.XTBL ransomware

If you can no longer open your files and you have an odd notification image on your desktop, it is very likely that you have been infected by .XTBL ransomware. Confusion about this infection may arise because this name does not refer to one particular application. It may indicate at least three different ransomware infections that have found their way into your system. Thus, when you need to remove .XTBL ransomware, you have to figure out which program you are dealing this so that you would be able to apply the appropriate removal instructions. Check out the instructions below this description for the adequate removal.

Ransomware programs are often categorized as Trojans because they manage to slither in the target system pretending to be something else. .XTBL ransomware might be distributed via the spam email and malicious exploits. When it comes to spam email distribution, it is very common that even corporate computers get infected with ransomware through them. For example, perhaps your manager has been waiting for an invoice, and once a similar message arrives, they open the attachment without giving it a second thought. The problem is that .XTBL ransomware and other similar programs could use this method to trick unsuspecting users into installing malicious programs.

Also, exploits can often be employed by cyber criminals to promote and distribute ransomware programs. For example, when you open a website that is full of pop-ups, you may be inadvertently exposed to a malware distribution network. Clicking a random pop-up could initiate the ransomware installation because that pop-up could be embedded with a malicious outgoing link. As a result, your computer would be infected with ransomware, and your files would be encrypted. After that, the ransomware program would demand that you pay a ransom fee to receive a decryption key.

Our researchers have determined three ransomware programs that make use of the .xtbl extension. These programs are Vegclass@aol.com Ransomware, GreenRay Ransomware, and JohnyCryptor Ransomware. Each of those infections has its own individual features, although all of them are indicated as the so-called Indian ransomware. Also, these programs do not have an extensive ransomware message. Instead of that, they display an email address that users should use to contact the criminals.

After the ransomware infection, you will notice that you can no longer open your files. Your encrypted files have the .xtbl extension, and each file will also have a unique ID. This ID was generated for your machine by the infection automatically. This is how the ransomware’s command and control center can tell all the infected machines apart. They need to identify every single infected computer because they have to issue a unique decryption key for every single computer. Each key is private and without it users cannot restore their files.

Nevertheless, instead of transferring the ransom fee, you should delete the .XTBL ransomware program from your computer following the removal steps we have provided in this article. Not to mention that you cannot be 100% sure that the cyber criminals will give you the decryption key. The connection between your computer and the ransomware’s command and control center may falter, and the server may not be able to send you back the key.

Thus, the best way to go around it is to restore your files from an external backup, or from some online drive where you keep most of your important files. Before you rush to do that, do not forget to delete the ransomware application. You have to copy your files back when you are sure your system is clean and safe.

If you think that you might have missed several other unwanted applications, you should run a full system scan with the SpyHunter free scanner. An automatic computer scan is always far more reliable than manual removal because you may miss some important system directories, especially if you are not an experienced computer user.

What’s more, a computer security tool of your choice will safeguard your system from other malicious infections that may try to barge into your PC. You have to keep the shields up 24/7 because you can never know when the next infection might barge at your doorstep.

How to Remove .XTBL ransomware

JohnyCryptor Ransomware

1. Press Win+R and type %APPDATA%.
2. Click OK and go to Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
3. Remove the executable file with a random name, the "How to decrypt your files.jpg," and "How to decrypt your files.txt" files.
4. Press Win+R again and type %WINDIR%. Press Enter.
5. Go to the SysWOW64 folder (64-bit) and delete the random-name .exe file.
6. Empty your Recycle Bin and reboot your PC.

Vegclass@aol.com Ransomware

1. Press Win+R and enter %ALLUSERSPROFILE% into the Open box.
2. Click OK and go to the Microsoft folder.
3. Navigate to Windows\Start Menu\Programs and delete a random-name .exe file.
4. Press Win+R again and enter %AppData% into the Open box.
5. Click OK and navigate to Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
6. Find and remove a random-name .exe file.
7. Delete random-name .exe files in the these directories by opening them via the Win+R command:
   %APPDATA%
   %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\
   %WINDIR%\system32\
8. Press Win+R and type in regedit. Press Enter.
9. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.
10. Right-click the Wallpaper string value and select Modify.
11. Delete the value data and click OK.
12. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers.
13. Right-click the BackgroundHistoryPath0 string value on the right pane.
14. Delete the value data and click OK to save changes.
15. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
16. Right-click the random-name string value with the value data C:\Windows\System32\*.exe.
17. Delete it and right-click the string value with the value data C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming.*exe.
18. Delete it and exit the Registry Editor. Scan your computer.