PEET ransomware hits to encrypt your files for good Threat SummaryImpossible to recover data without backupsKnown ransomware distribution methodsThe best way to remove PEET ransomware from your computer
PEET virus attacks Windows operating systems, disables active firewalls, deletes Volume Shadow Copies and installs Azorult Trojan on the PC system or network. In other words, it prepares an environment to operate silently and also removes any means of data recovery for the victim. Next, it scans the whole computer system (with several exception rules) to detect target file extension including .doc, .jpg, .avi, .xml, .mp4 and others. The ransomware encrypts them with a complex algorithm using either online or offline key (depending on whether it manages to establish a connection with its server). You can determine whether your files were locked with the offline key by looking at the personal ID left in the _readme.txt file. If it ends with t1, you might have a chance to recover some files in the future. Victims whose files were corrupted using online key have no hope now or in the near future. See an example of an offline ID below: Your personal ID:0273HfghKy12nGO5B7fewTPmpErj3m2FccWnHvCkaQ24Peft1 .peet file extension virus informs the victim that data recovery is possible if the specified ransom will be paid. The price of the ransom depends on how quick the victim manages to obtain Bitcoins and transfer them to the criminals. If done in 72 hours, the ransom price is $490. Later on, the price increases to $980. The attackers even suggest decrypting one .peet file for free to prove that they actually have tools for data decryption.
Threat Summary
Impossible to recover data without backups
If your files cannot be opened and you can see the aforementioned extensions on them, it means that you have become a victim of STOP DJVU ransomware attack. No matter how important your files were, there is no way to recover them at the moment except from a backup. If you didn’t create it previously, your data is lost. Despite that, we still recommend you to backup encrypted data and wait for the best. You can check for updates on this article about STOP Decryptor from Emsisoft. The most important thing to do after a ransomware attack is to delete the malware from the system. Therefore, we advise you to remove PEET ransomware virus along with Azorult Trojan using the instructions we provide. You can find them down below. Consider using a trustworthy antivirus software to complete this task properly.
Known ransomware distribution methods
PEET ransomware, just like other DJVU variants (TOEC, MOSK, LOKF, NESA) is typically hidden in malicious downloads such as software cracks. You can also find this virus in software license keygen downloads. It is clear why hackers tend to bundle their malware along these downloads – they are extremely popular and easy bait for victims. In other words, if you have fallen victim to his ransomware, it means that you have downloaded a not so legal file from the Internet. Please remember that it isn’t safe nor legal to do that. As you can see, all your files were lost due to an attempt to save money. Other ransomware families such as PHOBOS are known to be distributed via hacked RDP ports, infected websites targeting software vulnerabilities, or malicious spam. You can read more about ways to prevent these types of attacks in this guide.
The best way to remove PEET ransomware from your computer
You should remove PEET ransomware virus very carefully. In the best scenario, you should do it with an updated antivirus which is capable of identifying this version and Azorult Trojan to delete them altogether. What is more, you should run your antivirus in Safe Mode as explained below. The next step after PEET virus removal is changing all the passwords that you have saved in your browser. Chances are, the Azorult Trojan could have stolen them (which is its purpose). Finally, try to find your data backup. Plug it into your computer ONLY after a successful malware removal. TIP: If your data wasn’t that important and you do not want to use an antivirus to delete malware, you can also format hard drive and reinstall Windows. 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 PEET 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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