step is for all those victims who have already tries all the above mentioned process but didn’t find any solution. Also it is important that you are able to access the PC and can install any software. The data recovery tool works on the basis of System scanning and recovery algorithm. It searches the System partitions in order to locate the original files which were deleted, corrupted or damaged by the malware. Remember that you must not re-install the Windows OS otherwise the “previous” copies will get deleted permanently. You have to clean the work-station at first and remove BlackMatter Ransomware infection. Leave the locked files as it is and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step1: Download the software in the work-station by clicking on the “Download” button below.

Step2: Execute the installer by clicking on downloaded files.

Step3: A license agreement page appears on the screen. Click on “Accept” to agree with its terms and use. Follow the on-screen instruction as mentioned and click on “Finish” button.

Step4: Once the installation gets completed, the program gets executed automatically. In the newly opened interface, select the file types that you want to recover and click on “Next”.

Step5: You can select the “Drives” on which you want the software to run and execute the recovery process. Next is to click on the “Scan” button.

Step6: Based on drive you select for scanning, the restore process begins. The whole process may take time depending on the volume of the selected drive and number of files. Once the process gets completed, a data explorer appears on the screen with preview of that data that is to be recovered. Select the files that you want to restore.

Step7. Next is to locate the location where you want to saver the recovered files.