SecretSystem Ransomware - How to remove

SecretSystem Ransomware is a dangerous computer virus that can attack your system and hijack files stored on it. If you have been hit with this infection, you have to deal with two main problems – recover your files and remove the infection. First things first, let’s clean your computer from this infection and then we can move on to restoring encrypted files.

There are two methods to eliminate ransomware like this – it can be done either manually or automatically, thus feel free to choose the method that fits your needs the best. In case it’s your first time removing infection like this, we recommend to do it automatically. Simply because it’s much easier. All you have to do is to download reliable anti-malware application, such as Spyhunter, install it on your computer and then run a full scan of all files stored on your hard drive. Either one of them should be able to detect and remove the infection. However, anti-malware application can’t decrypt encrypted files, so this problem will have to be solved separately.

Now, if you don’t feel like downloading and installing additional anti-malware software, you can remove SecretSystem manually too. This process might be complicated thus we have developed a step-by-step manual removal guide – scroll down below this article and take a look at it. Do your best to complete all steps correctly and you should be able to eliminate the infection manually by your own.

To learn more about specific features of SecretSystem ransomware please continue reading this article. If you have some questions regarding removal process or virus itself, feel free to ask them in the comments section below and we will do our best to answer them all.

About SecretSystem Ransomware

This ransomware is really similar to all other parasites of this type. The main goal of SecretSystem virus is to infect your computer, hijack your files and then ask for the ransom in order to retrieve them.

So once inside of your computer, SecretSystem virus will run a full scan of all files stored on you hard drive in order to find documents that can be possibly encrypted. And basically it’s any file – photos, video and audio files, text documents and so on. Once the scan is over, it will encrypt all those files and add .slvpawned extension to every of those files. From now on it is impossible to open such files. Right after that your desktop screensaver will be set to something like this:

It is so called ransom note and it says:

Warning: Do not turn off your Computer EIther you will LOST all your files
If you want to decrypt your files follow this simple steps:

1. Create BitcoinWallet
2. Buy Bitcoins worth of $500
3. Send $500 in BitCoin to Given Address
4. Go to xxxx.xxx.xxx and Enter your Personal ID
5. You will get your Decryption Key
6. Enter it in Given Box and Click on Decrypt
7. Restart your Computer and Delete any encrypted file you find

As you can see, cyber criminals are asking for 500 dollars in order to provide you with the decryption tool. The payment should be processed via BitCoin cryptocurrency.

However, we suggest not to pay the ransom – there are two reasons for that. First of all, there are no guarantees that you will retrieve your files even if you pay the ransom. Secondly, by paying the ransom you support cyber criminals and that’s not a good thing to do.

Unfortunately, there are not valid decryption tools for this ransomware at the time, but we will keep you updated. There is a way to retrieve your files without decryptor – perform a system restore. However, in order to do so, you have to have a valid copy of your hard drive that was made before the date of encryption. Tutorial how to perform system restore can be found here: https://www.2-viruses.com/how-to-do-a-system-restore.

How to recover SecretSystem Ransomware 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 SecretSystem virus has infiltrated to your system and then click “Next”.
• To start System restore click “Yes”.

 

Step 2. Complete removal of SecretSystem Ransomware

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 SecretSystem virus. You can check other tools here.  

Step 3. Restore SecretSystem Ransomware 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 SecretSystem virus 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 SecretSystem Ransomware 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.

Manual removal