How to remove Horse ransomware and rescue locked files

Proper guide to delete Horse ransomware

Horse ransomware is dubious file encrypting malware that comes under the ransomware family called Phobos. This program is specifically designed to lock down the target system, encrypting data and demands ransom money to recover them. This virus operates by the cyber criminals. During encryption, it renames all files by “.horse” extension and unique ID numbers and cyber criminals ICQ messenger contact. It is able to encrypt all types of files as well as data and makes them totally useless and inaccessible.

Threat summary

Name: Horse ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Cryptovirus

Short Description: Encrypts all your files by adding its unusual extension and demand ransom to provide decryption key.

Extension: .horse (files are also appended with unique ID and cyber criminals ICQ messenger contact)

Family: Phobos ransomware

Ransom note: info.hta and info.txt

Symptoms: You will not be able to access any files on your PC and will find ransom note in each and every folder of encrypted files.

Cyber criminal contact: @cavallograndecapo (ICQ messenger)

Distribution Method: deceptive pop-up ads, infected email attachments, malicious ads, torrent file downloads and many more.  

Removal: Use Spyhunter to remove Horse ransomware and all infiltrated malware automatically from the system. 

More details about Horse ransomware

Just after successful encrypting all personal and system files, Horse ransomware creates ransom note named “info.hta” and “info.txt”. The created info.txt informs users that all their files have been locked and in order to decrypt it users are advised to install ICQ cross platform messenger on their devices and establish contact with the cyber criminals. Users are also warned not to rename encrypted files with third party recovery tools as it may leads permanent data loss.

The ransom demanding message provides information relating to ransomware attack. In order to gain trust, these people offer free decryption of 5 encrypted files less than 4MB and should not contain any valuable and personal information. The price of decryption is not mentioned generally it depends upon user how fast they contact to the cyber criminals. Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter it is ill advised not to communicate with hackers.

There are many cases where people who trust the cyber criminals and pay the ransom payment get scammed. The crooks do not provide the key even if all their demands are met. The safe way is to remove Horse ransomware completely from the computer by using Spyhunter an automatic malware removal tool. After removing the malware, recover the files using existing backups. The other way is to use data recovery tool.

Intrusion methods:

Ransomware and other dubious malware infection infiltrate into the system via Trojans, unofficial software activation tools, dubious download channels, illegitimate updater and spam campaigns. The term spam campaign is used to describe large scale operation during which thousands of emails are sent to the recipients. These letters contain download links of infectious files that are attached to the emails. Once user opens such files, it cause download and install of malware as well as also cause computer infections. So, users are advised not to use such vicious sources for downloading and installing any software.

Remove Horse ransomware

Below, step by step removal instructions have been described below under this article. Users are advised to go through it so that you will not find any trouble while performing virus removal process. You can use Spyhunter an automatic malware removal tool that can remove Horse ransomware completely and safely from the computer.

Text presented in Horse ransomware’s pop-up window:

All your files have been encrypted!
All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, install ICQ software on your PC or mobile phone here hxxps://icq.com/windows/
Write to our ICQ @cavallograndecapo hxxps://icq.im/cavallograndecapo
Write this ID in the title of your message –
You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the tool that will decrypt all your files.
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.)
How to obtain Bitcoins
The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click ‘Buy bitcoins’, and select the seller by payment method and price.
hxxps://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins
Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here:
hxxp://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/
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.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Horse ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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