Understanding php ransomware

Dharma malware family has a new feather in its cap. The arsenal of this notorious ransomware is getting better day by day. The latest edition php ransomware is no different in executing the malicious intentions of its creators.  As always, the targeted operating system is Windows.

Alike, its cousins, php attack initiates with the encryption of data in your system. Eventually, it creates a unique decryption key on the hacker’s server. In order to recover .php files, the victim need the decryption key! The decryption process is a challenging task without this private key. Apart from it, the developers ask for large amount of ransom to enable the decryption key. Hence, the victim users are left with no other choice than paying the ransom.

However, this is not the only way out of this problem. There are a few virus removal guidelines that you can follow to remove ransomware virus manually. Scroll down to find the steps on how to remove php ransomware.

Threat Summary

Distribution Technique

The seeds of a malware are carefully planted on questionable websites to frame the honey trap for the users! The moment a connection is established followed by a wrong click on the website, these dangerous codes come in the existence with a silent switch and without the knowledge of the users, and they spread in the system.

Apart from the malicious websites, Trojans are another deceptive method used to distribute php file virus. Trojans are destructive programs designed to cause ‘chain-infections’. They gradually attack your system with the intention to further installation of nasty software.

Once in, php ransomware shows the qualities of a true master of disguise! It has its own set of rules to ensure it presences on a connecting network as well! It could be a data transfer request, the contact list of email client or even your favourite social networking list, php file virus is fined tuned to evade security protocols and journey to their selective destinations.

The moment this variant of dharma malware family establishes its identity in an affected system, it hunts for popular extensions that majorly represent user specific information.

Threat Behavior

To show its unethical presence and set the fear in the mind of users, it encrypts the file content with strong algorithm and makes the content unreadable. It appends a unique extension – .php to the file names. For example – ‘sample.jpg’ would be renames to ‘sample.jpg.php’.

Alike its siblings, it uses a powerful cryptography algorithm to encrypt the data. RSA – 1024 encryption algorithm is used to fulfil the evil idea of the developers of php virus. Once, the files are successfully encrypted by php malware, it generates a unique decryption key on the remote server. Keep in mind, obtaining the key is not a piece of cake! However, it offers a solution to the victim users. It asks for hefty ransom from the users to decrypt their sensitive information. The ransom amount may vary from $500 – $1500. Of course, in the form of bitcoins! In addition, these cyber crooks allow you to attach one .php file of around 1MB, which they decrypt for free as a proof. It is the trick to get the trust of victim users. After the encryption of the files/ documents, the ransom note ‘RETURN FILES.txt’ will be created in the victim’s system.

Many of the users fall in the trap set by this expert marksman and end up paying to the demands. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee to the cure offered and the information may never be restored in many cases.

Removal guidelines for php ransomware

STEP A: Reboot your system to Safe Mode

STEP B: Delete the suspicious file from Configuration Settings

1. Type “Msconfig” in search box / Run Box, select it and press Enter.
2. Click on “Services” Tab and click on “Hide all Microsoft services”.
3. Select php ransomware from the list of remaining services and disable it by removing the tick mark from the checkbox and click on Apply button.

STEP C: Remove malicious file from Command Prompt

Once the system starts, ensure to use an account with administrative privilege to access Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

After the user enters admin credentials, Command prompt window is displayed wherein you are entitled to enter the below commands:

1. Type the command “sc delete php ransomware” in the command prompt and press Enter.
2. Type “exit” to exit the command prompt and restart the system in safe mode with command prompt.

STEP D: Restore the system files & folder

Tips to prevent your system from php ransomware

1. Keeping the Operating System Updated- In order to remain protected and avoid such infections, it is recommended to keep your Operating System updated by enabling the automatic update on your system. The systems with outdated or older versions of Operating System become an easy target for the attackers.
2. Resist clicking on spam emails – One of the major techniques used for malware distribution is forwarding spam emails to the user. The system gets infected as soon as the user clicks on the attachment. These mails appear to be genuine, so be aware and resist falling for these tricks.
3. Keep an eye on third party installations- It is quite important that you take due care while installing any third party applications for they are major source of such infections. Such malware programs come bundled with the free applications thereby requiring the user to remain cautious.
4. Regular periodical backup- In order to keep your data and files safe, it is recommended to take regular back up of all your data and files either on an external drive or cloud.
5. Use Anti-Virus Protection- We strongly recommend the use of antivirus protection/internet security in your PC like Vipre and Kaspersky so that it remains safe.
6. Enable the Ad Blocker/Popup Blocker in your browser- Enabling the popup blocker/ ad blocker in your chosen browser will help you to stay protected from annoying adware.

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