Herad Ransomware

Herad Ransomware will be a new and unfamiliar threat to its victims, but researchers in our team feel like they already know this infection. That is because it comes from the Stop Ransomware group, which means that it is almost identical to Kiratos Ransomware, Skymap Ransomware, INFOWAIT Ransomware, and many other well-known infections. The good news is that a tool called “Stop Decrypter” has been created, which means that victims should be able to restore the files corrupted by this malware for free. This tool was not created by the attackers but security experts who do not want people to suffer the loss of personal files and the loss of money. If you decide to purchase the decryptor offered by the attackers, it is highly unlikely that you will have your files decrypted at all. We hope that you can free your personal files, but, regardless of what happens, you must not forget to remove Herad Ransomware.

Did you find the “.herad” extension attached to files that you can no longer open? If that has happened, there is no doubt that Herad Ransomware has invaded your system. That can happen if you are tricked into opening a fictitious attachment sent via email or downloading malware that is disguised as harmless freeware. The attackers have many tricks up their sleeves, and they know exactly how to fool gullible and often inexperienced users into letting in malicious infections without even realizing it. After execution, Herad Ransomware is meant to stay silent because if you found and deleted it, the encryption could potentially fail. Unfortunately, if the attackers successfully fool you into letting this malware in, it is likely to corrupt your files successfully too. By encrypting your personal files, the attackers create an opportunity for themselves to terrorize you. To make their demands clear, a file called “_readme.txt” is created, and its copies are likely to be dropped next to the corrupted files. You can remove this file right away, or you can open it – the choice is yours; however, paying attention to the demands is not recommended.

The creator of Herad Ransomware uses the “_readme.txt” file to make you think that you need to pay money for a key and a tool to have your files decrypted. As we discussed already, a free decryptor should be available already, and so paying the ransom is not something you should even consider doing. The ransom is pretty high too – $490, and then $980 after 72 hours – and some victims might not be able to pay it anyway. Unfortunately, the attackers have one last trick up their sleeves. The ransom note does not offer much information about the ransom payment, and so the victims might think they need to contact the attackers using the provided email address and Telegram contact (gorentos@bitmessage.ch, varasto@firemail.cc, and @datarestore). Well, if you send a message using your own email or Telegram account, there will be nothing stopping the attackers from flooding you with phishing emails and threats. They could even trick you into executing a fake decryptor that, in reality, is just another infection.

Can you follow the steps shown below? If you can, you should be able to delete Herad Ransomware manually. If this is the path you choose, do not hesitate to install a reliable malware scanner to check whether or not there are threats that require removal. The tool will quickly examine your operating system and let you know if there is anything else that needs to be eliminated. Another solution is to install an anti-malware program that would inspect your system and delete malicious threats – including Herad Ransomware – automatically. We strongly recommend employing this tool because manual removal can be complex and because you also need protection against other malicious threats, which is exactly what anti-malware software is created for. After you remove the infection, find a free decryptor to restore your files. However, note that free decryptors exist on rare occasions only, and it is important to backup all files to ensure that copies exist and can be used as replacement in extreme situations.

Herad Ransomware Removal

1. Find and Delete all copies of the _readme.txt file.
2. Tap keys Win+E to access Explorer.
3. Enter %LOCALAPPDATA% into the field at the top (%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\ is an alternative path on certain Windows versions).
4. Delete folders with long random names that contain [random name].exe, updatewin.exe, and updatewin2.exe files.
5. Delete the file named script.ps1.
6. Enter %WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ into the field at the top.
7. Delete the task called Time Trigger Task.
8. Exit Explorer and then launch Run by tapping Win+R keys.
9. Type regedit into the box and click OK to access the Registry Editor.
10. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
11. Delete the value named SysHelper (value data should point to %LOCALAPPDATA%\[random name]\[random name].exe.
12. Exit Registry Editor and then Empty Recycle Bin.
13. Install a trusted malware scanner and use it to perform a full system scan.