NGSC Ransomware Virus - How to remove

NGSC is a type of ransomware: malware that infects a computer, encrypts the files that it finds, making them unusable, and then asks the victim to pay money in exchange for restoring the files. NGSC is a new version of the Matrix ransomware.

The Matrix ransomware seems to be constantly evolving and receiving updates, which means that it can be difficult for antivirus software to catch, especially if they don’t have the newest updates. NGSC is part of a family of viruses that are spread by multiple distributors who share the money they extort from people with the developers of the ransomware.

How to recognise NGSC?

NGSC encrypts the files and appends the email address of the ransomware and the file extension “NGSC”, then presents a ransom note named “!NGSC_INFO!.rtf”.

[file name].[file type][email protected].[string of random characters].[NGSC]

#Matrix #Ransomware spotted on ID Ransomware with extension ".NGSC", email "[email protected]", and note "!NGSC_INFO!.rtf" pic.twitter.com/w8xlTLIMuk

— Michael Gillespie (@demonslay335) April 4, 2019

The encrypted files become unusable. The only way to fix them is with a decryption tool and a unique to each user key. The problem is that the decryption key in only known to the cybercriminals responsible for the encryption. It is

How dangerous is the NGSC ransomware?

NGSC encrypts many files with the most common extensions. It expects (often correctly) that these files will be the most valuable files that people would hate to lose. Encrypted file types include text documents, data files, image, audio, video files, archives, and others.

Ransomware is traditionally very dangerous to businesses. They have a lot of valuable data to lose, usually have local networks through which viruses like NGSC can spread to multiple computers (the Matrix ransomware, in particular, has this ability), and many employees who can unwittingly invite a virus; one infected email attachment or USB key can be all that’s needed. Even if a business has backups, they cannot afford to lose the time that would be required to restore all the files.

However, individual PC users are also vulnerable, especially if they don’t have a recent backup of all their files. It is so dangerous that some users prefer to completely wipe their disks and reinstall their OS from scratch when they find that they have been the victim of ransomware — after all, there is nothing left to lose now that their files are gone. You don’t have to go that far, but it shows how devastating the effects of NGSC (and ransomware in general) can be.

One interesting problem is that even if you do pay the ransom for your files (however many hundreds of dollars it costs), you are not guaranteed to get the files back. Some of the developers of ransomware are not competent or fair enough to correctly implement file decryption and restore files for those of their victims who pay their ransom.

How does this ransomware spread?

We have a whole post about how to protect against ransomware.

Matrix ransomware (NGSC and its sister viruses) is spread by multiple distributors using a variety of methods.

• Infected email attachments (for example, macro viruses),
• Bundled with freeware,
• Included with pirated files,
• Targeted infection by hacking through RDP (remote desktop protocol) after the cybercriminals stole/guessed the login information (strong passwords are important).

How to remove the NGSC virus

Use our guide below this article to the encrypted files and remove the ransomware.

If you have backups of your files, you can restore them after you have removed the virus. Do not connect your computer to other storage devices after it has been infected.

It is safest to remove the NGSC virus from your computer before using it again. It is very possible that some other malicious apps have also been installed — a lot of malware use the same distribution methods. You can use Spyhunter, malwarebytes or another professional and reputable antivirus program. If you can’t access some computer security websites, check if you need to fix your hosts file.

After you have removed the NGSC virus and any other malware that was on your system, you might need to fix the system files — scan them to see if they were corrupted and replace the files if needed. Some antivirus apps can do that automatically, or you can do it manually.

Finally, it’s finally safe to use your computer again. Be careful in the future when browsing the web, opening unfamiliar files, or downloading free software. Always keep your operating system and your antivirus up-to-date. The newest viruses are the hardest to catch.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to recover NGSC Ransomware Virus encrypted files and remove the virus

Step 1. Restore system into last known good state using system restore

1. Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt:

for Windows 7 / Vista/ XP

• Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
• Press F8 key repeatedly until Advanced Boot Options window appears.
• Choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

for Windows 8 / 10

• Press Power at Windows login screen. Then press and hold Shift key and click Restart.
• Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → Startup Settings and click Restart.
• When it loads, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt from the list of Startup Settings.

 

2.Restore System files and settings.

• When Command Prompt mode loads, enter cd restore and press Enter.
• Then enter rstrui.exe and press Enter again.
• Click “Next” in the windows that appeared.
• Select one of the Restore Points that are available before NGSC has infiltrated to your system and then click “Next”.
• To start System restore click “Yes”.

 

Step 2. Complete removal of NGSC Ransomware Virus

After restoring your system, it is recommended to scan your computer with an anti-malware program, like Spyhunter and remove all malicious files related to NGSC. You can check other tools here.  

Step 3. Restore NGSC Ransomware Virus affected files using Shadow Volume Copies

If you do not use System Restore option on your operating system, there is a chance to use shadow copy snapshots. They store copies of your files that point of time when the system restore snapshot was created. Usually NGSC tries to delete all possible Shadow Volume Copies, so this methods may not work on all computers. However, it may fail to do so. Shadow Volume Copies are only available with Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. There are two ways to retrieve your files via Shadow Volume Copy. You can do it using native Windows Previous Versions or via Shadow Explorer. a) Native Windows Previous Versions Right-click on an encrypted file and select Properties → Previous versions tab. Now you will see all available copies of that particular file and the time when it was stored in a Shadow Volume Copy. Choose the version of the file you want to retrieve and click Copy if you want to save it to some directory of your own, or Restore if you want to replace existing, encrypted file. If you want to see the content of file first, just click Open.

b) Shadow Explorer It is a program that can be found online for free. You can download either a full or a portable version of Shadow Explorer. Open the program. On the left top corner select the drive where the file you are looking for is a stored. You will see all folders on that drive. To retrieve a whole folder, right-click on it and select “Export”. Then choose where you want it to be stored.

Step 4. Use Data Recovery programs to recover NGSC Ransomware Virus encrypted files

There are several data recovery programs that might recover encrypted files as well. This does not work in all cases but you can try this:

• We suggest using another PC and connect the infected hard drive as slave. It is still possible to do this on infected PC though.
• Download a data recovery program.
• Install and scan for recently deleted files.

Note: In many cases it is impossible to restore data files affected by modern ransomware. Thus I recommend using decent cloud backup software as precaution. We recommend checking out Carbonite, BackBlaze, CrashPlan or Mozy Home.