Petna Ransomware Removal Guide

Do you know what Petna Ransomware is?

Petna Ransomware is one of the many names used by the new version of Petya Ransomware. It should be pointed out that although we use the ransomware keyword for this infection, some security specialists say this program is a wiper. It means that instead of trying to steal your money, the application intends to simply destroy the data on your computer, and the real reason this program enters target computers is to sabotage them. It might be hard to remove Petna Ransomware from your system, but you can achieve that with a licensed antispyware tool.

The other names for this infection include NotPetya, PetrWrap, PetyaBlue, ExPetr, and so on. The reason this infection has so many names is that at first, researchers were not sure how to name it. Since the program used a code similar to the Petya Ransomware released last year, they thought that this program was just a new version of the previously released infection. However, it seems that this is exactly what the people who released Petna Ransomware wanted us all to think. They wanted the world to think that the infection is just an addition to the growing group of ransomware infections.

What’s more, this program does not employ the usual ransomware distribution method. Although at first, security experts though that Petna Ransomware arrives via spam emails, it seems that the delivery method for this infection is very specific. It happens to be distributed with an update for an accounting application. It means that the attack is well-coordinated, and the people who make use of this update have managed to infiltrate the software that is utilized by many affected users in the Ukraine (the country affected by this infection the most), and also the ISP provider that is hosting this update.

Once Petna Ransomware is on the target computer, this infection installs itself as a DLL file. The program runs the rundll32.exe process, and it is easy to mistake it for an actual system process because it uses the same name. However, the path for the infection is C:\027cc450ef5f8c5f653329641ec1fed91f694e0d229928963b30f6b0d7d3a745.bin.dll. From this, it is easy to see that there is something off with the file. What’s more, the program also uses the same EternalBlue exploit as the notorious WannaCry Ransomware. Which is also the reason a few researchers thought Petna Ransomware could be a genuine ransomware infection.

Another trick from the ransomware bag this program uses is, obviously, encryption. It encrypts a long list of file extensions, and the chances are that all of your most frequently-used files will be affected by this intruder. The bad news is that there is no way to decrypt these files because paying the infection does not do the job. The email address used by this program has been blocked by a Germany email service provider. And the malware installation ID does not contain the data that WOULD allow users to restore their files in the first place. Hence, when Petna Ransomware entered your computer, it did not intend to provide you with the decryption key.

How is it possible to restore the affected files, then? Your best option right now is to delete the encrypted files and get them back from an external backup. Normally, companies and corporations keep copies of their important files, and so should do individual computer users. You should back up your data regularly because you can never know when a program like Petna Ransomware could enter your computer. Even if you think that only corporations and multi-national firms get hit with such infections, you should not take your chances.

As for the Petna Ransomware, we do not recommend manual removal because it might be too complicated. It would be for the best to acquire a licensed antispyware application that would delete all the malicious files from your computer automatically. As mentioned, it is not possible to restore your files, so, unless you want to try out various recovery tools, it would be for the best to delete the infected data as well.

To avoid similar infections in the future, please be sure that your operating system is up to date, and that you have all the recently issued patches that should protect you from various attacks. If you are in doubt, do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

In non-techie terms:

Petna Ransomware may look like your regular ransomware, but the program is a lot more dangerous than that. It does not leave any way out, and users cannot restore their affected files. You should focus on using a system backup to get your files back, and it would be a good idea to contact security experts for the Petna Ransomware removal. This program has been making rounds across the globe, and it is one of the most malicious infections out there, at the moment. So relying on a security professional for the removal would be a good idea.