KillDisk ransomware decryption and removal

Find out why the KillDisk ransomware is particularly dangerous and how to go about the predicament where this infection holds all data on a computer hostage.

KillDisk demonstrates how malicious code can evolve over time. This sample used to hit the headlines as an extremely harmful threat involved in high-profile cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure. According to in-depth investigative research, it has been operated by a criminal ring dubbed Sandworm since around 2014. The affiliated Sandworm virus primarily targeted SCADA architectures of industrial systems in the United States and a number of other countries. Later on, this group of threat actors came to be referred to as TeleBots. This syndicate is believed to have fired a series of attacks against Ukrainian banks in mid-December 2016, which may be evidence of state-sponsored nature of these breaches. The KillDisk module of the TeleBots malware was aimed at deleting critical files of targeted organizations and sending sensitive data over to the criminals. In a recent move, the gang went further and incorporated ransomware routine into their offending program.

Therefore, not only does the current edition of the KillDisk malware perform industrial espionage combined with data erasure, but it also demands a ransom for restoring locked files. Interestingly, some researchers think this is primarily a distraction maneuver intended to keep a compromised organization from exposing the genuine malicious activity, that is, straightforward disruption and information theft. The cryptography-based extortion module of KillDisk now displays a warning message reading, “We are so sorry, but the encryption of your data has been successfully completed, so you can lose your data or pay 222 BTC.” The ransom note also provides the attacker’s contact email, which is vuyrk568gou@lelantos.org. By the way, such a whopping size of the ransom (about $212,000) cannot be encountered with other ransomware strains, most of which demand a maximum of 1.5-2 Bitcoin ($1.400-$1.900).

KillDisk leverages an extremely strong crypto to deny access to a breached organization’s proprietary data. It generates a unique AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) key for every single file. Moreover, it then encodes these keys using asymmetric RSA-1028 cryptosystem. Considering the nastiness of this perpetrating software, companies should adopt effective measures to prevent it from attacking their networks. Since KillDisk has been reportedly proliferating through malicious email attachments, employees should never open ones that look suspicious. Also, the right plan B in case of the attack involves regular data backups. The instructions below will complement the incident response plan.

KillDisk ransomware automated removal and data recovery

When faced with ransomware like KillDisk, one of the best shortcuts in terms of removal is to use Combo Cleaner, a lightweight and incredibly effective application with PC security and optimization features under the hood. It detects and thoroughly deletes threats while giving you insights into the overall health of your computer.

This program’s protection power spans modules that forestall all known types of malware, including ransomware and browser hijackers, and take your online security to the next level by blocking phishing sites and other suspicious web pages. Follow these simple steps to eliminate the infection for good:

1. Download Combo Cleaner installer.

Download KillDisk remover

^{Combo Cleaner scans your PC with no strings attached, but you’ll have to buy its fully functional version to remove the threats it detects. The disk optimization tools that find large files and duplicates are free to use.}

2. Open the CCSetup.exe file to get started. Several subsequent screens will allow you to make initial customizations so that the program works exactly as you need from the get-go.

3. The installation will be followed by an update of malware signatures. Once this process is through, click the Start Scan button in the left-hand sidebar.

4. Combo Cleaner will then check system locations that are most often polluted by Windows malware. The first scan can take a while to finish.

5. Combo Cleaner will display a system tray notification as soon as the scan is over. Click the Resolve found threats button to view the results.

6. The scan summary shows the names and types of the detected threats as well as their statuses and locations. Click the Remove all threats button and follow further on-screen prompts to get rid of these items.

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.

KillDisk 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 KillDisk 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 encrypted 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 KillDisk 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 KillDisk removal tool