GROD ransomware attacks computer systems to turn personal files uselessThreat SummaryThe file-encrypting virus uses either online or offline key to corrupt dataDistribution of STOP ransomware variantsRemove GROD ransomware virus from your PC and restore your files
GROD ransomware encrypts victim’s files to demand a sum which ranges from $490 to $980. It depends whether the victim manages to collect the specified sum of money and obtain Bitcoins to pay the criminals within 72 hours. The attackers suggest decrypting one file for free to test the GROD decryptor software that they offer. To get detailed instructions on how to pay the ransom and also test the decrypter, the ransom note suggests sending a message to one of the provided emails:
restorefiles@firemail.cc;gorentos@bitmessage.ch.
If you can no longer access your files and you can see .grod extensions on them, it means that you have become a victim of a highly dangerous DJVU ransomware attack. Unfortunately, you were hit with an updated malware version which cannot be decrypted at the moment. You only have hope to restore part of the data if the virus used an offline key to corrupt your data. More on that will be provided below.
Threat Summary
The file-encrypting virus uses either online or offline key to corrupt data
In order to better understand your chances of recovering files encrypted by GROD virus, you must know a bit about how the virus operates. Once run on the target machine, the virus attempts to establish a connection with its remote server to get online keys to encrypt data. If it fails to do so, it uses a static offline encryption key. A sign that such key was used for your machine is if your personal ID (found in the ransom note) ends with t1. An example of an online and offline keys are provided below. Personal ID example indicating encryption using online key: Your personal ID:0273HfghKy12nGO5B7fewTPmpErj3m2FccWnHvCkaQ24Pefmk Personal ID example indicating encryption using offline key: Your personal ID:0273HfghKy12nGO5B7fewTPmpErj3m2FccWnHvCkaQ24Peft1 As a result, if the security researchers will be able to extract this offline key in the future, you will recover some of your files. However, please note that this does not apply to those attacked with online keys. It is impossible to extract these keys in any way. Please read more about STOP DJVU ransomware decryption options in this in-depth guide here. However, we suggest backing up your encrypted data and wait for the best to happen – criminals might get caught one day. Meanwhile, you must remove GROD ransomware virus using good antivirus software. Please use the instructions provided at the end of this article for guidance. Use security software of your choice or consider reading reviews provided on our site.
Distribution of STOP ransomware variants
GROD file virus, just like other STOP/DJVU ransomware variants (PEET, MOSK, TOEC, LOKF, RECO) are all distributed in one simple way. The attackers bundle the malicious executive along with software cracks, keygens and other not-so-legal downloads that help to activate paid software products for free. Therefore, if you found all your files turned into .grod file type, it means that you have recently downloaded a compromised software activation tool. Please remember that such downloads are easy bait for victims as they’re extremely popular. By buying official software licenses, you do not risk your safety and not break any copyright laws. Besides, it is usually cheaper than paying a ransom to cybercriminals. However, such illegal tools isn’t the only way to spread malware. You can also become a victim if you use outdated software (such as Flash Player), tend to explore suspicious emails sent to you or visit shady peer-to-peer, gambling, or adult sites. These are known to be the highest-risk when it comes to ransomware distribution.
Remove GROD ransomware virus from your PC and restore your files
Remove GROD ransomware virus from your computer to prevent its further malicious operations. We recommend scanning your computer with a trustworthy antivirus software of your choice. Running an automatic malware removal software will ensure a thorough cleanse from ransomware remains as well as Azorult Trojan. Please follow the GROD ransomware removal guidelines provided below. These will guide you through steps required to boot your PC in Safe Mode. You need to start your computer in this mode to delete the malware without any obstacles. If you try to delete malware while in regular mode, your antivirus might get blocked. Once the STOP DJVU ransomware is eliminated, you can start to recover your files using a backup. Plug it in your computer and simply move them from the external device to your chosen location. Make sure you do this step only with a clean computer, as the backup can get encrypted, too. OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.
Alternative software recommendations
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking
Before you try to remove the virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, see a video tutorial on how to do it: Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users Now, you can search for and remove GROD Ransomware files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable malware removal program. In addition, we suggest trying a combination of INTEGO Antivirus (removes malware and protects your PC in real-time) and RESTORO (repairs virus damage to Windows OS files).
Method 2. Use System Restore
In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future. Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.
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