Cerber3 virus: decrypt .cerber3 files and remove ransomware

Find out what changes the updated Cerber3 ransomware has under the hood and how to restore .cerber3 extension files without submitting the ransom.

The end of August couldn’t possibly get more troublesome ransomware-wise. The Cerber strain, which is a true old stager on this arena, has been updated by the threat actors in charge. The most obvious tweak is the use of a new extension that’s appended to every encrypted file, namely .cerber3, whereas the previous iteration would concatenate the .cerber2 string instead. Furthermore, the files providing recovery guidance are now named # HELP DECRYPT #.txt, # HELP DECRYPT #.html and # HELP DECRYPT #.url, the latter opening up in the default web browser window. The corresponding icons appear on the infected system’s desktop and inside all folders with encrypted content inside.

As opposed to the predecessor of Cerber3, the VBScript text-to-speech version of data restoration instructions doesn’t appear to be explicitly dropped anywhere on the computer, but the obnoxious audio message is still played in the background. It says, “Your documents, photos, databases and other important files have been encrypted!” The desktop wallpaper gets replaced with a spooky warning message as well.

Another invariable attribute across all the editions of this ransom Trojan is the cryptographic algorithm leveraged to encrypt victims’ personal data. It’s still AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, with the degree of the secret key’s entropy sufficient to thwart cracking attempts. Having compromised a computer through a payload-tainted email attachment that pretends to be an important document, such as a resume, invoice or delivery notification, Cerber3 scours the infected machine for irreplaceable data. When doing this, the ransomware traverses all the fixed drives as well as removable media and network shares. The next phase is to scramble the files found during the scan, making them look like 2mRQx4RUzq.cerber3. The AES key, which is identical for both the encoding and decoding routine, is stored on the cybercrooks’ C2 server and cannot be retrieved through forensic analysis on the plagued PC.

The # HELP DECRYPT # ransom notes instruct the victim to visit one of the available Tor sites, where they need to go through complex graphical captcha verification. Eventually, the user will end up on Cerber Decryptor page that contains the decryption key buyout terms. In particular, it indicates the size of the ransom, which is 0.7154 Bitcoins (about 410 USD) within the first 5 days since the attack started. After the 5-day deadline expires, the ransom will increase to 1.4308 Bitcoins, which is twice the size of the original amount. The very idea of submitting that much money to the extortionists is definitely a drag, so stick to the steps below first. Depending on how deep the offending impact is, these techniques may help recover some or all of the .cerber3 files.

Cerber3 ransomware automated removal and data recovery

When dealing with the Cerber3 threat, you can get a lot of mileage out of the Malwarebytes automatic security tool that will pinpoint and iron out the infection in minutes. Malwarebytes is one of the big names in the anti-malware industry with an immaculate track record of protecting systems against all prevalent forms of harmful code.

The solution uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to detect both known and zero-day threats, including potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), ransomware, exploits, and malicious sites. It boasts low system footprint, high scanning speed, and intuitive interface where every module clearly explains what it does. Follow the steps below to come through the malware predicament unscathed:

1. Download and install the latest version of Malwarebytes onto your PC.

^{As part of this step, you will be prompted to specify where you are installing the program (personal or work computer) and toggle the advanced setup options if you so desire. You can use all the premium features for 14 days free of charge.}

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2. Once the application is up and running, go ahead and click on the Scan button in the bottom middle part of the GUI.

3. Wait until Malwarebytes checks for updates of its proprietary Katana detection engine and scans the memory, startup items, registry, and file system for threats.

4. When the scan is completed, go over the report listing the infections that have been identified. Make sure there are checkmarks next to all the unwanted items and click on the Quarantine button as shown below.

5. You will be prompted to restart your computer to finish the removal process. Click Yes to do it immediately or close the dialog and restart later on.

6. As soon as the threats have been moved to Quarantine, they can no longer harm your computer. If you are sure that you won’t need to restore any of those items at a later point, click on the Detection History pane at the bottom left of the Malwarebytes home screen, select the Quarantined items tab, and click Delete.

Data recovery toolkit to the rescue

Some strains of ransomware are known to delete the original files after the encryption routine has been completed. As hostile as this activity appears, it can play into your hands. There are applications designed to revive the information that was obliterated because of malfunctioning hardware or due to accidental removal. The tool called Stellar Data Recovery features this type of a capability and therefore it can be applied in ransom attack scenarios to at least get the most important files back. So use the app to get an idea of what data can be restored and let it do the recovery job. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough:

1. Download and install Stellar Data Recovery.

Download Stellar Data Recovery

2. Open the application, select the types of recoverable files to look for, and click Next.

3. Choose the areas you want the tool to recover from and click the Scan button.

4. Having scanned the specified locations, the program will display a notification about the total amount of recoverable data. Close the dialog and click the Recover button. This will hopefully help you get some of your valuable files back.

Cerber3 ransomware manual removal and file recovery

Some ransomware strains terminate themselves after completing the encryption job on a computer, but some don’t. Furthermore, the Cerber3 virus may prevent victims from using popular antimalware tools in order to stay on board for as long as possible. Under the circumstances, it may be necessary to utilize the Safe Mode with Networking or System Restore functionality.

Be advised that even after the ransomware is removed, files will still be encrypted and inaccessible. The malicious code cleanup part, however, is important because it keeps a relapse of the infection from occurring further on and eliminates all opportunistic malware.

Ways of non-ransom recovery of .cerber3 files

Cracking the crypto used by this ransom Trojan is more of a science fiction thing rather than an attainable prospect for the masses. This is why the troubleshooting in predicaments of this sort is a matter of two approaches: one is to pay the ransom, which isn’t an option for many victims; and the other is to apply instruments that take advantage of the ransomware’s possible weaknesses. If the latter is your pick, the advice below is a must-try.

Ransomware Prevention Tips

To avoid Cerber3 ransomware and other file-encrypting infections in the future, follow several simple recommendations:

These techniques are certainly not a cure-all, but they will add an extra layer of ransomware protection to your security setup.

Revise your security status

Post-factum assessment of the accuracy component in malware removal scenarios is a great habit that prevents the comeback of harmful code or replication of its unattended fractions. Make sure you are good to go by running an additional safety checkup. Another benefit of using the antimalware tool is that it will keep ransomware threats from intruding on your computer further on.

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