Quite recently, there have been many reports from users who are experiencing the “ROTE” virus on their computers and it is slowing down usage and preventing them from being able to access certain files. In this article, we will inform you what the Virus is, it’s Severity and we will also inform you of the methods to get rid of it permanently.
What is ROTE Virus?
The ROTE Virus is actually a form of Ransomware as it targets the users’ sensitive data and encrypts it according to a cryptography algorithm. This prevents access to the data and it cannot be opened by any tool except for the one used by the hackers behind the Virus. The hack is deployed to get people to pay to get their files back and often only target sensitive data such as pictures and documents.
The hackers then demand ransom for the date through either a note in the folder or through other means of communication. They threaten to delete the data if you try to contact a specialist or if you don’t pay within a specified time limit. The method of payment is usually in bitcoins or through a special “Gift Card” for a particular service.
The files can only be used again after decrypting them and it is a very lengthy process unless the decryption is done by the person responsible for the hack. The hackers claim to get rid of the virus for you by using a decrypt key that they made while encrypting the files.
Is there a Way to Get “.ROTE” Files Back?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to get the files back yourself without deep coding knowledge. So there are two ways you can go about solving the issue. Either you can pay the hackers to get your files back or you can contact a third-party service to decrypt the files for you. The cheaper option is usually to just pay the hackers but we don’t recommend either of these options unless the files are very important to you.
Because, if you pay the hackers, you will be encouraging this crime and there would be absolutely no way to guarantee that they will actually decrypt the files after receiving the payment. They might also sell your data on the deep web in spite of taking payment from you and this can seriously harm your privacy and bank account data.
If you go for the second option and opt to get a third-party decryption service for yourself like PC Data Recovery. They are much more trustable than the hackers but they will charge you a hefty amount to decrypt all the files because it isn’t an easy process at all. It takes a lot of computing power and coding knowledge to be able to decrypt these files.
Removing the ROTE Virus from Computer:
If you have decided against getting the files back and are now looking for a fresh start with your system, in this step, we will be removing the virus completely from our system. To do so, we will have to do a completely fresh install of Windows, in which we will have to format all our hard drives to really ensure that the virus will not come back. Also, keep in mind, not to backup any app/data that has a “.ROTE” extension in front of it and store this backup on a removable storage device.
Make sure that you install the latest version of Windows and to format and delete all the files on the storage devices connected to the computer. Also, update the security definitions of the Windows Defender before backing up the data from the device. For that:
- Press “Windows” + “I” to open up settings.
- Click on the “Update & Security” option and select the “Check for Updates” button.
Update & Security.in Windows Settings - After the checking process is completed, select the “Download and Install” option.
- Wait for the updates to be downloaded and installed before proceeding.
Now the computer will be clean of the Virus and you can safely start backing up your data. But keep in mind to take preventive measures from such malware in the future. Some of the measures that you can take are listed below.
Preventive Measures Against ROTE Virus
There are some precautions that you can take to avoid inflicting this virus on your computer. First of all, update the computer with the latest security definitions as indicated above and then continue with these.
Tip 1: Cautionary Browsing
These types of viruses get strung along with other downloads and most users aren’t even aware when they are downloading them, they usually come along with pirated content that users might have downloaded or they can also be downloaded automatically from 18+ sites. Therefore, it is recommended that you refrain from opening these sites and also from downloading content from untrusted sources.
Tip 2: Keeping Data-Backed Up
If you have a hard disk or any other data storage device lying around, it is recommended that you backup all of your important files onto it and keep it unplugged from the computer. Keep on backing up your data from time to time because these types of virus attacks can occur at any time and you might end up losing precious data.
