Unit09 Ransomware

Unit09 Ransomware is a computer infection that deletes personal files. It may present itself as a ransomware program, but the reality is that it is a wiper. Therefore, paying the ransom would not restore your files. Your best solution, in this case, would be an external hard drive or a file backup. If you do not have one, you may have to start anew, but before you do that, do not forget to remove Unit09 Ransomware from your computer for good. Scroll down to the bottom of this description for the manual removal instructions, and do not forget to safeguard your system against other threats.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about such infections is that it is sometimes hard to pinpoint how Unit09 Ransomware and other similar programs enter target systems. We do know for sure that the most common ransomware distribution method is spam emails.

Users probably encounter spam or phishing emails every single day, but they are seldom aware of that. For the most part, we tend to ignore messages from unfamiliar senders that we receive in our inboxes. However, sometimes users may feel inclined to open a particular email and to check its contents because of the subject line.

It is important to remember that spam email that distributes Unit09 Ransomware and other types of ransomware often comes with attached files. Downloading and opening those files allows malware to slither into your system. Therefore, you have to refrain from opening files that come from unknown sources. If you feel that you have to check a certain file no matter what, you might want to scan it with a security tool before opening it. This way, you would definitely avoid a malicious infection.

Nevertheless, if Unit09 Ransomware still manages to enter your computer, you will notice it immediately. This program encrypts target files by overwriting then with random bytes. Normally, a crypto-ransomware infection generates an encryption key that, in theory, should help users unlock their files. With this encryption key, ransomware programs demand a ransom payment, saying that they will give users the decryption key once they transfer the money.

Unit09 Ransomware has nothing of the sort. It doesn’t even seem like the program was created to generate encryption keys because the malware is coded in the .NET language and the overall file size is only 8KB. Thus, the program is called a wiper because it merely destroys your files without leaving any opportunity to reclaim them. Computer security specialists say that it is not possible to recover files affected by Unit09 Ransomware unless you have a proper file backup.

What’s more, even though the program does not have a decryption key, it still displays a ransom note. The ransom note is dropped in every affected folder. The filename says $!READ ME.txt, and the note says the following:

Dear [username], Thanks for being a part of UNIT-109
But sadly its time to go. Send $10 in BTC to [Bitcoin wallet address]
Your files will be unrecoverable after 72 hours. Be quick ;)

It is very likely that this program is just a test run for something bigger, so you should look out for similar infections in the future. Also, it is very likely that Unit09 Ransomware has something to do with MewWare.exe because the program runs a command to delete MewWare.exe when it tries to delete itself once the file wipe is complete. The bottom line is that this is a dangerous infection that often leaves you no other choice but to start anew.

In order to start building your system from scratch, you need to remove Unit09 Ransomware first. Luckily, it is rather easy to remove this infection. You just need to delete the file that launched the infection, and then you have to terminate the ransom notes that are spread across the affected folders. This might be a bit of a tedious task, so you can always relegate that to a reliable antispyware program.

Do not hesitate to invest in a powerful security tool that would protect your system in the future. Also, always make copies of your files and keep them safe in an external hard drive. It’s not just about the ransomware infections. Just in case your hardware fails, you can always recover your data faster when you have a backup.

How to Delete Unit09 Ransomware

1. Go to the Downloads folder.
2. Remove the most recently downloaded files.
3. Locate all ransom notes and delete them.
4. Run a full system scan with SpyHunter.