Remove GiveMeTheKey Ransomware And Decrypt Locked Files

Tips To Delete GiveMeTheKey Ransomware

GiveMeTheKey Ransomware is a type of deadly cryptovirus and was reported recently by security expert xiaopao. It has been created by the hackers to serve their wrong motives. This precarious malware is very harmful for the computer device and can sneak silently into your PC without any consent. It is very effective and useful for the hackers by which they can easily generate revenues. It encrypts your important files and locks them to make the data unable to open and read. Your device will also get locked and you will need the unique decryption key to the locked files.

More About GiveMeTheKey Ransomware:

GiveMeTheKey Ransomware mainly targets Windows OS based computer systems and can compromise all versions of Windows including the most recent one Win 10. It uses a very strong cryptography to encrypt your vital data such as images, videos, audios, PDFs, documents, presentations etc. and makes them completely inaccessible. Unlike other crypto-viruses that rename the encrypted files by appending a specific extension, the particular threat doesn’t add any appendix. And hence, files remain unchanged. After completing the encryption process, this hazardous malware drops multiple files on the desktop. One of those files is “RANSOM_NOTE.txt” that contains the ransom-demanding message.

The text file displayed by GiveMeTheKey Ransomware states the infected systems’ hard drives and all the files stored within it have been encrypted. The only way of restoring those files is by using the decryption key that victims will have to purchase from the attackers. For more details, they are asked to contact the criminals via provide email address. After that, the affected people will receive the details regarding the ransom payment. The ransom amount may vary from $200 to $1500 that has to be paid in BitCoins cryptocurrency. After the transaction, an email has to be sent with the title – “PAID”. You are promised that once the payment is made, you will be provided the recovery keys. GiveMeTheKey Ransomware also warns that sending the “PAID” mail before actually paying will double the decryptor price. Additionally, modifying the locked files or trying to decrypt them with third-party software may cause permanent data loss.

Text Presented In The Ransom Note:

The harddisks of your computer have been encrypted with an Military grade encryption algorithm.

There is no way to restore your data without a special key.

Only we can decrypt your files!

To purchase your key and restore your data, please follow these three easy steps:

machine ID: –

1. Email the file called EMAIL_ME at YOUR DESKTOP “-” to [email protected]

2. You will recieve your personal BTC address and amount for payment.

Once payment has been completed, send another email to [email protected] stating “PAID”.

We will check to see if payment is OK.

3. You will receive a text file with your KEY that will unlock all your files.

IMPORTANT: To decrypt your files, place text file on desktop and wait. Shortly after it will begin to decrypt all files.

WARNING:

Do NOT attempt to decrypt your files with any software as it is obselete and will not work, and may cost you more to unlcok your files.

Do NOT change file names, mess with the files, or run deccryption software as it will cost you more to unlock your files-

-and there is a high chance you will lose your files forever.

Do NOT send “PAID” button without paying, price WILL go up for disobedience.

Do NOT think that we wont delete your files altogether and throw away the key if you refuse to pay. WE WILL.

Should You Pay The Ransom?

Even though hackers claim that there is no other way to restore victim’s files, our security researchers do not recommend cooperating with them. Remember, the only motive of such criminals is to extort illicit profits from the victimized users. They will never decode your files even after taking the extortion. There are several occasions when hackers just disappear once the payment is made or provided rogue software to the victims in the name of decryptor which in indeed a malicious program itself. So, never consider dealing with the hackers under any circumstance and focus on instant removal of GiveMeTheKey Ransomware from the computer.

Ways To Recover The Locked Data:

There are other methods to decrypt affected files. Use the backup made on any external drive. However, in its absence, you should try a powerful file-recovery application. Although, you should stay away from suspicious free decryption tools offered online unless they are verified by security researchers. Many other cyber crooks try to trick confused users into downloading malware disguised as so-called tools to unlock files.

Threat Details

Name: GiveMeTheKey Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus

Short Description: Pernicious malware which encrypts users’ important files and then forces them into paying the hackers a sum of ransom to get the functional decryptor.

Extension: No file extension; filenames remain unchanged

Ransom demanding message– “RANSOM_NOTE.txt”

Attackers’ contact: [email protected]

Symptoms: Victims cannot open files stored on their PC system, earlier functional files now have different extension, A ransom demanding message is displayed on the desktop screen. Users are asked to pay an amount of ransom to unlock their encoded data and files.

Distribution methods: Spam emails, Torrent websites, 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 GiveMeTheKey Ransomware:

Despite the variety of virus distribution techniques, spam email remains the main and the most successful way of spreading malicious cyber infections. Spam emails may be distributed via targeted attacks to specific emails or spread by bots en masses using random email addresses that might have been leaked during a data breach. Therefore, hundreds of less experienced users can get deceived into opening malicious spam email attachments. Thus, do not get tempted by the curiosity to check the “Order confirmation” if you haven’t ordered anything or similar.

Criminals make use of several security gaps, be it zero-day vulnerabilities, unprotected RDP, remote code execution possibilities, security vulnerability, and whatnot. Therefore, it’s very important to take any possible precautionary measures to protect the computer if you store single file copies and valuable information on it. For this purpose, it’s not enough to install the AV program. It’s also important to keep it updated, ensure that a full service is enabled (real-time protection, scan to email, and similar). Besides, regularly update the software and all possible patches to minimize security risks. But at the moment, you are highly recommended to remove GiveMeTheKey Ransomware from the PC as soon as possible.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete GiveMeTheKey Ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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