How to remove Hairysquid Ransomware and decrypt .Hairysquid files

What is Hairysquid Ransomware

Hairysquid is a newly-discovered variant of the Mimic ransomware. After penetration, it modifies the Windows GroupPolicy, deactivates protection by Windows Defender, and disables other Windows features to exclude any deterrence of its malicious activity. The goal of this infection is to encrypt access to system-stored data and demand money for its decryption. During the encryption processes, the virus attaches the .Hairysquid extension to all affected files. Once done, a file like 1.pdf will turn to 1.pdf.Hairysquid and change its icon eventually. Instructions on how to decrypt the blocked data are presented within the READ_ME_DECRYPTION_HAIRYSQUID.txt note, which gets created alongside successful encryption.

Overall, it is said victims have been attacked by ransomware, which encrypted their data. In order to reverse the damage and get back the files, victims have to contact the swindlers via one of the provided communication channels (TOX messenger, ICQ messenger, Skype, and email) and pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price for decryption is said to be calculated based on the number and potential value of encrypted data. In addition, it is also allowed to test decryption for free by sending 3 locked files to cybercriminals. Alas, it is usually impossible to decrypt blocked data without the involvement of cybercriminals themselves. Some ransomware infections can be decrypted with the help of third-party tools if there are bugs or flaws that can be exploited to crack the generated ciphers. At the moment of writing this article, this is not the case with Hairysquid Ransomware. For now, the most probable recovery methods are either collaborating with ransomware developers or retrieving data from existing backup copies. Backups are copies of data stored on external devices such as USB drives, external hard drives, or SSDs.

Using your own backups is recommended over paying extortionists. This is because it is completely free and there is also a risk to be fooled by cybercriminals (even after sending the demanded payment). Do not neglect to create regular backups. By saving and regularly copying your data to external drives/clouds, you will ensure the majority of data can be recovered in case of unexpected loss or unforeseen ransomware infection. If no backups are present, you can try some third-party tools or attempt to recover from windows shadow copies using our guide below. However, these alternatives may not always be effective and are only successful in rare cases. Before starting manual recovery that does not include the participation of cyber-swindlers, it is crucial to delete the ransomware virus from your system so that it does not impact other files or spread to neighboring systems connected to the same network. Even if you choose to collaborate with them to decrypt files, it is still important to make sure the ransomware is no longer a risk to your safety afterwards. Follow the steps in our guide to perform full-fledged ransomware removal and protect your system against such threats in the future.

How Hairysquid Ransomware infected your computer

A badly protected system can become subject to ransomware infiltration via a number of channels – e.g., 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. As a rule, these distribution vectors aim to deceive users into downloading and opening some malicious file or link. An good example would be fraudulent e-mails that disguise harmful attachments as legitimate and genuine files, such as .DOCX, .XLSX, .PDF, .EXE, .ZIP, .RAR, or .JS. Cybercriminals make such messages look legitimate by mimicking templates of trustworthy organizations (e.g., delivery companies, tax authorities, banks, and so forth). When such e-mails are received, make sure to pay significant caution to what they are trying to promote.

It is crucial to avoid interacting with shady download resources, torrent-sharing websites, dubious ads, potentially malicious attachments/links, and other types of content that may seem suspicious or compromised. On top of that, you should always stick to downloading software only from official and trusted resources. Check out our guide below to get more practical techniques and advice on how to protect your system from ransomware and other types of malware in the future.

1. Download Hairysquid Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .Hairysquid 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 Hairysquid Ransomware

Hairysquid Ransomware files:


READ_ME_DECRYPTION_HAIRYSQUID.txt
{randomname}.exe


Hairysquid Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .Hairysquid files

Use automated decryptors

Download Kaspersky RakhniDecryptor

Use following tool from Kaspersky called Rakhni Decryptor, that can decrypt .Hairysquid 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 .Hairysquid 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 Hairysquid 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 .Hairysquid 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 Hairysquid 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. Hairysquid 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