How to remove Exorcist Ransomware

Files encrypted by Exorcist Ransomware: Is there any solution?

Cyber security researchers have discovered Exorcist Ransomware and explained that it is very devastating malware and computer infection that is belongs to Ransomware family. This dubious malware get enters into your machine accidently from malicious emails and infected email attachments. For more details, you can read this article carefully. Let’s starts the discussion.

What is Exorcist Ransomware?

Exorcist Ransomware is categorised as Ransomware that is designed to encrypt/lock all types of files including documents, databases, ppt, xlx, css, html, text, images, audios, videos, games, pdf and many other files of your computer. During encryption process, it renames each file stored in your computer with random strings of characters like .myZoV File Extension and drops the copies of ransom note as [random-string]-decrypt.hta  like “myZoV-decrypt.hta” in each folder of your computer. Cybercriminals behind this malware attack claims that the only way to decrypt your files is to purchase and use its decryption keys/tools/software for decryption. But it is bogus at all. If your System has detected this malware, then you should try to remove Exorcist Ransomware from machine immediately.

Exorcist Ransomware’s ransom note “[random-string]-decrypt.hta” states that all files of your computer hard drive been encrypted and you need to pay demanded ransom money to decrypt your files. It claims that they will delete all files & folders of your computer permently in order to rename locked files or use third parties’ decryption software. Initially, it asks you to download “Tor browser” on your computer machine and open the ransom note with this browser which contain information about the ransomware, how you can recover locked files, cybercriminals’ email ID and ransom money details as well. It demands huge amount of ransom money to decrypt your files.

Let’s take have a look at message displayed on ransom note:

    rnyZoV Decrypt

    All your data has been encrypted with Exorcist Ransomware.

    Do not worry: you have some hours to contact us and decrypt your data by paying a ransom.

    To do this, follow instructions on this web site: hxxp://217.8.117.26/pay

    Also, you can install Tor Browser and use this web site: hxxp://4dnd3utjsmm2zcsb.onion/pay

    IMPORTANT: Do not modify this file, otherwise you will not be able to recover your data!

    Your authorization key: XXXXXX

Threat Analysis

Name: Exorcist Ransomware

Type: File Virus, Crypto-Malware, Ransomware, File Locker

Description: This dubious crypto-malware is capable of encrypting all files stored in your computer and drops the copies of ransom note on screen. In other word, we can say that you can’t open or use your personal files or data as usual like before.

Distribution methods: Malicious ads or popup messages, fake software updates or security alert messages, spam email messages, infected attachments, torrent websites, bundles of freeware or shareware and many other tricks.

Motives of crooks: Aims to collect your sensitive information and shares it to other hackers or third parties to generate some revenue. They also want to steal your money from your wallet or e-wallet.

Removal & recovery solution: In case if your System has infected from Exorcist Ransomware or related infection, then you need to scan your System with powerful antivirus software. After complete scan and malware removal, you can use powerful data recovery software to restore files encrypted by ransomware.

Should I pay extortion money?

We recommended you to please avoid paying any amount of ransom money to them for decryption. According to cyber security experts, Exorcist Ransomware is very notorious crypto-malware creation of cybercriminals who wants to earn some illegal online profit and cheat with innocent users. They never do any mercy with you. Initially, it asks you to send 2-4 encrypted files on email ID provided on ransom note for free decryption test that successfully decrypt these files. After that, it forces you to pay 5000 USD in Cryptocurrency to decrypt rest of the files. You should never trust on them at any cases. Its main aim is to collect your some information such IP address, URLs search, user name & password of various accounts, banking information and more details as well. So, it is important to delete Exorcist Ransomware from machine as soon as possible.

How your System gets infected from Exorcist Ransomware?

The ransomware is mostly get install in your System from spam emails, infected email attachments and bundles of free software packages which you are downloaded from internet. Scammers or hackers use the name like “Urgent”, “Official”, “Important”, “Priority” or other similar keywords as subject of emails which contains some messages along with suspicious hyperlinks and attachments. In order to click on such malicious hyperlinks or open infected attachments, cybercriminals install harmful malware in your machine and starts encrypting all files stored in your machine. So, you should be alert while surfing online and avoid opening attachments coming from unknown emails.

Precautionary measures:

• Need backup: Create backup or keep backup of your all files stored in your machine on some safe external storage device
• OS update: Keep your operating System up-to-date
• Other software update: Remove all the faculty software running in your computer and update rest of the software
• Be alert while browsing internet: You should be careful while surfing online and avoid opening attachments coming from unknown emails, avoid installing freeware from unknown sources and click on ads or popup after double reading.
• Scan the PC for malware: You should scan your computer with strong antivirus software in regular time intervals

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Exorcist Ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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