Do you know HACK Ransomware is?
Ransomware is the kind of malware that is set up to demand money from victims, and, unfortunately, HACK Ransomware is only one of many infections capable of doing that. Some ransomware threats lock up screens to terrorize victims. Others use disguises to trick victims into paying fake fines. Finally, we have file-encrypting ransomware. This is the kind of malware that encrypts a file (i.e., changes the data within the file) and then forces the victim to pay money in return for a tool that should be able to decrypt it. Unfortunately, in most cases, this kind of malware can encrypt everything in the way. That means that your photos, music files, videos, and important documents are all at risk. Once the files are corrupted, the attackers can offer a decryptor. So, should you buy it? Or should you remove HACK Ransomware without even thinking about it?
First of all, let’s learn more about HACK Ransomware. As you might have found out already, this threat belongs to the Dharma Ransomware/Crysis Ransomware family. That does not mean that some malicious father figure-type attacker is building all of these malicious infections. In fact, it is possible that the original attacker only built the infection. Once the code was out in the public (it should be sold on underground forums), threats like paydra@cock.li Ransomware and bestdecoding@cock.li Ransomware started emerging. By now, there are hundreds of infections that belong to this family, and, of course, every single one of them must be deleted. Note that most infections can be stopped by appropriate security software too. So, is your operating system guarded by appropriate security software? That is unlikely to be the case, and that is something you need to think about. What about backups? Did you take care of those? If you did, you already have backups for the corrupted files, and so paying the ransom is not something that should cross your mind at all.
After encryption – if it goes on smoothly – HACK Ransomware creates a file named “RETURN FILES.txt,” which you should find close to the encrypted files. These files can be recognized by the added extension –“.id-{unique ID code}.[mr.hacker@tutanota.com].HACK.” This file carries a simple message: “All your data is encrypted! for return write to mail: mr.hacker@tutanota.com or mrhacker@cock.li.” Then, HACK Ransomware also launches a window with a longer version of the same message. Basically, the attacker wants you to contact them, and once you do it, they will be able to send you payment instructions. We do not recommend doing any of this. If you send a message, you do not know what could be sent your way now or in the future. If you pay the ransom, you do not know if you will get the decryptor. So, if you do not want to waste your money, it might be a good idea to pay no attention to the ransom demands.
If you are worried about deleting HACK Ransomware, we have good news for you. More likely than not, this infection has already deleted itself, and all you have to do is find and eliminate the ransom note file. Of course, we cannot make any guarantees here, and there is always a possibility that something could go wrong. It might be difficult for you to inspect your entire operating system to see whether or not a malicious .exe file exists. That is why we advise employing a malware scanner. Better yet, install a fully equipped anti-malware tool that will immediately scan your system, identify threats, perform removal, and, most importantly, enable complete protection, so that you would not need to face and delete malware in the future.
Remove HACK Ransomware
- Right-click and Delete the file named RETURN FILES.txt (copies must be eliminated too).
- Install and run a legitimate malware scanner.
- Perform a full system scan, and if malware is found, fix the issue ASAP.
In non-techie terms:
HACK Ransomware is quick. It attacks the system – which can happen via spam emails, unreliable sites, or malicious downloaders – and then it disappears. When it encrypts files, it should remove itself from the infected system, but since nothing is sure when it comes to malware, we strongly suggest scanning your system to see what is going on. Unfortunately, whether you delete HACK Ransomware or it deletes itself, your files will not be restored. You are lucky if you have backups, but if you do not, learn from your mistakes. Also, learn to take better care of your operating system, which is easy to do using a reliable and well-rounded anti-malware tool.