BITCOINPAYMENT File Ransomware Virus Removal Guide

BITCOINPAYMENT File virus is a notorious data-locker malware. It is a recent variant of the Phobos Ransomware family. This virus encrypts data on infected PC and renames them in a specific order. It adds the victims’ unique ID along with criminals’ email addresses followed by the “.BITCOINPAYMENT” extension.

For example, a file named “mypic.png” gets renamed as “mypic.png.id[9ECFA84E-1095].[cleverhorse@protonmail.com].BITCOINPAYMENT” after the ransomware attack. Users can also find ransom notes (“info.txt”) a text file and (“info.hta”) pop-up window on the desktop and in all compromised folders.

What is BITCOINPAYMENT

BITCOINPAYMENT Ransomware is a dangerous malware infection that can completely mess with your Windows PC. It is a data locker virus that makes your files inaccessible y using encryption. Once your system will get infected by this threat, you won’t be able to access any of your system files or data. When this nasty threat infiltrates any computer, it scans the PC for files and encrypts all the available data. It renames all the encrypted files and adds its own extension to the end of all the encrypted files.

This nasty virus also leaves ransom notes on the victimized computer to demand ransom money from users for the decryption key. The ransom note usually contains contact information, ransom demand, and instruction to pay the extortion money. You can find this note in all the folders and on the home screen of your computer.

BITCOINPAYMENT virus demands a huge amount of ransom money via Bitcoin to unlock your files. It gives some fixed time to the users to pay the ransom money otherwise it will delete all files completely. It also mentions that if you fail to pay the ransom within the given time then you will not be able to get the decryption key in any way. This dubious threat will keep scaring users to force them to pay the money immediately.

More About BITCOINPAYMENT Ransomware

BITCOINPAYMENT is a newly detected Ransomware virus. It uses the AES and RSA cryptography algorithms to encrypt files on the infected PC. Then it asks users for ransom to give them decryption software. This harmful virus will render all your files useless ask victims to contact the attackers via details given in the ransom note. It offers decryption of a few low-value files as proof that decryption is possible.

It is simply a trick used by cybercriminals to lure innocent users into contacting them. Once you will establish contact they will name the price of the decryption software. You can gather all the details about this threat via the ransom notes left on the computer. Furthermore, the note also mentions some actions to avoid permanent damage to your files.

Although it is highly unlikely to break the encryption without decryption software but contacting hackers could be riskier. Even to test the free decryption of some of your files, you will need to contact cyber criminals. This could be dangerous because they can send more threats and viruses which can infect your other devices too.

You need to Remove BITCOINPAYMENT ransomware virus from your computer to prevent this virus from encrypting any more of your data. But keep in mind that, removing this threat will not restore your files. They will still be encrypted and hence useless unless you have any backup files. It is crucial to keep backups of your important files at different locations like external hard drives, USB drives, or cloud drives to avoid data loss.

How does our PC get infected?

There are several ways through which malware can sneak into your system unnoticed. Cybercriminals use different tricks to spread their creation online. One of the most common tricks is to embed malicious codes to freeware applications that users normally download from the Internet. When you download and install such bundled programs on your PC, malicious threats get installed silently.

Spam emails containing malicious attachments and links are also used frequently to deliver threats and viruses directly to the victims’ computers. Phishing sites carrying out social engineering attacks through unwanted pop-ups, push notifications, and forced browser redirects can also be responsible for malware downloads.

Browsing porn or torrent sites and downloading cracked software, games, and illegal patches can also bring harmful threats to your PC. You need to understand that most pirated stuff often contains harmful Trojans that can act as malware downloaders. Avoid the use of public WiFi and do not share files on Peer-to-peer networks.

Threat Analysis

Name	BITCOINPAYMENT
Type	Ransomware, File-Encrypting virus
Extension	.BITCOINPAYMENT
Threat Level	High (Encrypt all your data and Restrict access to your files).
Symptoms	Victims cannot access any files on their PC and find Ransom notes asking for money.
Damage	BITCOINPAYMENT will  encrypt your data by adding its extension to file names and demand ransom money for the decryption key
Distribution	It is mainly distributed through spam emails, bundled freeware, porn, or torrent sites.
Removal	Download SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware
File Recovery	Download Data Recovery Software

Do Not Pay Ransom Money

All your files are in unusable format due to this nasty BITCOINPAYMENT File virus, but you should not contact attackers for decryption software. As the ransom note mentions all the details about how to contact attackers and other tips, one thing that it doesn’t mention is it’s all a scam. Most of the time users get cheated and don’t receive decryption tools even after meeting the ransom demand. Ransomware attackers always demand money through cryptocurrency like Bitcoin which can not be tracked.

Ransom note “info.txt” contains the following message:

All your files have been encrypted!

All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail cleverhorse@protonmail.com
Write this ID in the title of your message -
If there is no response from our mail, you can install the Jabber client and write to us in support of cleverhorse@xmpp.jp
You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the tool that will decrypt all your files.

Free decryption as guarantee
Before paying you can send us up to 1-3 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 10Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

How to obtain Bitcoins
The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click 'Buy bitcoins', and select the seller by payment method and price.
hxxps://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins
Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here:
hxxp://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/

Jabber client installation instructions:
Download the jabber (Pidgin) client from hxxps://pidgin.im/download/windows/
After installation, the Pidgin client will prompt you to create a new account.
Click "Add"
In the "Protocol" field, select XMPP
In "Username" - come up with any name
In the field "domain" - enter any jabber-server, there are a lot of them, for example - exploit.im
Create a password
At the bottom, put a tick "Create account"
Click add
If you selected "domain" - exploit.im, then a new window should appear in which you will need to re-enter your data:
User
password
You will need to follow the link to the captcha (there you will see the characters that you need to enter in the field below)
If you don't understand our Pidgin client installation instructions, you can find many installation tutorials on youtube - hxxps://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pidgin+jabber+install

Attention!
Do not rename encrypted files.
Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to decrypt the files encrypted by this virus without a decryptor, but there are other ways. You can recover your data by using backup files. If you don’t have a backup then you can use data recovery software. However, the first thing you need to do is to remove this virus completely from your PC. You are advised to follow the below step-by-step guide to remove this virus and recover your files.

How To Remove BITCOINPAYMENT Virus

BITCOINPAYMENT is a dangerous malware that can cause major damage to your computer. This nasty threat will bring several new problems to your PC. This is why it is quite imperative to delete this threat permanently before it completely damages your entire computer system. Once it manages to infiltrate your system, it will make your system vulnerable. This nasty malware is capable of bringing other harmful viruses to your system without your consent. It can completely obliterate your system performance in no time. This virus also has a tendency to hide its malicious copies at various locations on your PC under different names. It is not an easy job to find and remove those virus related files manually.

In this guide, you will find instructions for two very different techniques to get rid of BITCOINPAYMENT infection. The first one is the Automatic Removal which is quite fast, effective and accurate. The second method is Manual Removal which usually takes lots of time, needs technical expertise, and often fails to give desired results. However, it is advised to take the help of both techniques to ensure the complete removal of the malware from your system. In case you are not handy with system operations and technical stuff, just opt for the automatic malware removal process to eliminate BITCOINPAYMENT infection.

Automatic BITCOINPAYMENT Ransomware Removal

As you already know, BITCOINPAYMENT Virus is a notorious and cunning malware that is not hard to remove easily by any user through manual means. This virus can keep coming back on the infected computer through files and shortcuts or settings that it has already created on your machine. Removing all those at once is the only way to get rid of this infection and stop it from getting into your system ever again.

So the best way to remove BITCOINPAYMENT effectively is to use a powerful Automatic Removal Tool and save your time and efforts. This software is a well-trusted and very powerful anti-malware program that can detect all hidden threats like Trojan, Ransomware, Worms, Spyware, Rootkits, and many others. It also provides 24X7 customer support and one-on-one Spyware HelpDesk support for Custom Malware removal. Advanced System Guard feature detects and removes threats in real-time. It has a very User-Friendly Interface and regular Malware updates make it most effective against the latest malware attacks.

How SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware Works

• First, you need to click on the below download button to get the software.

Geek’s Recommendation

• Then double-click on the installer you downloaded to install the program.

• Launch the Anti-Malware application and click on Start Scan Now button.

• The software will scan your PC for all hidden threats and viruses on your system.

• Click on the Next button to see results and delete all the threats and viruses.

How To Decrypt .BITCOINPAYMENT Files

As all your files are encrypted, you need to recover your data without paying ransom money to hackers. If your files are important then you must have created a backup and you can use that backup to recover your files. If you don’t have a backup or this virus has encrypted your backup files, then you are left to seek professional help.

As there is no BITCOINPAYMENT ransomware decryptor available, we recommend you use powerful data recovery software to decrypt BITCOINPAYMENT virus files. It is a risk-free and smart way. You can just download the free version and scan your PC for files. There is a high probability that it can recover most of your files in a fraction of the amount that hackers are demanding. It is also needless to say that paying hackers will only motivate hackers to carry out more attacks.

• First, you need to download Data Recovery software on your PC.

Download Data Recovery Software Now

• Install the program, launch it then select the Data type to recover, and click the Next button.

• Select the location from where you want to recover data and click the Scan button.

• After the scan, the software will list all files, select them and click the Recover button.

Manual BITCOINPAYMENT Virus Removal Guide

 

Start PC in safe mode with networking

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
• Type msconfig in the Run Box then click the OK button.
• Click on the Boot tab then the System configuration window will appear.
• Choose Safe Boot, check the network box, Click Apply, and press the OK button.

Kill Malicious Process From Task Manager

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
• Type taskmgr in Run Box and then click the OK button.
• Find the virus related or unknown malicious process.
• Now right-click on it then click End process.

Remove BITCOINPAYMENT Ransomware Virus from PC

• First of all Press Windows Key + R buttons together.
• Type appwiz.cpl in the Run box and then click the OK button.
• Now Programs and Features windows will appear on the screen.
• Find and remove all virus related or malicious programs.

Remove Virus related IP addresses from Hosts’ Files

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
• Type C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc in Run Box and then click the OK button.
• Now open the host file with Notepad.
• Look for any suspicious IP addresses that might be related to the Virus.
• Delete all the malicious IP addresses and save the host files.

Remove Virus related Windows Registry entries

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
• Type regedit in Run Box and then click the OK button.
• Registry Editor will open, then press CTRL +F buttons together.
• Now type BITCOINPAYMENT and then click on Find Next button.
• Find all the related entries and delete them one by one

Delete Virus related files from your PC

When a threat gets on to a PC, it most likely creates some files at different locations on the system. These files are used to perform a specific action and also help malware in getting back to the computer once it’s removed. So you just need to find also delete all those files associated with the virus. Carefully follow the below instruction :

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard
• Type each of the following in Run Box and press the OK button

1. %AppData%
2. %LocalAppData%
3. %ProgramData%
4. %WinDir%
5. %Temp%

For the first four options, look for any recent folder related to the .BITCOINPAYMENT File Virus and remove them. For the Temp folder, you can delete all the files.

Remove BITCOINPAYMENT Virus via system restore

• Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
• Type cmd in Run Box and then click the OK button.
• Type cd restore and press Enter, then type rstrui.exe and press Enter.
• When the System Restore window opens on your computer screen click the Next button, then choose a System Restore point you have created in the past and click the Next button.
• Finally, click on the Yes button to start the system restoration process.

Note: This will only work if you have a restore point set on your PC or it will give an error message. Restoring the computer to a previous version may or may not remove .BITCOINPAYMENT File Virus. Most of the time, viruses just delete all the restore points. If this trick does not work for you then don’t get disappointed.

After restoring your computer, we recommend you run a thorough scan of the PC using a Powerful Anti-Malware program to detect and remove any hidden threats. In most cases, viruses may spread through any files outside of the C drive because system restoring only affect the C drive. There may be some Virus related files hiding on your PC, and it never hurts to double-check.

Sometimes, system restore doesn’t work or viruses can just remove the restore points. As such you will probably have no other choice than to choose the Automatic Removal Process. It is the best and error-free method to find and remove threats from your computer. Additionally, you should also check some important malware prevention tips provided here in this guide to avoid similar virus attacks in the future.

Remove BITCOINPAYMENT Virus Ransomware From Mac

If you are a mac user, and your machine got infected by this nasty file-encrypting malware then you need to remove it as soon as possible. Although Mac systems are quite safe they still do get infected. So you can delete this infection using the below steps:

Stop Malicious Program From Activity Monitor

• First, you need to open Utilities folder on your Mac system.
• Find the Activity Monitor icon and double-click on it to open it.
• Find BITCOINPAYMENT related process, click the cross button from the upper left side corner to end the task.
• A pop-up dialogue box will appear on the screen, click on the Force Quit button.

Remove Virus From Application Folder

• First, go to the Dock option (bottom of your screen) then click on Finder App.
• Now you have to open the Applications Folders to see all the programs.
• Find all the malicious or unwanted programs then move it to Trash.

Remove BITCOINPAYMENT Virus Related Files From Mac

When any program is installed on your Mac, it creates several files on your system that support the functioning of that application. If you need to remove any virus from your Mac, then you need to delete all related files completely. These files could be found at :

1. LaunchAgents
2. Application Support
3. LaunchDaemons

Follow the below steps to remove virus related files from these locations:

• First of all press the Command+Shift+G buttons together on your keyboard.
• Now you can see Go To Folder option on your Mac screen.
• Type in /Library/LaunchAgents in the text field and click on Go button.
• Find and remove any Virus related or malicious file.

Now follow the same process for Application Support and LaunchDaemons folders. But be careful, don’t delete any important files or you can break down your entire system.

How SpyHunter Mac Anti-Malware Works

• First, download the SpyHunter for Mac by clicking on the below button.

• Now go to the Download Folder from the Docs and Install the SpyHunter Anti-Malware For Mac.

• Launch the Program, and click on Start Scan Now button.

• The software will start running a full scan of your mac instantly to look for any malware, virus, threats, malicious programs or security risks, and so on.

• Finally, you will see a list of malware detected on your mac, now click on the Next button to start the removal process.

Tips To Prevent BITCOINPAYMENT Virus in Future

• Use a good anti-virus, be it a free version but don’t use cracked security programs.
• Make sure that your Windows firewall is active, so it can block upcoming threats.
• Keep your Windows/Mac OS and other programs updated to avoid vulnerabilities.
• Download updates only from official websites, don’t use suspicious sites.
• Never download and install pirated software, games, or illegal patches on your PC.
• Do not open spam emails from an unknown sender and scan all attachments before opening.
• Never download freeware third-party programs from unreliable sources or websites.
• Avoid connecting your PC to unsafe public Wi-Fi to protect your privacy.
• You can also use a VPN to spoof your connection and avoid malicious sites.
• Create a system restore point on your system for security purposes.
• Keep a backup of all your important files to avoid data loss.