Lukitus/Locky ransomware removal: how to decrypt .lukitus virus files

The Locky ransomware gets another facelift as its new variant is released, this time appending one’s encrypted files with the .lukitus extension.

The behavior of Locky, one of the most widespread ransomware strains to date, shows how dynamic the online extortion environment is. This lineage has produced new offspring less than one week after its previous Diablo6 iteration went live. Such a versioning frequency is a wakeup call that designates a complete regeneration of the notorious strand in question, which had pretty much disappeared from the blackmail arena for months on end. The latest incarnation of Locky is referred to as Lukitus, based on the extension being concatenated to all files that are subject to malicious encryption. By the way, this is a Finnish word that means “locking”, so it describes the true intent of the malady quite accurately.

Like before, the .lukitus file virus is making victims through malspam. The emails with toxic files on board are generated in large quantities by a botnet called Necurs. Users who receive these messages run the risk of authorizing the infection to run on their computers as long as they fall for the invoice or missed delivery theme. The attached Microsoft Word document looks like a lure, but once opened it turns out blank or unintelligible inside. The whole trick revolves around Office macros that should purportedly be enabled for the user to be able to read the document’s contents. As soon as the embedded VBA macro has been fired up, things get out of hand – the Lukitus ransomware is downloaded and deposited onto the host system in a furtive way.

When executed on a computer, the ransomware first performs a type of reconnaissance. It scans the local hard disk partitions, network shares and removable drives for dozens of different file types. Having found everything that may be of potential value to the victim, the Lukitus / Locky ransomware applies a rock-solid blend of RSA-2048 and AES-128 cryptosystems to lock down the data. Encryption isn’t the only effect applied to the targeted entries – the infection also scrambles filenames, replacing each one with 36 hexadecimal characters and concatenating the .lukitus extension.

To provide the victim with a walkthrough on data decryption, the Lukitus virus drops rescue notes named Lukitus-[4 chars].htm and Lukitus-[4 chars].bmp onto the desktop and sprinkles the HTM edition throughout all encrypted folders. The BMP ransom note gets configured to automatically take over the desktop background. These files instruct the user to download and install Tor Browser and use it to visit a page whose address is indicated in all the recovery how-to’s. This way, the user ends up on the Locky Decryptor page, which is a ransom payment portal that’s also claimed to provide the decryptor after the 0.5 Bitcoin has been submitted to the perpetrators.

Unfortunately, security analysts have not been able to create a viable free decryptor for Locky in general and the Lukitus variant in particular. Although the ransom route may seem like the only option under the circumstances, there are several other techniques that may help reinstate .lukitus extension files without paying up.

Lukitus / Locky ransomware automated removal and data recovery

When faced with ransomware like Lukitus / Locky, 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 Lukitus / Locky 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.

Lukitus / Locky 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 Lukitus / Locky 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 .lukitus extension 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 Lukitus / Locky 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 Lukitus / Locky removal tool