Btcware ransomware owes its name to attaching the respective string at the end of the filenames affected. That is to say, the infection targets data on your PC. It causes critical damage to the contents of the files. The victims can tell the items hit by the Trojan from those it skips by the above extension. Some versions of the virus also turn the entire filename into a gibberish.
To modify data proper the Btcware applies a sophisticated encryption. The cipher is of military grade. That leaves no plausible chance for a victim to get rid of the Btcware encryption by means of computations. Even if you harness the most powerful computer available to human race, the brute-forcing still would take more time than any likely human lifespan.
The idea behind the scam is that the victims pay for the decryptor.
Once installed on a computer system, the infection reports to a remote server. The response is subject to IP and other characteristics of the hacked device as reported by the ransomware. In most of the cases, it triggers the scan of the computer memory for appropriate file types. The few omissions spare system and program files. This exclusion enables the ransoming plague to present its messages to the victim immediately from the compromised machine. It basically prompts the user to buy 0.5 BTC and transfer the amount to the account indicated. All instructions are available in its ransom note called #_HOW_TO_FIX_!. hta and READ ME.txt
Observations and reports of the victims suggest any payments do not ensure the decryptor delivery. Needless to say, such transactions maintain the scammers, provide them with incentives to continue and extend their attacks.
The users concerned need a solution to handle the cyber invasion. The options below represent a best practice of ransom-free recovery after the Btcware ransomware attack.
Automatic removal of Btcware ransomware
The benefits of using the automatic security suite to get rid of this infection are obvious: it scans the entire system and detects all potential fragments of the virus, so you are a few mouse clicks away from a complete fix.
- Download and install recommended malware security suite
- Select Start Computer Scan feature and wait until the utility comes up with the scan report. Proceed by clicking on the Fix Threats button, which will trigger a thorough removal process to address all the malware issues compromising your computer and your privacy.
Restore files locked by Btcware file virus
new Locky variant aka Btcware ransomware represents a unique category of malicious software whose attack surface reaches beyond the operating system and its components, which is why removing the virus itself is a part of the fix only. As it has been mentioned, it encrypts one’s personal information, so the next phase of the overall remediation presupposes reinstating the files that will otherwise remain inaccessible.
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Launch data recovery software
Similarly to the rest of its fellow-infections, Btcware file virus most likely follows an operational algorithm where it erases the original versions of the victim’s files and actually encrypts their copies. This peculiarity might make your day, because forensics-focused applications like Data Recovery Pro are capable of restoring the information that has been removed. As the virus further evolves, its modus operandi may be altered – in the meanwhile, go ahead and try this.
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Take advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service
This technique is based on using the native backup functionality that’s shipped with Windows operating system. Also referred to as Volume Snapshot Service (VSS), this feature makes regular backups of the user’s files and keeps their most recent versions as long as System Restore is on. Btcware ransomware hasn’t been found to affect these copies therefore the restoration vector in question is strongly recommended. The two sub-sections below highlight the automatic and manual workflow.
- a) Use Shadow Explorer
Shadow Explorer is an applet that provides an easy way of retrieving previous versions of files and folders. Its pro’s include an intuitive interface where the computer’s entire file hierarchy is displayed within one window. Just pick the hard disk volume, select the object or directory to be restored, right-click on it and choose Export. Follow the app’s prompts to get the job done.
- b) Use file properties
Essentially, what the above-mentioned Shadow Explorer tool does is it automates the process that can otherwise be performed manually via the Properties dialog for individual files. This particular approach is more cumbrous but just as effective as its software-based counterpart, so you can proceed by right-clicking on a specific file, which has been encrypted by Btcware file virus, and selecting Properties in the context menu. The tab named Previous Versions is the next thing to click – it displays available versions of the file by date of the snapshot creation. Pick the latest copy and complete the retrieval by following the prompts.
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Data backups work wonders
Ransomware like Btcware file virus isn’t nearly as almighty and destructive in case you run regular file backups to the cloud or external data media. The virus itself can be completely removed in a matter of minutes, and the distorted information can then be just as easily recovered from the backup. Luckily, this is a growing trend, so ransom Trojans are hopefully going to become less subversive in the near future.
Verify thoroughness of the removal
Having carried out the instructions above, add a finishing touch to the security procedure by running an additional computer scan to check for residual malware activity
