Do you know what AndreaGalli Ransomware is?
We might be dealing with an entirely new infection from the Hidden Tear family. It is AndreaGalli Ransomware. It is so new that we don’t even know if that is the name that will be associated with it in the future. Although we could wait and see where this malware goes, there is no time to wait around when it comes to file-encrypting ransomware, and there is little doubt that this malware was created for that. If you are somewhat familiar with ransomware, the chances are that you are already familiar with the words “hidden tear.” This is an open source code that was built and made available for anyone interested in building their own ransomware. Infections that have emerged from this family include Crybrazil Ransomware, Cyberresearcher Ransomware, and Horros Ransomware. They’re all file-encryptors, which is why we are rushing to analyze and figure out how to remove AndreaGalli Ransomware too. Just a quick note: as you must understand, there’s still a lot malware researchers do not know about this threat, but if new information comes in, we will update the report.
According to our research team, AndreaGalli Ransomware is currently named after the creator of the threat. It is believed that the name comes from the username of the computer that was used for building this malware. Unfortunately, that does not give us much information or make it possible to stop the creator. The current variant of this malware does not really work, but it is known that if it encrypts files, it should add the “.locked” extension to their names. At the time of research, the infection was capable of encrypting files in the %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\test directory only. Clearly, AndreaGalli Ransomware is still being developed. If we’re lucky, this malware is being developed by someone who does not really know what they’re doing, and that will result in failure. Based on our experience, it is pretty obvious that the Hidden Tear source code is mostly used by amateurs. That being said, we should not underestimate this malware because we cannot guarantee that someone with enough knowledge is not standing behind it. In any case, it is crucial to delete this malicious threat.
Spam emails with corrupted attachments are likely to be used for the distribution of the AndreaGalli Ransomware. How to recognize them? We cannot give you the specific email addresses or subject lines that could be used by cyber criminals, but there’s usually something that can give the scam away. Look for poor grammar, bogus email addresses, out-of-the-ordinary parcel tracking numbers/flight confirmation files/etc. Note that even if you do not open the file that you download, it could still be executed silently, and so you really need to be cautious. If you download a file you believe to be malicious, you must remove it ASAP. If you are lucky, maybe you can avoid the encryption of your personal data. If you miss your opportunity, your files are likely to be encrypted, and the “readme.txt” file is likely to be created.
Whatever you do, do not pay attention to the ransom demands presented by AndreaGalli Ransomware. If you pay attention, you might be tricked into paying a huge ransom. It does not matter what kind of sum you pay – you are unlikely to get a decryptor and restore your files. Remember that the promises of cyber criminals are as trustworthy as they themselves are. Not trustworthy at all. Files are not lost if backups exist online or on external drives; otherwise, you are at the mercy of legitimate file decryptors, and those rarely exist. In both cases, the removal of AndreaGalli Ransomware must be performed immediately, and since you cannot protect your system as you move on with the guide below, we suggest using anti-malware software. It can both protect the system and remove existing malware.
Remove AndreaGalli Ransomware
- Launch Windows Explorer by tapping keys Win+E on the keyboard.
- In the Explorer window, find the field at the top, and enter these paths in one by one to find the launcher:
- %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
- %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
- %TEMP%
- If you find the malicious launcher file, right-click and Delete it.
- Delete the ransom note file, readme.txt.
- Empty Recycle Bin and then use a legitimate malware scanner to perform a full system scan.
In non-techie terms:
If you do not protect your operating system against AndreaGalli Ransomware, it might slither in and take over your personal files by encrypting them. To decrypt them, you need a decryption key, and if one exists, it exists in a location known to cyber criminals only. They use this to make you pay a ransom, and even if you are willing to pay it, you should not do it because cyber criminals cannot be trusted. Their promises to help you decrypt files are likely to be completely false. The best you can do is install an anti-malware tool that would automatically delete AndreaGalli Ransomware and strengthen the security of the system to ensure that malware cannot attack in the future. It is also a good idea to back up files to ensure that they are not lost even when malware strikes.