Eight Ransomware

The name of Eight Ransomware does not make any sense. Are there threats named One Ransomware, Two Ransomware, and so on? Does the number mean something to the attacker? It would be truly fascinating to know what goes on through the mind of a cybercriminal when he or she creates a new infection and releases it into the virtual world. Unfortunately, it does not look like we will ever get that opportunity. Of course, the name of the threat is the least of our concerns. This malware is a new variant of the infamous Phobos Ransomware, just like Blend Ransomware and tons of other malicious threats. They all exploit spam emails, downloaders that cannot be trusted, and general system and application vulnerabilities to slither in. Unfortunately, victims of this malware do not know what is going on until all personal files are encrypted. At that point, it is too late to stop the infection. Of course, it is important to remove Eight Ransomware regardless of what has happened inside your operating system.

Although Eight Ransomware slithers in and encrypts files silently, this dangerous infection does not remain completely quiet for long. As soon as files are encrypted, the “.id[{ID}].[use_harrd@protonmail.com].eight” extension is added to their names. Next to the encrypted files, you are likely to find a file named “info.txt.” It is safe for you to open this file, but you have to be extremely careful about the information that you are exposed to. The file delivers a message, according to which, you must email use_harrd@protonmail.com or useHHard@cock.li if you want to restore the encrypted files. There is one other file dropped by Eight Ransomware, and this one is called “Info.hta.” It is responsible for launching the “encrypted” window on your screen as soon as files are encrypted and every time you restart your computer. You cannot escape this window until you delete the HTA file, which you can learn how to do manually using the removal guide below. This file opens a window with a longer message, which in general, is just the extended version of the message that is delivered via the “info.txt” file.

The ransom note introduced by Eight Ransomware informs that you need a special tool to decrypt files and that you have to pay money for it. The note suggests sending five of the encrypted files to the attackers so that they could decrypt them and prove to you that you can have all files restored as soon as you pay the ransom. The sum and the payment details are not revealed, but you are bound to receive this info if you email the attackers. Is this something you should do? It is not. First of all, if you initiate communication with Eight Ransomware cybercriminals, you could be opening a Pandora’s box. At first, the attackers would incessantly push you to pay the ransom, but once they get what they want, they are unlikely to let go of you. Even if they do not try to terrorize and scam you themselves, they could pass your email address on to other schemers. Furthermore, if you pay the ransom, you are unlikely to receive any tools that would decrypt files. You can try finding a free decryptor – which did not exist at the time of research – but you should definitely not rely on cybercriminals. In the best-case scenario, you can replace the corrupted files with backups.

We cannot know where the launcher of Eight Ransomware is on your computer, which is why we cannot guarantee that you will be able to delete this malware manually. Of course, if you can detect and delete this file, you should be able to follow the instructions below that show how to eliminate the remaining components. The alternative to manual removal is automated removal. In this case, you need a legitimate anti-malware program that can thoroughly scan your operating system and then erase all active infections. Hopefully, there are no other threats, but if ransomware has slithered in, it is hard to say what other silent threats could be present. The full elimination of malware is not the only reason to implement anti-malware software. Once you have Eight Ransomware deleted, this software can continue protecting you, and that is even more important than you might think right now.

Eight Ransomware Removal

1. Delete suspicious files. Your goal is to delete the launcher of the threat.
2. Delete every single copy of the ransom note file named info.txt.
3. On the Desktop, if you find it, Delete the file named Info.hta.
4. Launch File Explorer by tapping Win+E keys at the same time.
5. Enter %HOMEDRIVE% into the field at the top to access the directory.
6. If you can find a file named Info.hta, you should Delete it.
7. Access the following directories to find and Delete a malicious {unknown name}.exe file:
   • %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
   • %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
   • %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%
8. Launch Run by tapping Win+R keys and then type regedit and click OK to access Registry Editor.
9. Move to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
10. Delete any suspicious values that are linked to ransomware files.
11. Move to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and repeat step 10.
12. Empty Recycle Bin.
13. Install and run a trusted malware scanner to check for malware leftovers.