RobbinHood ransomware: RobinHood virus removal and file decryptor

This article advises on ways to remove RobbinHood ransomware, which uses the .enc_robbinhood file extension, and provides applicable data recovery techniques.

1. What is the RobbinHood ransomware?
2. RobbinHood ransomware automated removal and data recovery
3. RobbinHood ransomware manual removal and file recovery
4. Ransomware Prevention Tips

What is the RobbinHood ransomware?

The cybercriminals who masterminded the RobbinHood file-encrypting virus must have been inspired by the literature character everyone knows, but their interpretation of the subject is definitely twisted. It’s not only about the misspelling in the name of the infection. Taking money away from the rich doesn’t align with the recent attack against the computer infrastructure of the City of Greenville, North Carolina. In this case, it’s the regular citizens who are suffering the consequences, because the raid has resulted in a shutdown of most servers used by various municipal services of the city. This incursion has become only a wakeup call, with more high-profile victims reporting the same symptoms. Obviously, the extortionists zero in on computer networks rather than individual PCs. The main indicator of the predicament is the .enc_robbinhood extension being added to every encrypted file that the felons hold hostage.

In addition to the above-mentioned extension, filenames themselves undergo some harsh tweaking. The RobbinHood ransomware replaces them with strings in the following format: Encrypted_[16 random characters]. As a result, an arbitrary file assumes a shape like Encrypted_7f007b38e01a025b.enc_robbinhood. Not only does the inner structure of the victim’s data get scrambled, but so does its external manifestation, making it impossible to even figure out which file a particular ransomed object corresponds to. Although the offending program states that it uses asymmetric RSA-4096 cipher, analysts report it’s AES cryptosystem instead. Whereas that’s probably just a part of the scare tactic, the crypto is uncrackable anyway. The decryption key is generated and retained by the attackers, so it appears that the only effective way of recovery is to get this secret piece of data from them.

When the RobbinHood (RobinHood) ransomware hits a computer network – be it an enterprise or local government – it drops a number of HTML ransom notes onto each plagued machine. The interesting quirk about this process in this scenario is that it leaves several copies of these notes that have different names. These are _Decrypt_Files.html, _Decryption_ReadMe.html, _Help_Help_Help.html, and _Help_Important.html. As per these rescue manuals, the victim is supposed to pay a ransom in Bitcoin, the original amount being about 3 BTC per encrypted machine and 7 BTC for the whole network. The size may vary and be dynamically recalculated for different plagued entities. After 4 days of non-payment elapse, the price will be growing by $10,000 every single day.

As a demonstration that the crooks have the decryption key, they offer free recovery of up to 3 files. In order to get this done, the victim needs to visit the perpetrator’s Tor page and upload the files there. This .onion page also contains a “feedback” area and some quite offbeat disclaimers. According to it, the malefactors take their preys’ privacy seriously and promise to delete their records, such as the IP addresses and encryption keys, from their server after the ransom is received. Furthermore, the black hats emphasize that the Bitcoin address for the ransom is uniquely assigned to each victim so that the payment cannot be tracked. All of these claims are such a cold comfort, though – plus this can be a lie after all.

It’s currently being investigated how exactly the RobbinHood ransomware is infiltrating computers. The most likely way is though spam or phishing, where recipients are being tricked into opening a malicious email attachment. Once the payload is inside one workstation, it can spread further across the network and encrypt all the files it finds. Given that crypto element of the attack is implemented quite competently, the recovery is a huge challenge. The availability of data backups is certainly the best response, but in case there are none, the victims should try the techniques below to reinstate the encoded records without having to pay a fortune to the adversary.

RobbinHood ransomware automated removal and data recovery

When faced with ransomware like RobbinHood, 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 RobbinHood 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.

RobbinHood 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 RobbinHood 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 .enc_robbinhood 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 RobbinHood 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 RobbinHood removal tool