Skymap Cryptovirus - How to remove

Skymap is a file-encrypting computer virus, a tool in the extortion scheme that has been filling the pockets of its developers since December 2018. Skymap is a new version of STOP/DJVU, a cryptovirus that spreads additional malware and changes system settings of the infected computers. Although there are a few ways to restore the encrypted files, reversing the decryption is very unlikely.

The files locked by Skymap have their names changed and the “.skymap” suffix appended.

picture.jpg.skymap

A file called “_readme.txt” is created to present a message from Skymap’s developers. They provide their email addresses — [email protected], [email protected] — and a Telegram address, @datarestore. If you were infected with Skymap, this is what the text of the ransom note should be:

ATTENTION!

Don’t worry my friend, you can return all your files!

All your files like photos, databases, documents and other important are encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key.

The only method of recovering files is to purchase decrypt tool and unique key for you.

This software will decrypt all your encrypted files.

What guarantees you have?

You can send one of your encrypted file from your PC and we decrypt it for free.

But we can decrypt only 1 file for free. File must not contain valuable information.

You can get and look video overview decrypt tool:

https://we.tl/t-tK15NNEcw6

Price of private key and decrypt software is $980.

Discount 50% available if you contact us first 72 hours, that’s price for you is $490.

Please note that you’ll never restore your data without payment.

Check your e-mail “Spam” folder if you don’t get answer more than 6 hours.

To get this software you need write on our e-mail:

[email protected]

Reserve e-mail address to contact us:

[email protected]

Your personal ID: [different for each person]

As you can see, the criminals behind Skymap ask for at least a few hundred dollars for a decryption key and raise the price with time. It’s useful to research alternative ways to unlock or otherwise restore the Skymap-locked files before considering contacting the extortionists.

How Skymap locks the files

Skymap locks files by encrypting them. The files are fundamentally changed by the process — while they’re encrypted, nothing can be derived from them. Don’t edit or change the encrypted files in any way, not even their names. If you ever get the chance to decrypt Skymap-locked files, they need to be in their original state.

A decryption key is necessary to unlock the files. In public-key cryptography, a decryption key is different than the encryption key and doesn’t need to be known by the party doing the encryption. So, only the criminals who created Skymap have the key to your files.

When Skymap infects a computer, it can remain undetected if it successfully disables the antivirus software that’s guarding the infected computer. Skymap brings with it malicious programs that can do that. Then it starts encrypting.

The encryption process takes some resources and is bound to be noticed, so Skymap justifies the slowdown of the system by displaying a fake system update window.

How ransomware is distributed

Cryptoviruses related to Skymap use Pirated software to infect computers. It seems like a lot of the victims of STOP/DJVU pirated some software before being infected with a cryptovirus. Software cracks are a good disguise for Skymap, and people who download a fake crack will likely ignore antivirus warnings if any are displayed because antivirus programs are expected to be alarmed by software-modifying tools. It’s important to read antivirus warnings carefully.

Skymap can also come in an e-mail attachment. This could be an office file that asks for macros to be enabled, or an archive that supposedly needs to be opened. Or an executable with a fake extension (like “picture.jpg.exe”). The goal of Skymap’s developers is to send out hundreds or even thousands of spam letters carrying the infection. The extortionists can be satisfied even if only a small fraction of the recipients end up running the infected files. For Skymap, each infection is potentially earning a few hundred dollars, after all. This method of spreading ransomware is relatively new, only in the mainstream since the start of 2018.

Skymap is not the only ransomware virus that is part of an ongoing campaign: GandCrab, Dharma, Globeimposter are all still being developed and finding new ways to get around cybersecurity.

How to remove the Skymap virus

Removing Skymap is not a very easy task: this virus not only brings other malware with it, but also makes modifications to settings. For example, Skymap can change the hosts file to control which websites can be accessed. You might need to fix it. Skymap and the other malware should be removed using an antivirus program: Spyhunter, or another powerful app.
After the cryptovirus is removed, the Skymap-encrypted files can be restored. If you have backup copies of what was lost to Skymap, you can restore them and return to regular computer use. If there is no backup copy, there are other ways to try to get the files back — they are described in the guide below this article.

Contacting Skymap’s developers to restore the files is not a good idea. Ransomware developers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to fixing the locked files. Even after they are paid, there is a good chance that they either start ignoring you, or demand more money.

Some cryptoviruses sometimes get free decryptors developed for them by security researchers. At the moment, there is no free decryptor for Skymap. The closest thing to it could be STOPDecrypter (here’s a direct download) by @demonslay335, if support for Skymap is added. Then files that Skymap encrypted offline can be restored using that program. Remember that you can keep the Skymap files (and the ID that Skymap created) for later, in case the extortionists leak the decryption keys (that has happened before).

Automatic Malware removal tools

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

 

Step 2. Complete removal of Skymap Cryptovirus

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 Skymap Cryptovirus. You can check other tools here.  

Step 3. Restore Skymap Cryptovirus 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 Skymap Cryptovirus 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 Skymap Cryptovirus 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.