Remove Harma ransomware and Retrieve Encrypted files

Instruction to Delete Harma ransomware permanently

Harma ransomware is a version of popular high risk DHarma ransomware family. This variant can encrypt the targeted files and data with the most powerful encryption cryptography and makes it totally unusable for the users. On every infected file, you would notice a unique Id of the victim, email ID of the developer and “.harma” extension name in the end. For example, a file named as 123.jpg will get changed to 123.jpg.id-1E857D00.[[email protected]].harma.

Some of the email IDs used by the developers are [[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma”, “.[[email protected]].harma” and “.[[email protected]].harma”

When you try to open the locked file, you would notice a pop-up of ransom note in text file namely (“FILES ENCRYPTED.txt”). Through this ransom note, you are basically asked to contact the developers and pay the ransom money in exchange of the decryption key. They try to convince you that paying the ransom amount is the only solution. Pay the money and get the decryption key and eventually everything will be all right. However this is not the complete information.

When the files are encrypted, it generates a unique decryption key which his stored in a remote server that is owned by cyber-criminals. In order to access this key, you are demanded to pay ransom that ranges $500 to $1500. You are asked to make the payment in Bitcoin crypto-currency. You are asked to attach one selected file of less than 1 MB when you contact the developer to email. This encrypted file is supposed to be decrypted as a proof that decryption key really works. This is a trick used to win the victim trust.

In most cases, the victim is ignored as soon as they make the payment. They break all the communication links and channels and your important files are still inaccessible even after you made the complete payment. It is strongly recommended that you must not contact with the developers. It is very unfortunate that the cyber-experts have not been able to develop any decryption tool for this ransomware.

How to Recover the Encrypted files?

The best and easiest way to retrieve the encrypted files is to use the backup files. Unless and until there is any bugs or flaws in the encryption, you cannot decrypt the data directly. However, before using the backup files, it is important that the ransomware is removed from the PC. The backup file should have stored in some external storage device prior to the malware attack. In case, if the backup files are not available then you have to rely “Shadow Volume Copies” which is a temporary backup file automatically created by the OS for recently deleted files for a short time. In case, if all the methods to retrieve the file don’t works, the last option is to use a powerful data recovery tool.

How Harma ransomware Get Inside the PC?

The cyber-criminals have a lot of tricks and ways that they could use to intrude the malware infection payload in the work-station. Some of them are spam email campaigns, peer-to-peer file sharing networks, bogus software updates, and so on. As a targeted victim, you will receive tons of emails in your inbox and each of them has payload attachments with them. As soon as the attached file is opened, the malware payloads are secretly entered. Trojan is used to create chain infection. Many a times, bogus applications are presented as legitimate software and they eventually trick the users to manually install malware. The professional cyber-criminals know all the tricks to take advantage of all the carelessness and lack of technical knowledge of the users.

Some precautionary Measures

It is very important that there is proper security-settings and firewall in the PC. You have to be very careful while you are browsing. Avoid interaction with any of random links or pop-ups. While downloading any application, read their terms and agreement and privacy-policy very carefully. Always choose advance or custom installation method and deselect all the files that come as hidden files. Don’t interact with emails that are sent by unknown senders. Upgrade the overall security settings and use a powerful anti-malware tool in order to get protection from malware in real-time.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

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

Step 2: Delete Harma ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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