Greystars Ransomware

It was found that Greystars Ransomware already tricked at least two victims into paying a ransom fee. The bitcoin wallet address – 1JnRP8UsTDLRjzCTaJXYPr5oYkKc7bLY2Q – that was set up by the cyber criminals behind this malware, currently has 2 transactions that amount to 0.16 Bitcoin. This makes perfect sense considering that the ransom is 0.08 Bitcoin. Are you familiar with this crypto-currency? If you are not, you might be surprised to learn that 0.08 BTC equals 660 USD. It is important to mention that the conversion rates fluctuate all the time, and so the sum could be completely different at the time you are reading this report. The point is that the ransomware is active and that cyber criminals are successfully invading Windows operating systems. You can tell if you need to remove Greystars Ransomware from your own operating system by checking for a file named “HOW-TO-RECOVER-YOUR-FILES.HTML” on the Desktop, as well as the “.greystars@protonmail.com” extension attached to all personal files.

Should you delete Greystars Ransomware right away? That certainly is the recommendation, but if you expect your personal files to be decrypted once you do that, you should wait a moment. When this malware invades the operating system, it encrypts files using a strong encryption key, and so you cannot free your files by removing the threat that has caused this mess. Instead, you need to obtain the decryption key, and, unfortunately, that is likely to be impossible. Whether you face Csgo Ransomware, Robin Hood And Family Ransomware, Gandcrab 3 Ransomware, or any other infection from this group, you are likely to draw the short straw. Greystars Ransomware encrypts personal files, and if they are not backed up externally or online, you are paralyzed, and there are only two options: You either accept the loss of files, or you take the risk and pay the ransom. We do not recommend paying it because cyber crooks are unlikely to give you what was offered in return for the payment. This is why we focus on the removal part.

According to the message in the “HOW-TO-RECOVER-YOUR-FILES.HTML” file, you can recover your files only if you pay the ransom and then email a special code to greystars@protonmail.com. After this, you are promised that a decryption key would be sent, but that is just a trick to urge you to make the payment. The message also advises against using third-party software. It is not surprising that cyber crooks do not want you using any help. The bad news is that, at this moment, a free decryptor that would work on Greystars Ransomware does not exist anyway. That means that you are left to your own devices. If backups exist, you do not need to worry about the attack of Greystars Ransomware too much because you still have access to files even though the originals were corrupted. If backups do not exist, you will need to take this as an important lesson. As soon as you delete the malicious ransomware, research different file backup options, and choose one that suits you best. And remember that if you do not take care of your files now, they might be put at risk very soon.

It appears that Greystars Ransomware runs using the same file that executes it, and that is why you need to focus on finding and removing it. If you have unleashed the infection yourself by downloading an unfamiliar program or opening a corrupted spam email attachment, you should be able to find it quickly. What if you cannot detect the threat yourself? If you are in this predicament, employing an anti-malware program is your best resort. In fact, you should not dread installing this program because its primary task is to keep your operating system malware-free in the future. Install it now, and it will start guarding you as soon as it deletes Greystars Ransomware. Besides implementing reliable security software and backing up your files, you need to do your part as well. Most importantly, stay away from strange installers, unfamiliar programs, too-good-to-be-true offers, random links, and advertisements. Also, make sure your system and software are up-to-date because you do not want any security vulnerabilities exposed and used for malware distribution.

Greystars Ransomware Removal

N.B. In this guide, we offer a few potential locations of where the launcher file might be. Note that the location of the file might be completely different in your case.

1. Delete the ransom note file called HOW-TO-RECOVER-YOUR-FILES.HTML on Desktop.
2. Tap keys Win+E to launch Explorer and then enter these paths one by one into the bar at the top:
   • %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
   • %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
   • %TEMP%
3. If you find the launcher file, right-click it and select Delete.
4. Empty Recycle Bin and then perform a full system scan to check for malicious leftovers.