Decrypt .dot file virus: how to recover from .dot extension ransomware (upd. 2017)

The post is based on a comprehensive research of the .dot file extension virus and provides viable methods to restore .dot entries encrypted by the ransomware.

There are several unique properties that enable end users and researchers to identify a piece of ransomware they are confronted with. The ones that lay on the surface include the names of decryption manuals created on the contaminated PC, as well as file extensions that the infection appends to every personal data entry. These are like fingerprints that hardly ever repeat across different campaigns. One of the emerging crypto menaces has been using the .dot extension to brand each file it has encrypted.

Unfortunately, simply editing the filename is not going to make it accessible, because the impact is actually much deeper. The digital intruder that ended up on the machine employs the AES cryptographic standard to jumble up the composition of all data items. To bring the structure back to its normal state, the victim needs a decryption key which is owned by the attacker. The idea of any ransomware breach is to sell this secret key to the infected person, otherwise they run the risk of losing their important information.

The .dot file ransomware, also referred to as Cerber, has been circulating for many months at this point. It is a Ransomware as a Service, or RaaS, meaning that different threat actors can generate and distribute their custom payloads of the infection, and the developer gets a fixed cut from all ransom payments further on. The .dot extension variant is one of many spinoffs, but it is proliferating more rapidly than the majority of the competing editions. Its propagation relies on spam. The criminals use a powerful botnet to spawn thousands of contagious emails per day. While most recipients are prudent enough not to click on anything in these messages, some end up opening the attached JS or DOCM files. In the latter scenario, the malicious code is extremely difficult to stop.

The ransomware executable is dropped inside the Temp or AppData folder, a place where some antimalware tools won’t look for threats. When launched from there, the .dot file virus scans computer drives, both local and removable, and locates all data objects that have widespread extensions. Predictably enough, these files are then encoded so that the victim cannot access them anymore. Filenames will most likely become scrambled as well, which keeps the user from finding a certain item of interest. Cerber also creates Readme.hta ransom note on the desktop, an application tasked with instructing the victim on recovery.

According to these directions, the fix presupposes that the infected user must submit about 1 Bitcoin within five days, or else the ransom will increase to 2 Bitcoins. Is this the only way to restore .dot files? Not really. Security experts have elaborated a number of alternate methods, so try the steps below first.

.dot extension ransomware automated removal and data recovery

Owing to an up-to-date database of malware signatures and intelligent behavioral detection, the recommended software can quickly locate the infection, eradicate it and remediate all harmful changes. So go ahead and do the following:

1. Download and install the antimalware tool. Open the solution and have it check your PC for PUPs and other types of malicious software by clicking the Start Computer Scan button

Download .dot extension virus remover

2. Rest assured the scan report will list all items that may harm your operating system. Select the detected entries and click Fix Threats to get the troubleshooting completed.

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.

Ransomware Prevention Tips

To avoid .dot extension 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.

Download .dot extension ransomware removal tool