Remove HOTEL ransomware And Restore Encrypted Files

Proper Guide To Delete HOTEL ransomware

HOTEL ransomware is a hazardous computer virus which encrypts important files and documents stored inside the Windows PCs once gets installed. The real purpose of the creators of this deadly crypto-malware is to swindle money from the affected people. And therefore, soon after completing the encryption process, it starts blackmailing victims for the decryption tool. Belonging to the family of Phobos ransomware, this hazardous file-encrypting virus can compromise almost all types of data including pictures, audios, videos, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs etc. and make totally useless. It also renames the infected files adding victims’ ID, ICQ username of its developers and appending the “HOTEL” extension with each of them.

More About HOTEL ransomware:

Following successful encryption, HOTEL ransomware displays couple of ransom notes named “info.hta” and “info.txt” and informs victims about the unpleasant situation. It also instructs them to install ICQ software (a cross-platform messenger) on their systems and contact the @RIXOSHORSE to get further details on how to purchase the decryption tool. Furthermore, victims are also warned that renaming the locked data or trying to decode them with third-party software may lead to permanent data loss.

Should You Pay The Ransom?

 Although, it is true that files encrypted by HOTEL ransomware can’t be opened without using the decryption tool. But still, security experts strongly recommend not dealing with the hackers no matter what situation is. There are multiple occasions when attackers just ignored the victims once the ransom is paid and caused them to lose both files as well as money. Moreover, paying ransom to such people will only urge them to create and spread more such viruses for further profits. And hence, never consider making any sort of payment to the hackers and find any alternative methods to open the encrypted files.

Ways To Restore The Compromised Files:

Before you try to retrieve the infected files, first of all you should focus on HOTEL ransomware removal from the computer immediately. The longer this pernicious malware stays in your work-station, it keeps compromising your other crucial data. As far as restoring the infected files is concerned, you should use a recently made backup that you have saved on any external drive. If you don’t have a proper backup, then you can try a powerful fie-recovery application. You must keep making frequent backups of your vital files and documents that could be very useful in retrieving the infected or lost files if such perilous situation occurs whenever.

Quick Glance

Name: HOTEL ransomware

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

Short Description: Hazardous malware which encrypts users’ essential files and then asks them to pay the attackers an amount of ransom to get the decryption software/key.

Extension:  “.HOTEL”

Ransom Demanding Notes: info.hta and info.txt

Criminals’ Contact: @RIXOSHORSE on ICQ

Symptoms: Infected files become inaccessible and useless stored inside the infected PCs, previous functional data now have different extension, A ransom demanding message is left on each affected folder. Users are asked to pay an amount of ransom to 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.

Penetration of HOTEL ransomware:

Usually, people get infected with ransomware viruses through malspam emails. Such mails generally contain malicious attachments in forms of Microsoft Office documents, PDF documents, archive files (like ZIP, RAR), executable files (like .exe) or JavaScript files. As soon as the recipients open, run or execute the attached file, it leads to the virus infiltration.

The phishing emails generally pretend to be from some well-known companies or institutions or are disguised as ‘important’ or ‘crucial’. Due to this, users can be easily trapped into opening these mails and downloading their vicious attachments. So, it is important to ignore suspicious emails that you were not expected to receive at least before checking their legitimacy. But at the moment, you must remove HOTEL ransomware from the work-station as early as possible.

Text Presented In The “info.hta” file:

ATTENTION!!!!

Unfortunately for you, a major IT security weakness left you open to attack, your files have been encrypted with ciphers more advanced than those used for diplomatic communications, you can spend days and months searching for a magical way to decrypt your files, but rest assured we are the only people who can help you recover your files, there is no free tool

If you want to restore them, install ICQ software on your PC hxxps://icq.com/windows/ or on your mobile phone search in Appstore / Google market “ICQ”

Write to our ICQ @RIXOSHORSE hxxps://icq.im/RIXOSHORSE

Write this ID in the title of your message –

Free decryption as guarantee

Before paying you can send us up to 5 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 4Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

Text Presented In The “info.txt” file:

If you are the IT manager and you are reading this, that means that you messed up, you were asleep at the wheel. Contact us and we can resolve this situation without major complication, if you are the owner of the company and you are reading this than the decision is yours, throw your hard drives in the trash or contact us and pay a nominal fee to recover your data, but know that your security practices have failed you and either way something needs to be done

If you want to restore them, install ICQ software on your PC hxxps://icq.com/windows/ or on your mobile phone search in Appstore / Google market “ICQ”

Write to our ICQ @RIXOSHORSE hxxps://icq.im/RIXOSHORSE

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove HOTEL ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete HOTEL ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove HOTEL 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 HOTEL ransomware using “System Restore”

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