How to remove DeroHE ransomware from your operating system
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is DeroHE ransomware?
DeroHE is malicious software classified as ransomware. Systems infected with this malware have their data encrypted and users receive ransom demands for decryption.
During the encryption process, all affected files are appended with the ".DeroHE" extension. For example, a file originally named something like "1.jpg" would appear as "1.jpg.DeroHE", "2.jpg" as "2.jpg.DeroHE", and so on. After this process is complete, a ransom message within the "READ_TO_DECRYPT.html" file is created.
DeroHE ransomware is distributed via scam emails offering a free one-year license for IObit software. These may seem legitimate, as might the sender, which is either due to a well-crafted disguise or a weakness found and exploited by cyber criminals allowing them to gain control over a legitimate IObit email.
Note that the actual IObit company is in no way associated with DeroHE malware.
The ransom-demand message ("READ_TO_DECRYPT.HTML") informs victims that their files have been encrypted and can only be recovered by obtaining decryption keys from the cyber criminals behind DeroHE.
The message offers three possible ways of acquiring the recovery tools:
Firstly, users can attempt to pressure IObit developers into paying 100,000 DERO coins. At the current exchange rate, this is equivalent to over US$60,000 (note, exchange rates continually fluctuate). Should this course of action be successful, the message claims that all victims of DeroHE ransomware will receive the necessary decryption keys/tools.
The second recovery option is paying 200 DERO (approximately, US$130). The message goes on to make an absurd offer to return five times the ransom in the DERO cryptocurrency (After DERO reaches $100/coin) should victims send the demanded sum to the cyber criminals.
The third option is given to those who are unable to pay. These victims can perform unspecified online social network activity tasks in exchange for decryption keys.
The message also warns that attempting to manually decrypt the files, using third party recovery tools/software, and running anti-virus programs can render the data undecryptable (i.e. result in permanent data loss).
Unfortunately, in most cases of ransomware infections, decryption is impossible without involvement of the individuals responsible for the infection, unless in rare cases the malware is still in development and/or has flaws. Whatever the case, you are strongly advised against meeting the demands of cyber criminals. They cannot be trusted and there are no guarantees that, once the demands are met, they will hold up their end of any agreement. Victims do not receive the promised decryption keys/tools, despite meeting the criminals' demands. Therefore, users experience financial loss and their files remain useless.
To prevent DeroHE ransomware from further encryption, it must be removed from the operating system, however, removal will not restore already affected files. The only solution is to recover data from a backup, if one was made prior to the infection and was stored in a different location.
Screenshot of a message encouraging users to pay a ransom to decrypt their compromised data:
Blackheel, Hub, and Epsilon are some examples of other malicious programs within the ransomware classification. They typically operate by encrypting data and demanding payment for decryption tools. There are two major differences between these programs/infections: the cryptographic algorithms they use (symmetric or asymmetric) and ransom size.
Digital currencies (mainly, cryptocurrencies) are used, since these transactions are difficult/impossible to trace. To protect files, you are strongly advised to keep backups on unplugged storage devices and/or remote servers (ideally, in several separate locations).
How did ransomware infect my computer?
Spam campaigns - mass-scale operations that involve sending thousands of scam emails - are commonly used to proliferate malware. This technique is also employed to spread DeroHE ransomware. The delivered email messages are usually presented as "official", "urgent", "priority" and similar.
While many of these are not particularly difficult to detect as being suspicious (e.g. due to being riddled with grammatical and spelling mistakes, using wrong terminology and/or imagery, being sent from dubious email addresses, etc.), this is not the case with the emails proliferating DeroHE.
These messages appear legitimate. I.e., the sender, imagery and provided URL look genuine. The emails offer a free one-year license for IObit software, seemingly sent by IObit. It is unclear whether the cyber criminals distributing these messages have hijacked a real IObit mail or have created a very believable disguise.
Yet, there is reason to believe that the email addresses of recipients of these messages were obtained through an exploited flaw within the IObit Software Support Forums. The infection itself is promoted through a link within the fake emails, which leads to the download of a malicious file. Upon opening, this virulent file downloads/installs DeroHE ransomware.
As well as spam campaigns, malware is also distributed through untrustworthy download channels (e.g. unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders) and content typically obtained from them. Illegal activation ("cracking") tools and fake updaters are a prime example of the latter.
"Cracks" can download/install malicious programs instead of activating licensed products. Bogus updaters cause infections by abusing weaknesses of outdated software and by installing malware rather than the promised updates.
| Name | DeroHE virus |
| Threat Type | Ransomware, Crypto Virus, Files locker |
| Encrypted Files Extension | .DeroHE |
| Ransom Demand Message | READ_TO_DECRYPT.html |
| Ransom Amount | 200 DERO cryptocurrency |
| Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Address | dERopYDgpD235oSUfRSTCXL53TRakECSGQVQ2hhUjuCEjC6z SNFZsRqavVVSdyEzaViULtCRPxzRwRCKZ2j2ugCg26hRtLziwu and dERiqiUutvp35oSUfRSTCXL53TRakECSGQVQ2hhUjuCEjC6z SNFZsRqavVVSdyEzaViULtCRPxzRwRCKZ2j2ugCg5r9T1Bf8Wh79tRctx8vg7 (DERO) |
| Cyber Criminal Contact | Website on Tor network |
| Detection Names | DrWeb (Program.Unwanted.2520), Emsisoft (Trojan.FileCoder (A)), GData (Win32.Application.iObit.B (2x)), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypmod.gen), Microsoft (Program:Win32/Wacapew.C!ml), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | Cannot open files stored on your computer, previously functional files now have a different extension (for example, my.docx.locked). A ransom demand message is displayed on your desktop. Cyber criminals demand payment of a ransom (usually in bitcoins) to unlock your files. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments (macros), torrent websites, malicious ads. |
| Damage | All files are encrypted and cannot be opened without paying a ransom. Additional password-stealing Trojans and malware infections can be installed together with a ransomware infection. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
How to protect yourself from ransomware infections
Do not trust irrelevant emails that have files attached (or contain website links) and are received from unknown, suspicious addresses. Software should not be downloaded or installed through third party downloaders, installers, unofficial pages or other similar sources/tools.
Use only official websites and direct links. Installed software should never be updated or activated with third party, unofficial tools, since they can install malware. Furthermore, it is illegal to use third party tools to activate licensed software.
The only legitimate way to update and activate software is to use tools and functions that are provided by the official developers. Regularly scan your computer with reputable antivirus or anti-spyware software and keep this software up to date.
If your computer is already infected with DeroHE, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this ransomware.
Text presented in DeroHE ransom message ("READ_TO_DECRYPT.html"):
Hello, your files have been encrypted!.
It is impossible to decrypt data without known key.
DON’T try to change files by yourself, DON’T use any third party software for restoring your data or antivirus solutions - these actions may entail damage of the private key and, as result, the loss of all your data.
We know that this computer is very valuable for you.
So we will give you an appropriate price for you.
You have 3 ways to get your files back.
Tell iobit.com to send us 100000 (1 hundred thousand) DERO coin to this address. dERopYDgpD235oSUfRSTCXL53TRakECSGQVQ2hhUjuCEjC6z SNFZsRqavVVSdyEzaViULtCRPxzRwRCKZ2j2ugCg26hRtLziwu
After payment arrive, all encrypted computer (including yours) will be decrypted. THIS IS IOBIT's FAULT for your computer got hacked.
Pay us 200 DERO (worth $100 at the moment)… BUT
When DERO reach $100/coin (soon), we will send $500 back to you. That’s 5x for your investment. We will not sell DERO until then. You can verify it by using WALLET VIEW KEY provided on our website. No one can fake this, even us, thank to the decentralized nature of DERO Blockchain.
Hurry up while DERO is still cheap!
Send your payment to this address:
dERiqiUutvp35oSUfRSTCXL53TRakECSGQVQ2hhUjuCEjC6z SNFZsRqavVVSdyEzaViULtCRPxzRwRCKZ2j2ugCg5r9T1Bf8Wh79tRctx8vg7
Download Tor Browser and open your personal page for more information
Don’t have $100 to invest?
We have some free, easy task for you to do (online social network activity). Once your works meet our requirements you will get your files back for free. Please visit our website for more information.
FAQ:
Do you accept bitcoin, monero or others crypto currencies?
No. We want DERO only. Because we believe DERO is true and the best privacy coin. It's fast and secure. You don't need to wait hours to send your payment, only seconds. Soon DERO dev team will release Private Smart Contract powered by Homomorphic Encryption. To learn more about DERO, visit twitter.com/deroproject
Where I can buy DERO?
You can buy your Dero at: tradeogre.com or kucoin.com at the moment.
Do I have to enter payment id?
No. Your provided address is already included payment id to it (integrated address).
Can I make multiple payment?
Yes. You can send multiple payment. Your balance will be added up. When your balance >= required balance, you will get your decryption key. It RECOMMEND that you send a test payment with small amount first to make sure everything work perfectly.
How do I get decryption tool?
Download Tor Browser and open our website, paste your unique payment address and click check button
DERO IS THE NEXT BITCOIN
The appearance of DeroHE ransom message (GIF):
Screenshot of the pop-up window displayed once DeroHE's malicious file is executed:
Text presented in this pop-up window:
IObit License Manager
Please wait. It may take a little longer than expected. Keep your computer running or screen on!
OK
Screenshot of IObit email used to spread DeroHE malware:
Screenshot of the malicious files spread through the fake IObit emails:
Screenshot of DeroHE ransomware Tor website:
Text presented within:
Hello, your files have been encrypted!
Follow the instruction below to get your files back.
View Key
-
HOW TOWe know that this computer is very valuable for you. So we will give you an appropriate price for you.
You have 3 ways to get your files back.
Tell iobit.com to send us 100000 (1 hundred thousand) DERO coin to this address. dERopYDgpD235oSUfRSTCXL53TRakECSGQVQ2hhUju CEjC6zSNFZsRqavVVSdyEzaViULtCRPxzRwRCKZ2j2ugCg26hRtLziwu
After payment arrive, all encrypted computer (including yours) will be decrypted. THIS IS IOBIT's FAULT to made your computer getting infected.
Pay us at least 200 DERO (worth $100 at the moment)… BUT
When DERO reach $100/coin (soon), we will send $500 back to you. That’s 5x for your investment. We will not sell DERO until then. You can verify it by using WALLET VIEW KEY provided on our website. No one can fake this, even us, thanks to the decentralized nature of DERO Blockchain.
Hurry up while DERO is still cheap!
NOTE: If you don't paid for 3 days, your decrypton price will be double. Paste your ID to the form above to check your required amount
Don’t have $100 to invest?
We have some free, easy task for you to do (online social network activity). Once your works meet our requirements you will get your files back for free. Please visit our website for more information.
FAQ:
Do you accept bitcoin, monero or others crypto currencies?
No. We want DERO only. Because we believe DERO is true and the best privacy coin. It's fast and secure. You don't need to wait hours to send your payment, only seconds. Soon DERO dev team will release Private Smart Contract powered by Homomorphic Encryption. To learn more about DERO, visit twitter.com/deroproject
Where I can buy DERO?
You can buy your Dero at: tradeogre.com or kucoin.com at the moment.
Do I have to enter payment id?
No. Your provided address is already included payment id to it (integrated address).
Can I make multiple payment (transaction)?
Yes. You can send multiple payment. Your balance will be added up. When your balance >= required balance, you will get your decryption key. It RECOMMEND that you send a test payment with small amount first to make sure everything work perfectly. Note that minimum amount is 5 DERO. Any smaller amount will not be added up to your balance.
How to get support?
Join this discord channel and ask for help. We will contact you.
Screenshot of files encrypted by DeroHE (".DeroHE" extension):
DeroHE ransomware removal:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Video suggesting what steps should be taken in case of a ransomware infection:
Quick menu:
- What is DeroHE virus?
- STEP 1. Reporting ransomware to authorities.
- STEP 2. Isolating the infected device.
- STEP 3. Identifying the ransomware infection.
- STEP 4. Searching for ransomware decryption tools.
- STEP 5. Restoring files with data recovery tools.
- STEP 6. Creating data backups.
If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we recommend reporting this incident to authorities. By providing information to law enforcement agencies you will help track cybercrime and potentially assist in the prosecution of the attackers. Here's a list of authorities where you should report a ransomware attack. For the complete list of local cybersecurity centers and information on why you should report ransomware attacks, read this article.
List of local authorities where ransomware attacks should be reported (choose one depending on your residence address):
USA - Internet Crime Complaint Centre IC3
United Kingdom - Action Fraud
Spain - Policía Nacional
France - Ministère de l'Intérieur
Germany - Polizei
Italy - Polizia di Stato
The Netherlands - Politie
Poland - Policja
Portugal - Polícia Judiciária
Isolating the infected device:
Some ransomware-type infections are designed to encrypt files within external storage devices, infect them, and even spread throughout the entire local network. For this reason, it is very important to isolate the infected device (computer) as soon as possible.
Step 1: Disconnect from the internet.
The easiest way to disconnect a computer from the internet is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the motherboard, however, some devices are connected via a wireless network and for some users (especially those who are not particularly tech-savvy), disconnecting cables may seem troublesome. Therefore, you can also disconnect the system manually via Control Panel:
Navigate to the "Control Panel", click the search bar in the upper-right corner of the screen, enter "Network and Sharing Center" and select search result: 
Click the "Change adapter settings" option in the upper-left corner of the window: 
Right-click on each connection point and select "Disable". Once disabled, the system will no longer be connected to the internet. To re-enable the connection points, simply right-click again and select "Enable". 
Step 2: Unplug all storage devices.
As mentioned above, ransomware might encrypt data and infiltrate all storage devices that are connected to the computer. For this reason, all external storage devices (flash drives, portable hard drives, etc.) should be disconnected immediately, however, we strongly advise you to eject each device before disconnecting to prevent data corruption:
Navigate to "My Computer", right-click on each connected device, and select "Eject": 
Step 3: Log-out of cloud storage accounts.
Some ransomware-type might be able to hijack software that handles data stored within "the Cloud". Therefore, the data could be corrupted/encrypted. For this reason, you should log-out of all cloud storage accounts within browsers and other related software. You should also consider temporarily uninstalling the cloud-management software until the infection is completely removed.
Identify the ransomware infection:
To properly handle an infection, one must first identify it. Some ransomware infections use ransom-demand messages as an introduction (see the WALDO ransomware text file below).
This, however, is rare. In most cases, ransomware infections deliver more direct messages simply stating that data is encrypted and that victims must pay some sort of ransom. Note that ransomware-type infections typically generate messages with different file names (for example, "_readme.txt", "READ-ME.txt", "DECRYPTION_INSTRUCTIONS.txt", "DECRYPT_FILES.html", etc.). Therefore, using the name of a ransom message may seem like a good way to identify the infection. The problem is that most of these names are generic and some infections use the same names, even though the delivered messages are different and the infections themselves are unrelated. Therefore, using the message filename alone can be ineffective and even lead to permanent data loss (for example, by attempting to decrypt data using tools designed for different ransomware infections, users are likely to end up permanently damaging files and decryption will no longer be possible even with the correct tool).
Another way to identify a ransomware infection is to check the file extension, which is appended to each encrypted file. Ransomware infections are often named by the extensions they append (see files encrypted by Qewe ransomware below).
This method is only effective, however, when the appended extension is unique - many ransomware infections append a generic extension (for example, ".encrypted", ".enc", ".crypted", ".locked", etc.). In these cases, identifying ransomware by its appended extension becomes impossible.
One of the easiest and quickest ways to identify a ransomware infection is to use the ID Ransomware website. This service supports most existing ransomware infections. Victims simply upload a ransom message and/or one encrypted file (we advise you to upload both if possible).
The ransomware will be identified within seconds and you will be provided with various details, such as the name of the malware family to which the infection belongs, whether it is decryptable, and so on.
Example 1 (Qewe [Stop/Djvu] ransomware):
Example 2 (.iso [Phobos] ransomware):
If your data happens to be encrypted by ransomware that is not supported by ID Ransomware, you can always try searching the internet by using certain keywords (for example, a ransom message title, file extension, provided contact emails, crypto wallet addresses, etc.).
Search for ransomware decryption tools:
Encryption algorithms used by most ransomware-type infections are extremely sophisticated and, if the encryption is performed properly, only the developer is capable of restoring data. This is because decryption requires a specific key, which is generated during the encryption. Restoring data without the key is impossible. In most cases, cybercriminals store keys on a remote server, rather than using the infected machine as a host. Dharma (CrySis), Phobos, and other families of high-end ransomware infections are virtually flawless, and thus restoring data encrypted without the developers' involvement is simply impossible. Despite this, there are dozens of ransomware-type infections that are poorly developed and contain a number of flaws (for example, the use of identical encryption/decryption keys for each victim, keys stored locally, etc.). Therefore, always check for available decryption tools for any ransomware that infiltrates your computer.
Finding the correct decryption tool on the internet can be very frustrating. For this reason, we recommend that you use the No More Ransom Project and this is where identifying the ransomware infection is useful. The No More Ransom Project website contains a "Decryption Tools" section with a search bar. Enter the name of the identified ransomware, and all available decryptors (if there are any) will be listed.
Restore files with data recovery tools:
Depending on the situation (quality of ransomware infection, type of encryption algorithm used, etc.), restoring data with certain third-party tools might be possible. Therefore, we advise you to use the Recuva tool developed by CCleaner. This tool supports over a thousand data types (graphics, video, audio, documents, etc.) and it is very intuitive (little knowledge is necessary to recover data). In addition, the recovery feature is completely free.
Step 1: Perform a scan.
Run the Recuva application and follow the wizard. You will be prompted with several windows allowing you to choose what file types to look for, which locations should be scanned, etc. All you need to do is select the options you're looking for and start the scan. We advise you to enable the "Deep Scan" before starting, otherwise, the application's scanning capabilities will be restricted.
Wait for Recuva to complete the scan. The scanning duration depends on the volume of files (both in quantity and size) that you are scanning (for example, several hundred gigabytes could take over an hour to scan). Therefore, be patient during the scanning process. We also advise against modifying or deleting existing files, since this might interfere with the scan. If you add additional data (for example, downloading files/content) while scanning, this will prolong the process:
Step 2: Recover data.
Once the process is complete, select the folders/files you wish to restore and simply click "Recover". Note that some free space on your storage drive is necessary to restore data:
Create data backups:
Proper file management and creating backups is essential for data security. Therefore, always be very careful and think ahead.
Partition management: We recommend that you store your data in multiple partitions and avoid storing important files within the partition that contains the entire operating system. If you fall into a situation whereby you cannot boot the system and are forced to format the disk on which the operating system is installed (in most cases, this is where malware infections hide), you will lose all data stored within that drive. This is the advantage of having multiple partitions: if you have the entire storage device assigned to a single partition, you will be forced to delete everything, however, creating multiple partitions and allocating the data properly allows you to prevent such problems. You can easily format a single partition without affecting the others - therefore, one will be cleaned and the others will remain untouched, and your data will be saved. Managing partitions is quite simple and you can find all the necessary information on Microsoft's documentation web page.
Data backups: One of the most reliable backup methods is to use an external storage device and keep it unplugged. Copy your data to an external hard drive, flash (thumb) drive, SSD, HDD, or any other storage device, unplug it and store it in a dry place away from the sun and extreme temperatures. This method is, however, quite inefficient, since data backups and updates need to be made regularly. You can also use a cloud service or remote server. Here, an internet connection is required and there is always the chance of a security breach, although it's a really rare occasion.
We recommend using Microsoft OneDrive for backing up your files. OneDrive lets you store your personal files and data in the cloud, sync files across computers and mobile devices, allowing you to access and edit your files from all of your Windows devices. OneDrive lets you save, share and preview files, access download history, move, delete, and rename files, as well as create new folders, and much more.
You can back up your most important folders and files on your PC (your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders). Some of OneDrive’s more notable features include file versioning, which keeps older versions of files for up to 30 days. OneDrive features a recycling bin in which all of your deleted files are stored for a limited time. Deleted files are not counted as part of the user’s allocation.
The service is built using HTML5 technologies and allows you to upload files up to 300 MB via drag and drop into the web browser or up to 10 GB via the OneDrive desktop application. With OneDrive, you can download entire folders as a single ZIP file with up to 10,000 files, although it can’t exceed 15 GB per single download.
OneDrive comes with 5 GB of free storage out of the box, with an additional 100 GB, 1 TB, and 6 TB storage options available for a subscription-based fee. You can get one of these storage plans by either purchasing additional storage separately or with Office 365 subscription.
Creating a data backup:
The backup process is the same for all file types and folders. Here’s how you can back up your files using Microsoft OneDrive
Step 1: Choose the files/folders you want to backup.
Click the OneDrive cloud icon to open the OneDrive menu. While in this menu, you can customize your file backup settings.
Click Help & Settings and then select Settings from the drop-down menu.
Go to the Backup tab and click Manage backup.
In this menu, you can choose to backup the Desktop and all of the files on it, and Documents and Pictures folders, again, with all of the files in them. Click Start backup.
Now, when you add a file or folder in the Desktop and Documents and Pictures folders, they will be automatically backed up on OneDrive.
To add folders and files, not in the locations shown above, you have to add them manually.
Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of the folder/file you want to backup. Select the item, right-click it, and click Copy.
Then, navigate to OneDrive, right-click anywhere in the window and click Paste. Alternatively, you can just drag and drop a file into OneDrive. OneDrive will automatically create a backup of the folder/file.
All of the files added to the OneDrive folder are backed up in the cloud automatically. The green circle with the checkmark in it indicates that the file is available both locally and on OneDrive and that the file version is the same on both. The blue cloud icon indicates that the file has not been synced and is available only on OneDrive. The sync icon indicates that the file is currently syncing.
To access files only located on OneDrive online, go to the Help & Settings drop-down menu and select View online.
Step 2: Restore corrupted files.
OneDrive makes sure that the files stay in sync, so the version of the file on the computer is the same version on the cloud. However, if ransomware has encrypted your files, you can take advantage of OneDrive’s Version history feature that will allow you to restore the file versions prior to encryption.
Microsoft 365 has a ransomware detection feature that notifies you when your OneDrive files have been attacked and guide you through the process of restoring your files. It must be noted, however, that if you don’t have a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, you only get one detection and file recovery for free.
If your OneDrive files get deleted, corrupted, or infected by malware, you can restore your entire OneDrive to a previous state. Here’s how you can restore your entire OneDrive:
1. If you're signed in with a personal account, click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Options and select Restore your OneDrive.
If you're signed in with a work or school account, click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Restore your OneDrive.
2. On the Restore your OneDrive page, select a date from the drop-down list. Note that if you're restoring your files after automatic ransomware detection, a restore date will be selected for you.
3. After configuring all of the file restoration options, click Restore to undo all the activities you selected.
The best way to avoid damage from ransomware infections is to maintain regular up-to-date backups.
Outstanding!
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