Michael – Ransomware
The Michael stands for a ransomware-type infection. The infection comes from the Balaclava ransomware family. Michael was elaborated particularly to encrypt all major file types. When the file is encrypted people are unable to use them. Michael adds the “.michael” extension for each file encrypted by it. For example, the file “myphoto.jpg“, once encrypted by Michael, will be renamed into “myphoto.jpg.michael“. As soon as the encryption is finished, Michael places a special text file into every folder containing the encrypted data.The message given by Michael text file requesting the ransom is definitely the same as the statements given by other ransomware virus representatives coming from the Balaclava family. It literally discusses that the information is encrypted and that the only way to bring back it is to use a a special decryption key. Sadly, this is absolutely true. The type of cryptography mechanism applied by Michael is still not correctly examined. Still, it is absolutely certain that each victim may be given the specific decryption key, which is absolutely distinct. It is impossible to restore the files without the key available.
Another trick of Michael is that the victims cannot gain access to the key. The key is kept on a specific server run by the frauds connected with Michael ransomware. To get the key and recover the important info people need to pay the ransom.
Michael encrypted your documents, but that might not be the only damage done to you. The ransomware might still be hidingon your computer. To identify whether this holds true, we suggest downloading GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
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Nevertheless, regardless of the asked for amount, people must stay away from paying the ransom. Cyber frauds are not fair, so they tend to totally ignore what their victims feel about the issue, even when the payment reaches their pockets. This is why paying the ransom usually does not give any positive outcome and people simply waste their money for absolutely nothing.
We highly advise that you do not contact these crooks and definitely do not transfer money into their accounts. It is said to admit that there are no utilities able to crack Michael ransomware and to recover the information data totally free. Hence, the just right decision is to recover the lost information from the available backup.
Virus Summary
| Name | Michael Ransomware |
| File Extension | .michael |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Family | Balaclava |
| Short Description | The 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. |
| Symptoms | File 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 michael extension to all the files modified by it. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Removal Tool | GridinSoft Anti-Malware |
Bear in mind that the internet is now overwhelmed with threats that look comparable to Michael ransomware. Destructive programs of such kind are usually elaborated to encrypt crucial 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 similar algorithm to produce the unique decryption key for information decryption.
Hence, as long as the ransomware is still being developed or has some hidden bugs, manually recovering the information is merely not feasible. The only way to prevent the loss of your crucial information is to regularly create backups of your important information.
Remember that even if you create such backups, they need to be put into a special storage utility not connect to your main computer. You may use the USB Memory Stick or external hard 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 in addition to other files, so it’s absolutely not a good storage location.
How did ransomware infect my computer?
There are a number of ways used by online scams to distribute Michael virus. Even though it is uncertain how exactly Michael injects your computer, there are some leaks through which it may penetrate the system:
- integration with third-party software, especially freeware;
- spam e-mails from unknown senders;
- sites rendering free hosting services;
- pirated peer-to-peer (P2P) downloads.
Typically Michael virus may be presented as some genuine software application, for instance, in the pop-ups advising users to execute some important software updates. This is the typical technique used by online frauds to persuade people into downloading and installing Michael infection manually, by ways of their direct participation in the installation process.
Furthermore, the criminals may refer to numerous e-mail spam tactics to inject destructive codes into Windows PC. So, they may describe to sending unsolicited spam e-mails with tricky notifications promoting users to download the attachments or click on certain download links, for example, the ones motivating users to open some video, files, 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 upgrade notifies may result in Michael ransom injection. When it comes to the cracked software, these illegally downloaded programs may also contain malicious codes resulting in Michael secret installation. Lastly, injection of Michael may take place by means of Trojans that secretly get injected into the system and set up destructive tools without the user’s permission.
Is there any way to avoid the injection of Michael ransom virus?
Even though there is no 100% guarantee to prevent your PC from getting infected, there are some pieces of recommendations we wish to show with you. Firstly, be really careful when you browse the web and especially while downloading totally 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 consist of other unwanted utilities in the package, so they may be harmful. Make certain that your current anti-virus and your entire OS is always appropriately updated.
Obviously, downloading pirated software is unlawful and may lead to important damage to be produced your system. For this reason, stay away from downloading cracked software. You are also highly advised to reconsider your existing security software and possibly switch to another security solution that can render far better services of protecting your Windows.
Below please find the quotation from the Michael text file:
Hello! If you see this message - this means your files are now encrypted and are in a non-working state! Now only we can help you recover. If you are ready to restore the work - send us an email to the address michael.reynolds74@aol.com In the letter, specify your personal identifier, which you will see below. In the reply letter we will inform you the cost of decrypting your files. Before payment you can send us 1-2 files for test decryption. We will decrypt the files you requested and send you back. This ensures that we own the key to recover your data. The total file size should be no more than 2 MB, the files should not contain valuable information (databases, backups, large Excel spreadsheets ...). Email to contact us - michael.reynolds74@aol.com YOUR PERSONAL ID : -
Screenshot of files with “.michael” extension added by the ransomware:
Use GridinSoft Anti-Malware to remove Michael ransomware from your computer
1.Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
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.
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.
3. Press Install button for run GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
3.Once installed, GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically run.
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.
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.
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