Remove Loki Ransomware And Recover Encrypted Files

Simple Steps To Delete Loki Ransomware

Loki Ransomware is a very dangerous file-encrypting malware that infiltrates the Windows computers by stealth and then encrypts files and data stored in the machine. It can compromise files of multiple formats such as videos, audios, archives, multimedia, images and so on and makes victims to access those files. It also renames the infected data by appending “.loki” extension with the name of each of them. This hazardous cryptovirus can also delete the shadow volume copies of files and system restore points. This makes very difficult for the users to recover the infected files.

Depth Analysis of Loki Ransomware:

As per the reports, Loki Ransomware was first came into existence in mid-2019 however, mostly started its lethal attacks to the targeted PCs in October 2020. This precarious malware mainly targets English-speaking users but gas affected users from all over the world including regions of Asia, Africa and South America. It makes vicious entries in Windows Registries and alters its default settings to be persistent and regain automatic activation with each system reboot.

Once the encryption process is completed, Loki Ransomware leaves a ransom note named “HowToDecrypt.txt” in each folder that contains the infected files and informs victims regarding the attack. The text file displayed by this dangerous threat states that all your files have been encrypted and to recover those data, you need to pay a ransom amount of 0.02 BTC to the attackers.

Text Presented In The Ransom Note:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!

All your files are encrypted with Loki stealer:

To Decrypt:

– Send 0.02 BTC to:

Follow All Steps

Should You Pay The Ransom?

Under any circumstance, you should never consider dealing with the Loki Ransomware authors as they will not decode your files even after taking the extortion. It is important to mention that the only motive of such criminals is to extort illicit profits from the victimized users. There are various instances when they just completely ignored the victims once the ransom is paid or provided rogue software in the name of decryption tool. Paying ransom to such people will only encourage them to create and spread more such viruses for further revenues. So, never trust on them no matter what situation is.

What Should The Victims Do?

First of all, the affected people need to perform Loki Ransomware removal from the work-station as soon as possible. After that, they can try to restore the infected files using backups that are saved on any external drive. However, if you don’t have a proper backup available, you can try a powerful file-recovery application. It is very important to keep making regular backups the can be very helpful in retrieving the infected or lost files if such pernicious situation occurs whenever.

Threat Details

Name: Loki Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus, File-encrypting malware

Short Description: Destructive virus which encrypts users’ essential files and then forces them into paying the attackers a sum of ransom to get the decryption software/key.

Extension:  “.loki”

Ransom Demanding Notes: “HowToDecrypt.txt”

Symptoms: Locked data become inaccessible and useless stored inside the compromised PCs, previous functional data now have different extension, A ransom demanding message is left on each affected folder. Victims are asked to pay an amount of ransom to get the functional decryptor and unlock their encoded data and files.

Distribution methods: Spam emails, peer to peer network sharing, unofficial activation and updating tools.

Damage: All files are encrypted and cannot be accessed without paying ransom, Additional password stealing Trojans and malware infections can be installed along with ransomware infections and other malware.

Removal: To remove this virus from the system, we advise you to use a reliable anti-malware tool. Once malware gets removed, you can recover your files by using existing backup or data-recovery software.

Ways To Spread Loki Ransomware:

Most of the times, cyber actors use spam email campaigns for spreading ransomware payloads. Hackers create professional-looking emails pretending to be from some well-known companies, governmental institutions, worldwide-known organizations or banking forms. These mails actually contain malicious attachment that carry obfuscated crypto-virus payload. As soon as they are opened, run of executed, the infection process begins.

How To Avoid Such Attacks?

And therefore, it is highly important to ignore suspicious emails that contain spelling, grammar mistakes or coming from unknown sources. Such mails with malevolent attachments are perfect medium for distributing not only ransomware but other types of cyber threats as well. It it’s better to send to them to spam quickly rather than opening just to satisfy curiosity. In case your device already infected with this destructive file-encoding virus, you must remove Loki Ransomware from the work-station as soon as possible.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Loki Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove Loki 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 Loki Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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 Loki 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.