Remove PAYMENT ransomware And Recover Encrypted Files

Easy Steps To Delete PAYMENT ransomware

PAYMENT ransomware is a precarious file-locking malware that has infected thousands of Windows computers all around the world in a very short period of time. It comes from the family of Phobos ransomware and uses a very strong cryptography to encrypt images, audios, videos, documents, spreadsheets, presentations etc. By doing so, it makes victims unable to open those files and forces them to pay the attackers an amount of ransom to get the decryption tool. Data encrypted by this notorious crypto-virus can easily be identified as it renames them by adding victims’ unique ID, the ICQ username of its creators and appending the “.PAYMENT” extension with each of them.

Depth Analysis of PAYMENT ransomware:

Once the encryption process is completed, PAYMENT ransomware shows a ransom note and also creates the “info.txt” text file (second ransom note). The note usually informs victims regarding the attack and also provides instruction on how to pay ransom and how much to pay. This ransom note provides an ICQ username (@Cavallobtc) that the affected users have to use to contact the attackers to get further details.

Moreover, it is also mentioned that they can send up to 5 infected files. PAYMENT ransomware authors will decode them to send them back to you t prove that the decryption is possible. However, those files should not contain any valuable information. User are also warned not to try to unlock the files using third-party software, otherwise it may lead to permanent data loss.

Should You Pay The Ransom?

You certainly don’t want to lose your important files and hence, may consider dealing with PAYMENT ransomware authors. However, security experts strongly advise to not do so as you have absolutely no guarantee that they will provide you the required tool even after taking the extortion. Keep in mind that these hackers have only one motive in mind- to swindle money from victimized users. It has been reported that crooks usually ignore the victimized users once the ransom is paid and cause them to lose both files as well as money.

What Should The Victims Do?

For any victimized users, the first thing they require to do here is to perform PAYMENT ransomware removal from the device as early as possible. After that, they can employ a few options to restore the compromised data. Firstly, if there is backup available stored on any external media drive, files can be recovered at some amount. Nonetheless, in the absence of a proper backup, you can try an effective data-recovery application which you can download right here via the link provided under this article.

Threat Specification

Name: PAYMENT ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus, File-encrypting malware

Short Description: Pernicious malware that encodes users’ crucial files and then forces them into paying the attackers an amount of ransom to get the decryption software/key.

Extension:  “.PAYMENT”

Ransom Demanding Notes: info.hta, info.txt

Attackers’ contact: @Cavallobt (on ICQ)

Symptoms: Encrypted files become inaccessible stored inside the compromised PCs, A pop-up window and a ransom note is displayed. Victims are asked to pay an amount of ransom to get the functional decryptor and unlock their encoded data and files.

Distribution methods: Spam emails, 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.

Infiltration of PAYMENT ransomware:

There are several methods through which these crypto-viruses can be spread. However, the most common ransomware distribution technique is malspam campaigns during which, a number of spam emails are sent by cyber criminals. These mails are disguised as ‘important’ or ‘crucial’ but often contain malicious files. As soon as it is run or executed, it leads to the installation of crypto-malware. The vicious files can be in various formats such as Microsoft Office and PDF documents, archives, executables, JavaScript, etc.

And so, to prevent your device from encountering such lethal attacks, it is important to ignore suspicious emails that you receive from unknown senders. Moreover, choose only reliable channels to download products or software and avoid using untrustworthy pages, third-party downloaders, installers, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks etc. In case your PC is already infected with this parasite, you must remove PAYMENT ransomware from the machine as early as possible.

Text Presented In The Pop-up Window:

ATTENTION!!!!

Unfortunately for you, a major IT security weakness left you open to attack, your files have been encrypted with ciphers more advanced than those used for diplomatic communications, you can spend days and months searching for a magical way to decrypt your files, but rest assured we are the only people who can help you recover your files, there is no free tool

If you want to restore them, install ICQ software on your PC hxxps://icq.com/windows/ or on your mobile phone search in Appstore / Google market “ICQ”

Write to our ICQ @Cavallobtc hxxps://icq.im/Cavallobtc

Write this ID in the title of your message –

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.)

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.

Text Presented In The “info.txt” file:

If you are the IT manager and you are reading this, that means that you messed up, you were asleep at the wheel. Contact us and we can resolve this situation without major complication, if you are the owner of the company and you are reading this than the decision is yours, throw your hard drives in the trash or contact us and pay a nominal fee to recover your data, but know that your security practices have failed you and either way something needs to be done

If you want to restore them, install ICQ software on your PC hxxps://icq.com/windows/ or on your mobile phone search in Appstore / Google market “ICQ”

Write to our ICQ @Cavallobtc hxxps://icq.im/Cavallobtc

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete PAYMENT ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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