RansomwareRemoval Guide

Remove KEKW Virus (+Decrypt .KEKW files) – KEKW Ransomware

KEKW – General Info

The KEKW mean a ransomware-type infection. The infection comes from the KEKW ransomware family. KEKW was elaborated specifically to encrypt all major file types. As soon as the file is encrypted people are not able to use them. KEKW adds the “.KEKW” extension for each file encrypted by it. For example, the file “myphoto.jpg“, as soon as encrypted by KEKW, will be renamed into “myphoto.jpg.KEKW“. As quickly as the encryption is finished, KEKW places a special text file into every folder containing the encrypted data.

The message given by KEKW text file requesting for the ransom is absolutely the like the statements given by other ransomware virus representatives belonging to the KEKW family. It literally mentions that the info is encrypted and that the only way to restore it is to use a an unique decryption key. Regretfully, this is definitely true. The sort of cryptography mechanism applied by KEKW is still not appropriately examined. Still, it is definitely particular that each victim may be given the specific decryption key, which is totally unique. It is impossible to restore the files without the key available.

Another technique of KEKW is that the victims cannot get to the key. The key is saved on a particular server run by the frauds associated with KEKW ransomware. To get the key and recover the important info people need to pay the ransom.

Nonetheless, regardless of the requested quantity, people should stay away from paying the ransom virus. Cyber frauds are not fair, so they tend to completely ignore what their victims feel about the problem, even when the payment reaches their pockets. This is why paying the ransom generally does not provide any positive outcome and people just waste their money for absolutely nothing.

We strongly recommend that you do not contact these crooks and absolutely do not transfer money into their accounts. It is said to admit that there are no utilities able to crack KEKW ransomware and to recover the data data for free. Thus, the only best decision is to recover the lost data from the available backup.

Virus Summary

NameKEKW Ransomware
File Extension.KEKW
TypeRansomware
FamilyKEKW
Short DescriptionThe ransomware encrypts all the data stored on your system and requires a ransom to be paid on your part supposedly to recover your important files.
SymptomsFile encryption by the ransomware is performed by means of the AES and RSA encryption algorithms. Once the encryption is completed, the ransomware adds its special KEKW extension to all the files modified by it.
Distribution MethodSpam Emails, Email Attachments
Removal Tool   GridinSoft Anti-Malware

Remember that the web is now overwhelmed with threats that look comparable to KEKW ransomware. Destructive programs of such kind are typically elaborated to encrypt essential information and to state the demand before the user to pay the ransom. The peculiarity of all such ransomware threats is that all apply a comparable algorithm to create the unique decryption key for files decryption.

Thus, as long as the ransomware is still being developed or has some hidden bugs, manually recovering the information is just not feasible. The only way to prevent the loss of your essential files is to routinely create backups of your important information.

Bear in mind that even if you create such backups, they should be placed into a special storage utility not connect to your main computer. You may use the USB Flash Drive or external disk drive for this purpose, or refer to the help of the cloud storage. If you keep your backup files on your common system they may be encrypted together with other files, so it’s definitely not a good storage location.

How did ransomware infect my computer?

There are several ways used by online scams to distribute KEKW ransomware. Even though it doubts how precisely KEKW injects your system, there are some leaks through which it may penetrate the system:

  • integration with third-party software application, especially freeware;
  • spam emails from unknown senders;
  • sites rendering free hosting services;
  • pirated peer-to-peer (P2P) downloads.

Often KEKW ransomware may exist as some legitimate software, for example, in the pop-ups advising users to execute some important software updates. This is the typical technique used by online scams to persuade people into downloading and installing KEKW infection manually, by ways of their direct participation in the installation process.

Additionally, the criminals may describe various email spam strategies to inject harmful codes into Windows PC. So, they may refer to to sending unsolicited spam emails with tricky notices promoting users to download the attachments or click on certain download links, for example, the ones encouraging users to open some video, documents, tax reports or invoices.

Needless to mention, opening such files or clicking on such dangerous links may badly damage the system. Fictitious Adobe Flash Player update notifies may result in KEKW ransom injection. As for the cracked software, these illegally downloaded programs may also consist of destructive codes leading to KEKW secret installation. Lastly, injection of KEKW may happen by ways of Trojans that secretly get injected into the system and set up malicious tools without the user’s permission.

Is there any way to avoid the injection of KEKW ransom virus?

Despite the fact that there is no 100% guarantee to prevent your PC from getting infected, there are some pieces of guidance we wish to share with with you. First off, be really mindful when you surf the web and particularly while downloading free apps. Keep away from opening suspicious email attachments, especially when the sender of the email is not familiar to you.

Remember that some freeware installers may include other unwanted utilities in the package, so they may be malicious. Ensure that your current antivirus and your entire OS is always appropriately updated.

Naturally, downloading pirated software is unlawful and may result in important damage to be made for your system. Hence, stay away from downloading cracked software. You are also strongly encouraged to reconsider your existing security software and perhaps change to another security solution that can render far better services of defending your computer.

Below please find the quotation from the KEKW text file:

RANSOM MESSAGE
GIVE ME 1 MILLION BITCOIN at RANSOM.onion
AES Encryption Key: G3Xgfd9aizCCOCZurvAlNaEs09RbA23iFjs3kySDlZQ=
AES Encryption IV: cswzut8/X3qc6xgISDSu9Q==

Screenshot of files with “.KEKW” extension added by the ransomware:
KEKW Ransomware - encrypt files with .KEKW extension

Use GridinSoft Anti-Malware to remove KEKW ransomware from your computer

1.Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:

  GridinSoft Anti-Malware

2. Double-click on the setup file.

When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-ag.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your computer.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware Setup

3. Press Install button for run GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware Install

3.Once installed, GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically run.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware  Start

4. Wait for the GridinSoft Anti-Malware scan to complete.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your computer for Win Speedup 2018 and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so we suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware Scan

5. Click on “Clean Now”.

When the scan has completed, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware Scan Result

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Daniel Zimmermann

Daniel Zimmermann has been writing on security and malware subjects for many years and has been working in the security industry for over 10 years. Daniel was educated at the Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany and currently lives in New York.

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