Remove Kraken Ransomware (File Recovery Methods)

Detailed Information About Kraken Ransomware & Removal Instructions

Kraken Ransomware is said to be another vicious computer infection that belongs to Ouroboros ransomware family. Means, the malware if manage to infect your machine, it will encrypt all files stored on your computer and asks you to remit a specified ransom fee in order to purchase decryption software/tool. During the encryption process, the malware use to encrypt all files on computer and append those files using a pattern that inclused original file name with .kraken followed by original file extension. For an instance, a file named abc.jpg will turn to appear like 1.kraken.jpg. In final stage, the ransomware drops a scary text file based ransom note on computer which displays a scary message to users, and the message content includes the following message as mentioned here:

The ransom note basically includes various details for users that all files stored on computer is now encrypted by Kraken Ransomware and the victims are suggested to contact their known IT support for more information regarding such infections. Also, the note states that it has removed all backup system, and to restore the affected files, the victims have to pay 15 Monero cryptocurrency, which is approximately around 1000 USD. In addition, the ransom note includes an email address as well through which victims can contact the hackers to seek their help, pay them, and get the decryption software.

Moreover, the ransom note further includes some warnings for users that states that if the victims try rendering encrypted files somehow, the files will turn to be un-decryptable and will be lost permanently. In such conditions, the users will have to suffer high potential data loss that can hardly be restored. Means, the ransom note powered by Kraken Ransomware simply states that deryption of encrypted files is impossible without the decryption key provided by hackers, and remitting the demanded ransom fee is mandatory. Although, the hackers claim through the ransom note that they will provide users with help for file’s restoration, but once they receive the ranom see, they actually start ignoring the users. In such cases, the victims can expect to suffer not only high potential data loss, but also their financial investment will go in vain. Therefore, the users should be very cautious while dealing with encryption powered by Kraken Ransomware, and should follow some alternative measures as suggested by practitioners.

Threat Summary

Name: Kraken Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, cryptovirus

Description: Kraken Ransomware is another creepy computer infection and is a ransomware which is derived from Ouroboros ransomware family, that uses .kraken file extension to append the affected files, and asks users to remit a specified ransom amount in order to restore files.

Distribution: Spam email attachments, payload trojan

File restore: To restore your encrypted important files, choose a lately created backup file or a trusted data recovery solution

Removal: For information about removal of Kraken Ransomware, get through the guidelines section below

How Kraken Ransomware get spread, and should be tackled down?

Speaking about proliferation of Kraken Ransomware and similar computer infections, the aforesaid ransomware often intrudes on computer through a number of possible measures employed by cyber crime master minds. Some of such well known measures are trojans, spam email campaigns, illegal activation tools, and many more. However, the malware developers are mostly using spam email campaigns in most of the reported cases, in whcih the victims use to circulate malware source code based trojans through email, and trick users into clicking or interacting with the source codes.

So, once the ransomware based payload trojan is interacted/downloaded on computer, the trojan connects the system to a remote server to downlaod and execute Kraken Ransomware. As a result, the malware starts to initiate all its internal modules for encryption of files, deploying ransom note, and asking users to remit ransom fee sooner. If you have got your machine infected by Kraken Ransomware, we strongly oppose to contact hackers and pay them with what they demand. The better option is to clean your machine against Kraken Ransomware and its negative impacts using some possible guidelines included under this article. Further, you can try restoring your files either with a lately created backups saved on external drives, or some other file recovery methods as explained under this article.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Kraken Ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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