How to remove Hhjk ransomware

Hhjk ransomware comes from the notorious Djvu/STOP ransomware family. This malware will encrypt your personal files if it manages to enter your computer. This makes ransomware one of the most dangerous malware infections. The cybercriminals operating this ransomware release new file-encrypting malware on a regular basis, often at least twice a week. The versions are more or less similar, and all of them are versions of the Djvu/STOP ransomware. This ransomware adds .hhjk to encrypted files, which is why it’s known as Hhjk ransomware. If your files have this extension, you will not be able to open them, unless they are first decrypted using a special decryptor. However, getting the decryptor will be quite difficult because the only people who have it are the cybercriminals operating this ransomware.

 

 

 

As soon as the ransomware is initiated, it will start encrypting all personal files. Files like photos, images, videos, documents, etc., will all be encrypted and have .hhjk added to them. For example, an encrypted image.jpg file would become image.jpg.hhjk. The ransomware will also drop a _readme.txt ransom note in folders that have encrypted files. The note contains information about how victims can get decryptors to recover files. The regular price for the decryptor is $980 but there supposedly is a 50% discount for users who make contact with the cybercriminals within the first 72 hours. Whether to pay the ransom or not is your decision, but we feel it’s necessary to inform you of the risks that come with engaging with cybercriminals. Most importantly, you are not guaranteed a decryptor just because you pay. There is nothing to force them to help you, and they don’t always feel obligated to keep their end of the deal. Furthermore, the money would go towards future criminal activities.

If you were backing up your files regularly prior to the ransomware infection, you can start recovering your files as soon as you remove Hhjk ransomware from your computer. Make sure to use anti-malware software to delete Hhjk ransomware from your computer because it’s a very complex infection. Once it’s completely gone from your computer, you can safely access your backup to start recovering files.

While it’s not currently available, a free Hhjk ransomware decryptor may be released in the future by malware researchers. However, in this particular case, developing a free decryptor is quite difficult because this ransomware uses online keys to encrypt files. This means that each victim has a unique key, and without those keys, it’s very difficult to develop a decryptor that would work for all victims. However, ransomware operators releasing the keys is not unheard of. So if you do not have other options, back up your encrypted files and wait for a free Hhjk ransomware decryptor to become available.

How did the ransomware infect your computer?

Most malware that affects regular users is distributed via email attachments, torrents, ads, questionable download sites, etc. Users who have bad browsing habits are much more likely to infect their computers with malware because they engage in risky behavior. Taking the time to become familiar with malware distribution methods and developing better habits can help avoid quite a lot of malware in the future.

It’s no secret that users who pirate copyrighted content are much more likely to encounter malware. Torrents, in particular, are often used to distribute malware. Torrent sites are often quite badly moderated and if malware is uploaded, it may stay up for a while. It’s almost certain that a torrent for a popular movie, TV show, software, or video game will contain some kind of malware. Pirating copyright content using torrents, or just pirating in general, is quite dangerous for your computer. It’s also essentially stealing content.

Malicious actors also often distribute malware using email attachments. They buy thousands of leaked email addresses from various hacker forums and spam those addresses with emails that contain malicious attachments. Malware distributors often claim that the emails contain important documents and are sent by legitimate companies whose services users use. By using known company names, malicious actors can trick users into lowering their guard. And if they mention topics related to money, users are much more likely to open the attachments. But what makes malicious emails quite obvious most of the time is the grammar/spelling mistakes. When senders claim they’re from legitimate companies contacting with important matters but the emails are full of grammar/spelling mistakes, it’s quite obvious that there’s something wrong. These emails also use generic words (User, Member, Customer, etc.) to address users, which is also something that looks suspicious. Emails whose attachments you need to open will address you by your name.

It’s also worth mentioning that some malicious emails can be much more sophisticated if the cybercriminals have certain personal information. This is why we recommend scanning all unsolicited email attachments with anti-malware software or VirusTotal before opening them.

Hhjk ransomware removal

If you have a backup, do not attempt to connect to it until you use anti-malware software to remove Hhjk ransomware from your computer. We don’t recommend trying to delete Hhjk ransomware manually because you could accidentally cause additional damage to your computer. Ransomware is a very complicated malware infection so it’s not a good idea to try to remove Hhjk ransomware manually. Unless you are completely sure about what to do, you could end up causing additional damage. Ransomware can also be pretty sneaky in the sense that if some part of the ransomware remains on the computer, it could be able to recover. And if you tried to access your backup while ransomware was still present on the computer, the backed-up files would become encrypted as well. When anti-malware does fully get rid of the ransomware, you can safely access your backup to start recovering files.

For users who have not backed up files, a free Hhjk ransomware decryptor may be the only option. You will not find one at the moment but it could be released in the future. However, you should be careful when searching for free decryptors because there are many fake ones. NoMoreRansom is one of the best sources to get free decryptors from.