C1024 Virus Files of Ransomware — How to remove virus?

What is C1024?

The scheme of renaming is this: C1024. In the course of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be altered to “report.docx.id-C279F237.[].C1024”.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a info.txt text document will be created. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting through email. That is it.

#CrySis/#Dharma #Ransomware
New Ext: .id-XXXXXXXX.[].C1024
Note: info.txt, info.hta
Cc: @demonslay335 @Amigo_A_

— dnwls0719 (@fbgwls245) December 17, 2021

In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the C1024 looks like. Each filename has the “.C1024” extension added to it.

That is how encrypted “.C1024” files look.

How did my computer get infected with C1024 ransomware?

There are currently three most exploited ways for criminals to have the C1024 virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a malicious file enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.

Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model³. A Trojan is a program that gets into your computer disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that compromises your data. As the update file can have any title and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The best way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.

As for the peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of the C1024 virus?

Often racketeers would decode several of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. Since C1024 virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Of course, if the tamperers succeed in encrypting victim’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. However, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports about ransomware developers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The optimal solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be insufficient. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.

C1024 is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Hudf, Matrix, White, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the C1024 are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate people were able to decrypt the blocked files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware injection?

You can defend your system from ransomware attack within several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email carefully. A hoax email will surely have mistakes.
• Never use cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy software, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your system.

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft">⁵.

Download Removal Tool.

You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:

Run the setup file.

When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your system.

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.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your computer for C1024 infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.

Click on “Clean Now”.

When the scan has finished, 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.

FAQ

🤔 Is it possible to open “.C1024” files?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.C1024” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. In case you haven’t, there is still a chance that you do have a Restore Point from some time ago to roll back the whole system to the moment when it had no virus yet, but already had your files. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the C1024 virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

Absolutely not! The encrypted files are not harmful, so they won’t be deleted.

With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your computer off the actual viruses. The virus that has attacked your system is probably still functional and it scans your system from time to time to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the C1024 ransomware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide hackers with easy access to your PC in the future.

🤔 What actions should I take if the C1024 ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to have a flash memory card with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or imported into your computer. To stop this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Many of the blocked files might still be within your reach

• If you exchanged your important files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, phone, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs⁶ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

• In the United States: On Guard Online;
• In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
• In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
• In Australia: SCAMwatch;
• In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
• In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
• In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
• In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

References

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Encyclopedia of threats.
3. You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
4. GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site:
5. More information about GridinSoft products:
6. Here are the best 10 file recovery tools of 2021.