Do you know what Donald Trump Ransomware is?
Donald Trump Ransomware is a malware threat that can only show up on your computer if you download it on purpose; at least, this is the case right now as this malware is only in the developmental stage. This simply means that you can actually save yourself the nightmare of potentially losing your files because this infection does not really encrypt them. According to our researchers, though, after a deep analysis of the malicious code, this malware program does have the potential to encrypt your files. Nevertheless, it only targets one specific folder that may not even exist on your system. But, if you want to avoid losing important files, it is important for you to understand how this threat may show up on your system in the future and how it works. So let us tell you in more details the potentials this ransomware holds for you. At the end, we will also share a very basic and easy way for you to delete Donald Trump Ransomware from your computer.
Our research indicates that this ransomware has not started mass infection, i.e., its distribution seems to be on hold. But based on our experience with malware infections, we can assume how it will hit the web eventually. The most widely used channel for cyber criminals to spread ransomware is spamming campaigns. But the spam e-mails in which the executable malicious file attachment may spread will not be that easy to identify or detect. It is quite likely that such a spam can evade your spam filter and trick you, too. This can happen because criminals can use made-up and legitimate-looking sender e-mail addresses as well as pretty convincing subjects. Could you resist opening a mail that seems to be about an unpaid invoice, wrong banking details given for a booking, and the like? These spam mails always ask you to open the attached file for more information. However, once you save and view this file, you actually activate the attack. Therefore, we recommend that you be more cautious when opening mails and checking out attachments. Because if you remove Donald Trump Ransomware only after you see its ransom note, it could be too late to save your files in the future versions.
Donald Trump Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
It is also important for us to mention another frequently used method that requires so-called Exploit Kits (e.g., Angler and Magnitude). These kits take advantage of outdated versions of your browsers and drivers, such as Java and Adobe Flash Player. This method requires a webpage especially set up with malicious codes hidden in banners or other contents. Once the page loads in your browser, the code is triggered and drops the infection. Therefore, you need to be very careful with your clicks and which websites you land on if you want to avoid such malicious pages. You can be redirected to such traps, for example, by clicking on modified search results offered by browser hijackers or clicking on third-party ads generated by adware or questionable websites related to file-sharing (torrent and freeware pages). In this case you will definitely not realize what has hit you until you see the ransom note. As we have already said, deleting Donald Trump Ransomware at this stage will not save your files from encryption. This is why prevention is so important.
Although this unfinished version does not actually encrypt your documents, photos, archives, databases, and program files on your hard disk, this infection is already prepared for using the AES algorithm to target such files. This time, however, it only checks your system for a specific folder named "encrypt" and only at the location of the malicious executable itself. In the unlikely case that it finds such a folder, it encodes the file names in it with Base64 and adds a ".ENCRYPTED" extension. This encoding method can easily be decoded using official tools and you can also easily modify the extensions. So we cannot call this threat dangerous in any sense just yet even it has the future potential.
Its ransom note window comes up on your desktop once the supposed encryption is done. This window also looks unfinished as there is no information about the encryption itself other than a list of files that got encoded in the "encrypt" folder -- if there is a folder at all. Of course, you can see an image of Donald Trump to emphasize the name of the "game." It is quite likely that more malware infections will emerge with similar names taking advantage of the election campaign and the vibe that surrounds it. The good news is that you do not even need to think about paying the ransom fee to decrypt your files since there is no fee mentioned and no real encryption done. Therefore, it should be "no biggie" for you to remove Donald Trump Ransomware from your system.
We have found that this version does not even lock your screen or block any files from running. Thus, it should be no problem to close the active ransomware window. Once you get it out of the way, you need to locate the downloaded malicious executable file and delete it. These are really basic steps for even an inexperienced computer user but we will still include instructions below if you should need assistance. If such a threat can find a way to your system, it mostly means that it is not protected effectively. Although you can do a lot for the protection of your virtual world, we recommend that you use a professional malware remover to automatically stop all possible malware attacks.
Remove Donald Trump Ransomware from Windows
- Right-click on the icon of the ransomware's active window on the Taskbar.
- Choose Close window from the menu.
- Find the malicious executable file and bin it.
- Empty the Recycle Bin and reboot your system.
In non-techie terms:
Donald Trump Ransomware is a new threat that seems to be unfinished. In fact, this malware infection has not started to spread over the web yet. If you find it on your computer, it is most likely for one reason only: You have downloaded it yourself. Still, it is important that you know about the potentials this program hides. It is possible that a new version will soon emerge and that will have the full potential at work and it will encrypt your personal files in no time and try to extort money in exchange for the decryption key. Right now, it simply targets one folder called "encrypt" that is quite unlikely to be there on your system anyway. Although, this attack may not mean a major threat to your computer or your files for the time being, we still suggest that you remove Donald Trump Ransomware ASAP from your system. If you want to safeguard your computer more efficiently, we advise you to employ a reputable anti-malware application as soon as possible; the next hit could be a serious one.