How to remove Banta ransomware from your system

How to remove Banta ransomware
from your system?
Understanding Banta Ransomware
Banta ransomware – Another high-risk variant of Phobos ransomware family! It
was 21st October, 2017, when this infamous ransomware make its presence felt for
the first time. The file-encrypting virus targets the personal documents stored in the
compromised system. In order to ensure successful encryption, ransomware uses
strong encryption algorithm.
Similar to its parent ransomware, Banta virus uses RSA and AES cryptographies
to encrypt files. The encrypted files are renamed & appended with unique
extension – ‘.banta’ and hence making them inaccessible.
The malicious virus is recognized by the Banta extension, which is appended to
the filenames. After successful encryption, the malicious crypto virus aims to
extort large amount of money from the users. Let us understand the menace caused
by .Banta file virus.
Threat Summary
Name
Type
Category
Targeted OS
Symptoms
Damage
Banta Virus
Ransomware
Malware
Windows
Encrypt your files and keep them hostage until you pay
ransom amount. Once the files are encrypted, it becomes
unreadable.
If the victim fails to make payment within specified time, the
encrypted files can be lost permanently.
Distribution Technique
The seed of the malicious Banta ransomware is carefully planted on the websites
to form a honey trap for the lurking users. The moment a connection is established
with such sites, the dangerous macros silently come into existence. Hence, one way
to propagate this virus is via questionable websites.
However, the most common method is spam email attachments. They contain
malicious codes in the form of word file, document files, zip files, text files and so
on. Once, you download or open such files, the malicious .Banta file virus initiate
its mal activities in your system.
Apart from it, Trojans are another method used to increase the dangerous payload
on the targeted system. Trojans are basically designed to create ‘Chain-infections’.
Once, in your system, it will further install other dangerous applications.
Once it makes itself comfortable, the nasty Banta ransomware shows its quality
of true master disguise! Its own set of rules gradually ensures it presence on
connecting networks as well. The ransomware is finely tuned to invade the cyber
security protocol and reach out to the selective destination in your system.
After allocating the files, it locks the files by embedding Banta extension with the
filenames. The virus can become the major reason behind your data or identity
theft!
Threat Behavior
To set fear in the mind of computer users, Banta ransomware show its unethical
behaviour by encrypting stored files in your system. To ensure successful
encryption, strong cryptographic algorithm is used! However, encryption is just the
beginning of the destruction! In addition to corrupting the files, the malicious virus
drops two files – ‘info.hta’ and ‘info.txt’.
The text file basically informs about the data encryption. Furthermore, the info.hta
file displays other important information such as the amount of demanded ransom.
If you want to recover .banta files, you have to purchase the Banta decryption
tool. It is stored at the hacker’s server and hence, getting the key is not an easy
task. The cost of decryption key is $500 - $1500 and payment is expected in
bitcoins.
Additionally, the developer of this malicious virus allows you to send 5 encrypted
files, which they decrypt for free. It is just a sample to make the victims believe
about the capability of Banta Ransomware data recovery. Nevertheless, even if
you are capable to pay the asked ransom, you should not opt to pay them.
Many of the users fall in the trap set by this expert marksman and end up paying to
the demands. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee to the cure offered and the
information may never be restored in many cases.
Removal guidelines for Banta Ransomware
STEP A: Reboot your system to Safe Mode
STEP B: Delete the malicious file in system Configuration setting
STEP C: Remove the suspicious file using Command Prompt
STEP D: Restore system Files & Folders
Tips to prevent your system from Banta Ransomware