Vect (.vect) ransomware virus - removal and decryption options

What kind of malware is Vect?

Vect is ransomware that we have discovered while inspecting malware samples uploaded to VirusTotal. Once a system is infected, this ransomware encrypts and renames files, changes the desktop wallpaper, and drops a ransom note ("!!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt"). An example of how it renames files: it changes "1.jpg" to "1.jpg.vect", "2.png" to "2.png.vect", "3.exe" to "3.exe", etc.

It is important to note that Vect does not affect all files equally. Some files are deleted, some encrypted, and others encrypted and hidden.

Screenshot of files encrypted by this ransomware:

Vect ransom note overview

Vect's ransom note claims that the victim's files have been encrypted using the ChaCha20 algorithm. It also states that attackers have stolen sensitive data, including databases, backups, and other personal information, and threaten to publish this data if their demands are not met.

According to the message, the only way to recover the encrypted files is to obtain a decryption tool from the cybercriminals behind the ransomware. It instructs the victim to access a site through the Tor Browser, follow the steps on a chat page, and receive a test decryption of a few small files as proof.

After that, payment instructions will be provided, and once payment is made, the attackers claim they will send the decryption tool. The note also warns not to modify encrypted files, use third-party recovery tools, or reinstall the system, as doing so could permanently damage the files. It also provides details such as the number of encrypted files, their total size, a unique ID, and a backup contact through Qtox.

More details about ransomware

Encrypted files are usually not decryptable without the involvement of cybercriminals behind ransomware attacks. Data can be restored for free from backups or with free decryption tools created by security researchers. Paying attackers is risky, as there is no assurance that access will be restored.

It is also essential to eliminate the ransomware from the system to prevent further file damage and stop it from spreading across the network. Instructions for removal can be found below.

Ransomware in general

Ransomware locks files to prevent users from accessing them. It usually displays a note demanding payment in return for data recovery. In most situations, free restoration is only possible if backups are available. For this reason, it is advisable to store backups on storage devices (disconnected) or remote servers.

Additional ransomware examples are Bear, PCLocked, and Uragan.

How did ransomware infect my computer?

Ransomware may be delivered using files such as executables, archives, scripts, or documents (including PDFs and Office files), which can encrypt data when opened or after further interaction. It can enter systems through malicious email attachments or links, fake tech support schemes, and unpatched software vulnerabilities.

It is also spread through compromised or fraudulent websites, infected USB devices, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, third-party download tools, cracked programs, unofficial activation utilities, key generators, and deceptive advertisements.

How to protect yourself from ransomware infections?

Users should approach unexpected emails or messages from unknown senders with caution and refrain from opening attachments or accessing links unless their safety is confirmed. Regular system scans with reputable security tools are recommended to detect and eliminate potential threats.

Furthermore, maintaining up-to-date operating systems and applications is essential. Software and files should be obtained only from official websites or trusted app stores, while suspicious advertisements, pop-ups, and unfamiliar links (particularly on unreliable websites) should be avoided, and notification requests from such pages should always be denied.

If your computer is already infected with Vect, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this ransomware.

Screenshot of Vect's text file ("!!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt"):

Text in the ransom note:

!!! README !!!

Dear Management, all of your files have been encrypted with ChaCha20 which is an unbreakable encryption algorithm.
Sadly, this is not the only bad news for you. We have also exfiltrated your sensitive data, consisting mostly of databases, backups and other personal information
from your company and will be published on our website if you do not cooperate with us.

The only way to recover your files is to get the decryption tool from us.

To obtain the decryption tool, you need to:
1. Open Tor Browser and visit: -
2. Follow the instructions on the chat page
3. Receive a sample decryption of up to 4 small files
4. We will provide payment instructions
5. After payment, you will receive decryption tool

WARNING:
- Do not modify encrypted files
- Do not use third party software to restore files
- Do not reinstall system

If you violate these rules, your files will be permanently damaged.

Files encrypted: -
Total size: 121417406 bytes
Unique ID: -

Backup contact (Qtox): 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B

Screenshot of Vect's desktop wallpaper:

Text in the wallpaper:

VECT 2.0

YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED

All your documents, photos, databases and backups have been locked

To recover your files:
1. Find !!!_READ_ME!!!.txt on your desktop
2. Follow the instructions carefully
3. Do NOT delete or modify encrypted files
ID: -

Vect's Tor website:

Vect 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:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Video suggesting what steps should be taken in case of a ransomware infection:

Quick menu:

• What is Vect 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.

Reporting ransomware to authorities:

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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How was my computer hacked and how did hackers encrypt my files?

Ransomware can arrive through malicious files (such as executables, archives, scripts, or documents) and infect systems via email attachments, harmful links, fake support scams, or unpatched software. It also spreads through compromised websites, infected USB drives, P2P networks, third-party downloaders, cracked software, key generators, and misleading ads.

How to open ".vect" files?

Due to a ransomware infection, your data is inaccessible until it is decrypted.

Where should I look for free decryption tools for Vect ransomware?

In case of a ransomware attack you should check the No More Ransom project website (more information above).

I can pay you a lot of money, can you decrypt files for me?

Such services are not offered by us. Files encrypted by ransomware are usually impossible to restore without involvement from the attackers, unless the malware contains flaws. Third parties that promise paid decryption often act as intermediaries or may simply be scams.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Vect ransomware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan the system and remove active ransomware infections. However, while antivirus tools help eliminate the threat, they cannot decrypt files that have already been encrypted.