Do you know what Koti Ransomware is?
The attackers behind the STOP Ransomware family sure love four-letter names for their infections. Koti Ransomware is the latest threat to join the party, but by the time you read this report, a dozen of new clones could have been released already. This family keeps growing, but nothing really changes from one threat to the next. They all abuse the same security backdoors to invade operating systems. They all corrupt the same files (i.e., personal files). They all demand victims to send emails to the attackers. And they all have been built to make money for cybercriminals. The good news is that because this is such a prominent malware family, cybersecurity researchers have been able to dedicate time to creating a decryptor. They succeeded, and now a STOP Decryptor is available for free. Unfortunately, it does not work in every case. All in all, whether it works on not, you must remove Koti Ransomware.
According to our malware researchers, Koti Ransomware is identical to hundreds of other STOP Ransomware clones, including Mzlq Ransomware, Sqpc Ransomware, or Jope Ransomware. They all spread using RDP security backdoors, spam emails, and bundled downloaders. The point is to trick the victims into executing malware themselves. If security software exists, it should delete Koti Ransomware instantly. If it does not exist, the threat silently encrypts your personal files and also drops its own files. The infection reveals itself in two different ways. First of all, it attaches the “.koti” extension to the names of all corrupted files. That means that if you find a file named, for example, “document.pdf.koti,” there is no doubt that you cannot read it. The file is encrypted, which has rendered it unreadable. Hopefully, the free decryptor can solve this issue, or perhaps you can replace the corrupted files using your own copies stored somewhere safe.
Koti Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Koti Ransomware also uses a file named “_readme.txt” to reveal itself. Originally, this ransom note file is dropped to the %HOMEDRIVE% directory. The message represented via this file suggests that victims need to a pay a ransom of $490 to obtain a decryptor, and to learn how to pay this ransom, they are supposed to send messages to helpmanager@mail.ch and restoremanager@firemail.cc. Both of these email addresses – along with a few others, which are used interchangeably – can be found in the ransom notes dropped by other STOP Ransomware variants. Clearly, the same attackers stand behind these threats. So, what do you do? If the free decryptor does not work, and if you do not have copies of the corrupted files stored someplace safe, you might consider following the attackers’ instructions. That is a terrible idea. Not only will you waste your money, but the attackers will be able to flood you with misleading and intimidating messages.
Without a doubt, you must delete Koti Ransomware, and it is up to you to decide how you want to do it. If you want to get rid of this malware on your own, we have a guide for you that, hopefully, will assist you. Of course, even if you think that you have removed the ransomware successfully, you must inspect your system with a trusted malware scanner to make sure of it. Another option is to implement anti-malware software. It can scan the system, identify malware, perform removal, and also secure your system at the same time, and because of its versatility, we recommend installing it without further delay.
Remove Koti Ransomware
- Launch Run by tapping Win and R keys at the same time.
- Enter regedit into the dialog box and click OK to launch the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
- Check the value data of the SysHelper value to see the name of a malicious .exe file.
- Right-click the value and select Delete to eliminate it.
- Now launch File Explorer by tapping Win and E keys.
- Enter %LOCALAPPDATA% (%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\ on Windows XP) into the field at the top.
- Right-click and Delete the [random] folder with the malicious [random].exe file inside.
- Enter %WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ into the field at the top.
- Right-click and Delete the ransomware task named Time Trigger Task.
- Enter %HOMEDRIVE% into the field at the top.
- Right-click and Delete the ransom note file named _readme.txt.
- Exit File Explorer and Registry Editor and then Empty Recycle Bin.
- Implement a trusted malware scanner to examine your system for malware leftovers.
In non-techie terms:
Koti Ransomware is a dangerous threat from the STOP Ransomware family that can invade your operating system and silently encrypt all personal files. This threat cannot attack systems that are protected reliably, and so if you are now dealing with the removal of Koti Ransomware, it is clear that you also need to figure out how to secure your operating system. Luckily, you can implement anti-malware software that both deletes infections and secures the operating system. Unfortunately, you cannot restore your personal files by removing this malware. Hopefully, you can find and employ a free STOP Decryptor tool, or you can replace all corrupted files with backups stored online or on external drives. In the future, even if your system is secured 24/7, always create backup copies of personal files just to make sure that you are prepared.