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Remove PYKW Ransomware Virus (.pykw File Virus Decryption Guide)

June 24, 2020 By Norbert Webb 2 Comments

PYKW virus encrypts files, then demands money: the latest STOP/DJVU variant

Contents

  • PYKW virus encrypts files, then demands money: the latest STOP/DJVU variant
    • Sum up of the attack
  • The ransomware awaits in software cracks
  • Remove PYKW ransomware virus safely
  • Decrypt PYKW files
    • Fix and open large PYKW files easily:
    • STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide
    • Report Internet crime to legal departments
  • Frequently Asked Questions

PYKW ransomware is a malicious file-encrypting STOP/DJVU malware version. The virus aims to encrypt the most important victim’s files on the computer and mark them with .pykw extension. As a result, if the file name is document.jpg, this cyber threat appends the extension and the encrypted file becomes document.jpg.pykw on the computer. Cyber criminals create a ransom message in _readme.txt format and ask to contact them via provided email addreses: helpmanager@mail.ch and restoremanager@airmail.cc.

Similarly to previous STOP/DJVU versions, PYKW file-encrypting virus infects the computer by pretending to be a software crack. It is also designed to act in a stealth mode. To put it differently, once the virus enters the system, it imitates a common Windows Update screen to trick people into thinking that their systems are not infected. Unfortunately, in the meantime other malicious process begins scanning entire file system and encrypting targets files, such as photos, documents, videos, music files or archives.

remove pykw ransomware virus and decrypt your files (guide)
PYKW ransomware destroys personal files and makes them inaccessible until the victim pays a ransom.

Once the file encoding is finished, the ransomware drops _readme.txt ransom note to present an offer to buy the PYKW decryption tool. It is a unique software that is capable to recover the encrypted files and get them back to their initial state. Attackers suggest that the software costs $490 for if paid within the first 72 hours of the infection.

The price rises to $980 if the victim fails to have the money at the time of attack. However, even if you do have money to pay the ransom, cybersecurity experts advise against doing so. You might get scammed and never receive the decryption software; moreover, you would support the cybercrime industry in such way.

ransom note created by pykw virus demands paying a hefty ransom to criminals
Contents of the _readme.txt file shown. The criminals demand paying a ransom to them in exchange for file decryption tool.

Another dangerous thing related to PYKW ransomware is that it installs AZORULT Trojan on the system. Even if you agree to pay the ransom, the criminals already have stolen your login credentials on various websites (those you have previously saved in your browser), and can cause more potential damage to your privacy or even finances.

We do not recommend communicating with the cybercriminals in any scenario. We suggest installing a trustworthy malware elimination software to remove PYKW virus along with AZORULT. Our team recommends using RESTORO to perform a full system scan to identify malware and damaged system files.

Sum up of the attack

NamePYKW ransomware
TypeFile-encrypting virus
FamilySTOP/DJVU
Variant237th
Other versionsVAWE, USAM, TABE, ZIPE, PEZI, NLAH, MOBA
Extension.pykw
Ransom note_readme.txt
Amount of money demanded$490 with 50% discount; $980 after 72 hours of the infection
Contact e-mailhelpmanager@mail.ch, restoremanager@airmail.cc
DistributionSoftware cracks and files on P2P sites
SymptomsThis virus aims to hide its presence and encrypts all data on the system; Infected files are no longer accessible for regular use
Decryption optionsCurrently, there is no professional decryption tool available; Read STOP/DJVU decryption article for alternative methods
Removal You can only successfully remove potential virus damage on OS files using RESTORO
Summary

Name: PYKW ransomware

Description: PYKW is the 237th STOP/DJVU file-encrypting ransomware variant. The virus is designed to make personal files inaccessible, and drop _readme.txt note with cybercriminals instructions on how to pay the ransom. The attackers suggest contacting them via two provided emails - helpmanager@mail.ch and restoremanager@airmail.cc.

Offer price: $490-$980

Currency: Bitcoin

Operating System: Windows

Application Category: Ransomware

Author: STOP/DJVU creators

  • DAMAGE
    (5)
  • DISTRIBUTION
    (5)
  • ENCRYPTION STRENGTH
    (5)
Overall
5
Comments Rating 5 (1 review)
  • SCAN AND REMOVE MALWARE
  • READ DECRYPTION GUIDE

PYKW ransomware attack demonstration is shown below.

PYKW ransomware encrypts files (demonstration)

The ransomware awaits in software cracks

Many people like to get paid things for free, and sadly, the same thing applies to computer software. In other words, computer users frequently turn to peer-to-peer file sharing networks and software cracks to activate licensed software. Cybercriminals are quick to take advantage of that. In particular, they inject the executable ransomware files into files that appear to be illegal software activators. Once opened, the file infects the system with ransomware and encrypts all data on it.

It doesn’t take much to avoid ransomware attacks. Firstly, it is important to always keep an eye on what websites you are browsing. That said, you should inspect whether the sites you are visiting are trustworthy, SSL-secured and malware-free. One of the most common indicators is the “Connection is Secure” indicator by a lock icon next to the URL. It indicates that your communication with the website is encrypted and cannot be eavesdropped by a hacker.

As briefly mentioned before, you should never look for software cracks or any illegal software copies online. We strongly recommend downloading software from authorized distributors only. The majority of downloads available on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks have an extremely high risk of being complemented with malware.

Remove PYKW ransomware virus safely

Cybersecurity experts advise to remove PYKW ransomware with other cyber threats automatically, as detecting components of such software manually is a challenging task even for the experts. Please pay attention that not all spyware elimination programs are capable to deal with file-encrypting viruses. In addition, RESTORO, is a perfect choice to clean and maintain your computer at its peak performance.

Please pay attention that PYKW virus removal might be complicated if you attempt to do it in regular PC mode. This ransomware tends to run a malicious code that blocks access to all security tools, including antivirus. Please follow the ransomware elimination instructions at the end of this article and boot your PC in secure mode first. To restore your files, you can either use the latest backup from the Cloud or read about alternative recovery methods in STOP/DJVU decryption article. Finally, do not forget to change all of your passwords due to Azorult Trojan’s activity.

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Our team recommends removing malware using a professional antivirus software and then using the following tool to repair virus damage to Windows system files:

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER

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RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them.

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PYKW ransomware Removal Guidelines

Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking

Step 1. Start Windows in Safe Mode with Networking

Before you try to remove PYKW ransomware virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, if you prefer a video version of the tutorial, check our guide How to Start Windows in Safe Mode on Youtube.

Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users

  1. First of all, turn off your PC. Then press the Power button to start it again and instantly start pressing F8 button on your keyboard repeatedly in 1-second intervals. This launches the Advanced Boot Options menu.
  2. Use arrow keys on the keyboard to navigate down to Safe Mode with Networking option and press Enter.
    Remove ransomware using Safe Mode with Networking

Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users

  1. Open Windows Start menu, then press down the Power button. On your keyboard, press down and hold the Shift key, and then select Restart option.Hold Shift and click Restart to enter Windows Troubleshooting menu
  2. This will take you to Windows Troubleshoot screen. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Tip: If you can't find Startup Settings, click See more recovery options.Tutorial on how to enable Safe Mode in Windows 10,8,8.1
  3. In Startup Settings, press the right key between F1-F9 to enter Safe Mode with Networking. In this case, it is the F5 key.Choose Windows Safe Mode type by pressing the right function key
Step 2. Remove files associated with the virus

Now, you can search for and remove PYKW ransomware files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable security program such as INTEGO Antivirus, which also includes data recovery software. For virus damage repair, consider using RESTORO.

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Compatibility: Microsoft Windows
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RESTORO is a unique PC Repair Tool which comes with an in-built Avira scan engine to detect and remove spyware/malware threats and uses a patented technology to repair virus damage. The software can repair damaged, missing or malfunctioning Windows OS files, corrupted DLLs, and more. The free version offers a scan that detects issues. To fix them, license key for the full software version must be purchased.

Method 2. Use System Restore

In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically.

Step 1. Boot Windows in Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users

  1. Shut down your PC. Start it again by pressing the Power button and instantly start pressing F8 button on your keyboard repeatedly in 1-second intervals. You will see Advanced Boot Options menu.
  2. Using arrow keys on the keyboard, navigate down to Safe Mode with Command Prompt option and press Enter.
    Starting Windows in Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users

  1. Launch Windows Start menu, then click the Power button. On your keyboard, press down and hold the Shift key, and then choose Restart option with the mouse cursor.Hold Shift and click Restart to enter Windows Troubleshooting menu
  2. This will take you to Windows Troubleshoot screen. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Tip: If you can't find Startup Settings, click See more recovery options.Tutorial on how to enable Safe Mode in Windows 10,8,7
  3. In Startup Settings, press the right key between F1-F9 to enter Safe Mode with Command Prompt. In this case, press F6 key.Choose Windows Safe Mode type by pressing the right function key
Step 2. Start System Restore process
  1. Wait until system loads and command prompt shows up.
  2. Type cd restore and press Enter, then type rstrui.exe and press Enter. Or you can just type %systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe in command prompt and hit Enter.
    Start system restore from command prompt using these commands
  3. This launches System Restore window. Click Next and then choose a System Restore point created in the past. Choose one that was created before ransomware infection.Choose system restore point created before ransomware infection
  4. Click Yes to begin the system restoration process.

After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won't be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future.

Alternative software recommendations

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

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Decrypt PYKW files

Fix and open large PYKW files easily:

It is reported that STOP/DJVU ransomware versions encrypt only the beginning 150 KB of each file to ensure that the virus manages to affect all files on the system. In some cases, the malicious program might skip some files at all. That said, we recommend testing this method on several big (>1GB) files first.

  1. Create a copy of encrypted file to a separate folder using Copy > Paste commands.
  2. Now, right-click the created copy and choose Rename. Select the PYKW extension and delete it. Press Enter to save changes.
  3. In the prompt asking whether you want to make the changes as file might become unusable, click OK.
  4. Try opening the file.

STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide

STOP/DJVU ransomware versions are grouped into old and new variants. PYKW ransomware is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like BBYY, BBII, BBZZ, BBII, HKGT, EFVC, EIJY (find full list here). This means full data decryption is now possible only if you have been affected by offline encryption key. To decrypt your files, you will have to download Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP DJVU, a tool created and maintained by a genius security researcher Michael Gillespie.

Note! Please do not spam the security researcher with questions whether he can recover your files encrypted with online key - it is not possible.

In order to test the tool and see if it can decrypt PYKW files, follow the given tutorial.

  1. Download the decryption tool from Emsisoft.
  2. Click the little arrow next to your download and choose Show in Folder.
    show emsisoft decryptor for stop djvu in folder
  3. Now, right-click the file and choose Run as Administrator. If asked, enter administrator's password.
    run stop djvu decryptor as administrator
  4. In UAC window, click Yes.
  5. Click Yes to agree to software terms in both windows.
    agree to emsisoft stop djvu decryptor terms
  6. The tool will automatically include C:// disk as a location to decrypt. The file recovery tool will prepopulate the locations to scan, including connected data storage drives or network drives. Click Add folder if you wish to add additional locations.
    In Options tab, you can choose to keep encrypted file copies. We recommend leaving this option selected, especially if you do not know if the decryption tool will work.
    add folders to decrypt
  7. Click Decrypt to start restoring PYKW files. You will see the progress in the Results tab. Here, you can see messages from the tool, such as whether the decryption procedure is successful, or you need to wait for an update.
    You might also be informed that online key was used to encrypt your files. In such case, the decryption tool won't work for you, and the only way to recover your files is to use a data backup.
    decrypt files locked by offline encryption by stop/djvu ransomware variants

Meanings of decryptor's messages

The PYKW decryption tool might display several different messages after failed attempt to restore your files. You might receive one of the following messages:

Error: Unable to decrypt file with ID: [example ID]

This message typically means that there is no corresponding decryption key in the decryptor's database.

No key for New Variant online ID: [example ID]
Notice: this ID appears to be an online ID, decryption is impossible

This message informs that your files were encrypted with online key, meaning no one else has the same encryption/decryption key pair, therefore data recovery without paying the criminals is impossible.

Result: No key for new variant offline ID: [example ID]
This ID appears to be an offline ID. Decryption may be possible in the future.

If you were informed that an offline key was used, but files could not be restored, it means that the offline decryption key isn't available yet. However, receiving this message is extremely good news, meaning that it might be possible to restore your PYKW extension files in the future. It can take a few months until the decryption key gets found and uploaded to the decryptor. We recommend you to follow updates regarding the decryptable DJVU versions here. We strongly recommend backing up your encrypted data and waiting.

Report Internet crime to legal departments

Victims of PYKW ransomware should report the Internet crime incident to the official government fraud and scam website according to their country:

  • In the United States, go to the On Guard Online website.
  • In Australia, go to the SCAMwatch website.
  • In Germany, go to the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik website.
  • In Ireland, go to the An Garda Síochána website.
  • In New Zealand, go to the Consumer Affairs Scams website.
  • In the United Kingdom, go to the Action Fraud website.
  • In Canada, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
  • In India, go to Indian National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
  • In France, go to the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information.

If you can't find an authority corresponding to your location on this list, we recommend using any search engine to look up "[your country name] report cyber crime". This should lead you to the right authority website. We also recommend staying away from third-party crime report services that are often paid. It costs nothing to report Internet crime to official authorities.

Another recommendation is to contact your country's or region’s federal police or communications authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ How can I open .PYKW files?

You can only open PYKW files if you have the decryption key, or if you were affected by offline encryption type.

✓ How do I know if my files were encrypted with offline or online encryption?

To figure out whether you were affected by offline encryption, please go to C:/SystemID/PersonalID.txt and see if the string inside of it ends in t1. You can also try using Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP/DJVU.

✓ My files contain very important information (family memories). Every tool I used says it is impossible to decrypt. What should I do?

Please follow the guidances provided by the official PYKW decryption tools and believe what they say. If they say it is impossible to decrypt, it really is so. There is no magic tool or human capable of decrypting your files hiding somewhere. Encryption is a technique created to be nearly impossible to decrypt without a special private key (held by the criminals).

✓ I am afraid virus is still in my computer system. What should I do?

We advise scanning with anti-virus, anti-malware, malware removal tools or software like RESTORO to eliminate virus damage on the system. If you do not trust using a single tool, try running one after another. However, we do not recommend keeping several security programs on a computer at once as they can interfere with each other's work.

✓ I saw several Youtube videos suggesting secret decryption tools. Can I trust them?

Beware of fake PYKW decryption tools circulating around the web. Cyber criminals are uploading them to various shady websites, also might be promoting them via suspicious Youtube videos. These programs can infect your computer even more heavily (Trojans, miners, etc.). We suggest being extremely cautious around the web. If there will be an official STOP/DJVU decryption tool available, it will be widely discussed in public media.

norbert webb author at geeksadvice.com
Norbert Webb

Norbert Webb is the head of Geek’s Advice team. He is the chief editor of the website who controls the quality of content published. The man also loves reading cybersecurity news, testing new software and sharing his insights on them. Norbert says that following his passion for information technology was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “I don’t feel like working while I’m doing something I love.” However, the geek has other interests, such as snowboarding and traveling.

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Filed Under: Ransomware, Removal guides Tagged With: DJVU

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ANDERSON CAMPOS says

    September 14, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    Quanto voce cobra para recuperar meus arquivos fui infectado por este vírus que renomeou todos meus arquivos, já formatei meu micro computador porem meus arquivos estão todos encriptrografado por esta extensão .pykw.

    Reply
  2. Infected says

    June 24, 2020 at 5:20 am

    Great guide

    (5)

    I was infected with this version just recently. Managed to remove the malware using the recommended software. Thanks for that. I’m glad I had a backup!

    Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

    Reply

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