How to remove Alice Ransomware and decrypt .alice files

What is Alice Ransomware

Alice Ransomware is a malicious program designed to encrypt users’ personal data and demand money for its decryption. While enciphering access to files with the help of secure algorithms, the file-encryptor also assigns the .alice extension to encrypted data. For instance, a file like 1.pdf will likely change to 1.pdf.alice and reset its original icon. Many ransomware infections assign their custom extension in order to distinguish encrypted files and make users notice the change.

Instructions on how to return the files are presented within the How To Restore Your Files.txt text file, which gets created after successful encryption. This text note features guidelines written in Russian, which indicates this encryptor aims mainly at Russian-speaking users. It is worth noting that Alice has been seen distributed in two variants with slightly varying ransom note text.

Overall, cybercriminals claim that the user’s computer has been locked and data on it will be destroyed. If users attempt to delete the infection or restore their data, threat actors warn it might lead to severe hardware damage (e.g., burned motherboard, hard drive, etc.). Please note that such threats are likely false and simply meant to intimidate victims and force him/her into paying the ransom.

Developers of Alice Ransomware demand victims to transfer 150$ in Bitcoin (or other cryptocurrencies) and notify extortionists about the payment through Telegram or an e-mail address (depending on which variant attacked your system). After this, victims will supposedly get a decryption key that will prevent the above-stated threats and restore access to data.

Unfortunately, it is rarely possible to decrypt the enciphered data without the help of cybercriminals. No third-party tool is currently known to be capable of cracking the ciphers written by Alice Ransomware. For now, the only ways to recover your data are either to collaborate with cybercriminals or recover your data from available backup copies. Backups are copies of data stored on external storage devices (e.g., USB pen drives, external hard drives, SSDs, etc.).

Using your own backup is always better as some threat actors fool their victims and do not send any promised decryption tools even after the payment. It is advised to make regular backups to be able to recover fresh copies of data that has been lost for whatever reason, including ransomware attacks. If there is no backup available, you can also try some third-party utilities from our guide below or attempt to recover from windows shadow copies, which may work in rare cases.

Unless you are going to collaborate with extortionists, deleting ransomware is crucial to not let it encrypt other files at the time of manual recovery or spread to other computers functioning within the same network. It is also important to remove it after decrypting files with cybercriminals if you decide to. Follow our guide below to do so and get protection against such threats in the future.

How Alice Ransomware infected your computer

A list of channels most often abused for delivering ransomware and other malware infections include infiltrations via phishing e-mail letters, unprotected RDP configuration, infected software installers (pirated or cracked), exploit kits, trojans, fake updates/license cracking tools, unreliable ads, backdoors, keyloggers, and other dubious channels.

The purpose of most distribution channels is to make a user download and open some malicious file or link. Such a technique can be seen in fake email letters in which cybercriminals disguise bundled attachments as legitimate files (.DOCX, .XLSX, .PDF, .EXE, .ZIP, .RAR, or .JS). By impersonating reputable companies (e.g., delivery companies, tax authorities, banks, and so forth), such emails increase their chance of successfully tricking inexperienced users into clicking harmful links or downloading malware.

Thus, always approach such content with care and caution. Avoid interaction with dubious download sources, torrent-sharing pages, suspicious ads, potentially malicious attachments/links, and other kinds of potentially compromised content. Download software only from official resources to prevent drive-by (stealth) installations of malware. Read our guide below for more information on protecting against ransomware and other forms of malware in the future.

1. Download Alice Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .alice files
3. Recover encrypted files with Stellar Data Recovery Professional
4. Restore encrypted files with Windows Previous Versions
5. Restore files with Shadow Explorer
6. How to protect from threats like Alice Ransomware

Alice Ransomware files:


How To Restore Your Files.txt
{randomname}.exe


Alice Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .alice files

Use automated decryptors

Download Kaspersky RakhniDecryptor

Use following tool from Kaspersky called Rakhni Decryptor, that can decrypt .alice files. Download it here:

Download RakhniDecryptor

There is no purpose to pay the ransom because there is no guarantee you will receive the key, but you will put your bank credentials at risk.

Dr.Web Rescue Pack

Famous antivirus vendor Dr. Web provides free decryption service for the owners of its products: Dr.Web Security Space or Dr.Web Enterprise Security Suite. Other users can ask for help in the decryption of .alice files by uploading samples to Dr. Web Ransomware Decryption Service. Analyzing files will be performed free of charge and if files are decryptable, all you need to do is purchase a 2-year license of Dr.Web Security Space worth $120 or less. Otherwise, you don’t have to pay.

If you are infected with Alice Ransomware and removed from your computer you can try to decrypt your files. Antivirus vendors and individuals create free decryptors for some crypto-lockers. To attempt to decrypt them manually you can do the following:

Use Stellar Data Recovery Professional to restore .alice files

1. Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional.
2. Click Recover Data button.
3. Select type of files you want to restore and click Next button.
4. Choose location where you would like to restore files from and click Scan button.
5. Preview found files, choose ones you will restore and click Recover.

Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Using Windows Previous Versions option:

1. Right-click on infected file and choose Properties.
2. Select Previous Versions tab.
3. Choose particular version of the file and click Copy.
4. To restore the selected file and replace the existing one, click on the Restore button.
5. In case there is no items in the list choose alternative method.

Using Shadow Explorer:

1. Download Shadow Explorer program.
2. Run it and you will see screen listing of all the drives and the dates that shadow copy was created.
3. Select the drive and date that you want to restore from.
4. Right-click on a folder name and select Export.
5. In case there are no other dates in the list, choose alternative method.

If you are using Dropbox:

1. Login to the DropBox website and go to the folder that contains encrypted files.
2. Right-click on the encrypted file and select Previous Versions.
3. Select the version of the file you wish to restore and click on the Restore button.

How to protect computer from viruses, like Alice Ransomware , in future

1. Get special anti-ransomware software

Use ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

Famous antivirus brand ZoneAlarm by Check Point released a comprehensive tool, that will help you with active anti-ransomware protection, as an additional shield to your current protection. The tool provides Zero-Day protection against ransomware and allows you to recover files. ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware is compatible with all other antiviruses, firewalls, and security software except ZoneAlarm Extreme (already shipped with ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware) or Check Point Endpoint products. The killer features of this application are: automatic file recovery, overwrite protection that instantly and automatically recovers any encrypted files, file protection that detects and blocks even unknown encryptors.

Download ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

2. Back up your files

As an additional way to save your files, we recommend online backup. Local storage, such as hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, or remote network storage can be instantly infected by the virus once plugged in or connected to. Alice Ransomware uses some techniques to exploit this. One of the best services and programs for easy automatic online backup is iDrive. It has the most profitable terms and a simple interface. You can read more about iDrive cloud backup and storage here.

3. Do not open spam e-mails and protect your mailbox

Malicious attachments to spam or phishing e-mails are the most popular method of ransomware distribution. Using spam filters and creating anti-spam rules is good practice. One of the world leaders in anti-spam protection is MailWasher Pro. It works with various desktop applications and provides a very high level of anti-spam protection.

Download MailWasher Pro