HETS ransomware turns all personal files useless by encrypting them with RSA keysThreat SummaryEssential information regarding .hets file decryptionRansom-demanding virus hides in illegal online downloadsRemove HETS ransomware virus safely
The ransom notes left by HETS ransomware instruct the victim to contact the criminals via provided emails: datarestorehelp@firemail.cc or datahelp@iran.ir. They suggest sending one small file for decryption to prove that data recovery is actually possible. The ransom note also informs that the price of the decryptor varies on how fast the victim manages to collect the specified sum of money, buy Bitcoins and transfer them to the criminals’ wallets. If the victim does this in 72 hours, the ransom price is $490. Otherwise, it increases to $980. In addition to the complete corruption of valuable data, the ransomware also installs another dangerous virus on the computer – Azorult Trojan. This Trojan is capable of stealing private information such as passwords, browsing history and similar data. Therefore, if you have become a victim of such a cyber attack, we suggest you remove HETS ransomware and related malware immediately using instructions provided below and then proceed to read about possible further actions.
Threat Summary
Essential information regarding .hets file decryption
HETS ransomware uses either online or offline keys to corrupt victim’s files or both. Victims whose files were corrupted by the offline key can hope to decrypt their files, whereas victims of the online key attack have nearly zero chances to restore their files without paying the ransom. To determine whether you can hope to decrypt at least some of your .hets files in the future, you need to determine which type of key was used on your files. Here’s what you need to do.
How to determine which key was used to encrypt your files
Although you can check the _readme.txt file for personal ID, we recommend you to go for an alternative route: If you find that one or more IDs end with t1, you will successfully restore some of your files using STOP decrypter as soon as its developer Emsisoft updates it. However, please note that you must be patient while waiting for the decryption tool updates. Victims of some previous versions of this ransomware, including ZOBM, MSOP, and others are also waiting for updates as the offline key doesn’t show up very quickly.
Ransom-demanding virus hides in illegal online downloads
The primary distribution vector for DJVU ransomware variants like HETS is untrustworthy downloads. To clarify, the developers of this malicious virus tend to bundle it with various peer-to-peer downloads that can activate paid software for free. In technical terms, such files are known as software cracks or keygens. Therefore, if you have discovered that all your files have .hets file extension and cannot be opened, chances are you have recently downloaded an illegal activation tool from some shady Internet website. Downloading suspicious files from the Internet is never safe. Ransomware is one of the biggest hazards you can run into. Besides, downloading similar files can also land various spyware and malware variants, including adware, Trojans, Crypto-miners and even more.
Remove HETS ransomware virus safely
HETS ransomware removal is an essential task regardless of the victim’s computing experience. We kindly suggest using these free instructions along with an antivirus software of your choice to eliminate the said malware from the system. Once you remove HETS file virus along with Azorult from your operating system, you should immediately change your passwords. You need to take actions to protect your private information as soon as possible due to Azorult Trojan behavior while it was on your computer system. Next, we recommend you to check for updates in this guide regarding DJVU decryption. OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.
Alternative software recommendations
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking
Before you try to remove the virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, see a video tutorial on how to do it: Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users Now, you can search for and remove HETS Ransomware files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable malware removal program. In addition, we suggest trying a combination of INTEGO Antivirus (removes malware and protects your PC in real-time) and RESTORO (repairs virus damage to Windows OS files).
Method 2. Use System Restore
In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future. Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.
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