Leto Ransomware

Leto Ransomware is the infection that you are likely to be dealing with if you can find the “.leto” extension attached to your personal files. These files should be unreadable, and that is a sign that they were encrypted because the encryption renders them unreadable. The infection is supposed to corrupt your personal files so that cyberattackers behind it could try to extort money from you. They are supposed to offer decryption software in return, but, of course, promises made by cybercriminals simply cannot be trusted. The good news is that malware experts have created a tool capable of restoring files encrypted with an offline key for free. If you cannot find this tool online yourself, consult with our research team via the comments section. At the end of the day, whether or not you are able to restore your personal files, it is a must for you to remove Leto Ransomware from your operating system, and if you continue reading this report, you will learn all about it.

A free decryptor for Leto Ransomware has been created because it is part of the STOP Ransomware family, and hundreds of variants exist, including Mosk Ransomware, Rote Ransomware, and Msop Ransomware. These infections usually are spread using clever spam emails or bundled downloaders. Of course, systems that are not protected or that contain outdated and unpatched software are the first ones to be victimized by such malware. Once inside a Windows operating system, Leto Ransomware does not wait to encrypt files because that is the most important part of the attack. If files are encrypted successfully, the infection can drop a file named “_readme.txt.” Originally, it is dropped to %HOMEDRIVE%, but copies could be dispersed everywhere. This file is the scam part of the infection because the message inside attempts to convince victims to follow specific instructions. These include emailing the crooks (the original address is gorentos@bitmessage.ch, and the reserve address is amundas@firemail.cc) to receive additional instructions and then paying a ransom in return for a decryptor.

The Leto Ransomware ransom note discloses that the full price for the decryptor is $980, but it is also stated that if the ransom is paid within 72 hours, the ransom is $490. This is meant to push victims into taking action as soon as possible. In reality, our research team does not believe that emailing the attackers is a good idea at all. If you contact them, they will make you pay the ransom, and what are the guarantees that you would get a decryptor in return? There are no guarantees when it comes to that, and so you need to think carefully. Is it a good idea to send your money to the attackers? Will you obtain a decryptor? Will your files be decrypted? Most likely, it is not a good idea, and you will not recover your files. As we have mentioned already, a free decryptor might assist with that. Of course, it is best if you have copies of your personal files stored someplace else and if you can use them to replace the encrypted files. In case you do not have backups, remind yourself to create them after you delete Leto Ransomware from your Windows operating system.

Do not be intimidated by the manual Leto Ransomware removal guide. Only the first step might cause complications because the launcher file might have a unique name and a random landing point. If you can identify and remove the launcher, the remaining steps should not be too problematic for you. An alternative to manual removal is automatic removal. Employ an anti-malware program you trust, and you will have Leto Ransomware deleted in no time. The greatest advantage of such a program is reliable and complete Windows protection. Remember that if your system remains unguarded, your chances of facing new threats will be exponentially higher. You also need to be more cautious when downloading software or even interacting with spam emails. If you secure your system, stay aware of the security backdoors that cybercriminals often use, and also protect personal files by storing copies someplace safe, we are sure that you will not need to worry about ransomware again.

Leto Ransomware Removal

1. Delete recently downloaded suspicious files. Your goal is to delete the launcher.
2. Tap Win+E keys to access Windows Explorer.
3. Enter %LOCALAPPDATA% (on Windows XP, %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\) into the field at the top to access the directory.
4. Delete the {random name} folder containing malware files.
5. Enter %HOMEDRIVE% into the field at the top.
6. Delete the file named _readme.txt and also a folder named SystemID.
7. Enter %WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ into the field at the top.
8. Delete the task named Time Trigger Task.
9. Tap Win+R keys to access Run and then enter regedit to access Registry Editor.
10. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
11. Delete the value named SysHelper and then exit Registry Editor.
12. Empty Recycle Bin and then employ a malware scanner to check for ransomware leftovers.