What is Donkeyhot virus?

The renaming will be done according to the following scheme: [victimID].[ICQ_contact].DONKEYHOT. In the process of encryption, a file entitled, for example, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.[5deecd3145].[ICQ_DONKEYHOT].DONKEYHOT”.

In each folder with the encoded files, a #HOW_TO_DECRYPT#.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the Donkeyhot developers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting ICQ contact via email. That is pretty much the scheme of the crime.

Name	Donkeyhot Virus
Extension	.DONKEYHOT
Ransomware note	#HOW_TO_DECRYPT#.txt
Contact	ICQ contact
Detection1	Win32/Injector.EJDH, MSIL/Shutdowner.CA, Trojan:Win32/Anomaly!C
Symptoms	Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .DONKEYHOT extension and you can’t open them.
Fix Tool	GridinSoft Anti-MalwareSee If Your System Has Been Affected by Donkeyhot virus

The #HOW_TO_DECRYPT#.txt file accompanying the Donkeyhot ransomware provides the following dispiriting information:

Hello my dear friend!
Unfortunately for you, a major IT security weakness left you open to attack, your files have been encrypted
If you want to restore them, write to our mail:
Best option is to write us via ICQ live chat which works 24/7: @DONKEYHOT
Install ICQ software on your PC or on your smartphone search for \"ICQ\" in Appstore / Google market
Write to our ICQ @DONKEYHOT hxxps://
Attention!
* Do not rename encrypted files.
* Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
* We are always ready to cooperate and find the best way to solve your problem.
* The faster you write, the more favorable the conditions will be for you.
* Our company values its reputation. We give all guarantees of your files decryption, such as test decryption some of them.
We respect your time and waiting for respond from your side.
Tell your MachineID: - and LaunchID: -
SENSITIVE DATA ON YOUR SYSTEM WAS DOWNLOADED.
IF YOU DON\'T WANT YOUR SENSITIVE DATA TO BE PUBLISHED YOU HAVE TO ACT QUICKLY.
Data includes:
- Employees personal data, CVs, DL, SSN.
- Complete network map including credentials for local and remote services.
- Private financial information including: clients data, bills, budgets, annual reports, bank statements.
- Manufacturing documents including: datagrams, schemas, drawings in solidworks format
- And more...

In the picture below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Donkeyhot looks like. Each filename has the “.DONKEYHOT” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .DONKEYHOT files.

How did Donkeyhot ransomware end up on my PC?

Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for criminals to have ransomware working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer networks.

If you access your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a malicious item enclosed in them. So it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with emails like these.

Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus model². A Trojan is a program that gets into your computer disguised as something legal. Imagine, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that compromises your data. Since the installation file can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The optimal way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.

As for the peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of the Donkeyhot virus?

Sometimes tamperers would decrypt some of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption tool. Since Donkeyhot virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the criminals do the job of encoding victim’s essential data, the hopeless person will most likely comply with their demands. However, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of criminals just disappearing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud drive or at least on an external storage. Of course, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Donkeyhot, that work similarly. Examples of those are Qqlc, Ccew, Qqmt, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Donkeyhot are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become encrypted, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encoded files.

Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the blocked files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware injection?

You can defend yourself from ransomware attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter carefully. A hoax letter will surely contain mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked products, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to tell from reliable ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect shield for your system.

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft">⁴.

Download Removal Tool.

You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:

Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware

Run the setup file.

When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your computer.

An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your system for Donkeyhot infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.

Click on “Clean Now”.

When the scan has finished, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.

FAQ

🤔 Can I somehow access “.DONKEYHOT” files?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.DONKEYHOT” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.DONKEYHOT” files ASAP. How can I do that?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Donkeyhot malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your computer off the actual threats. The malware that has infiltrated your PC is probably still active and it scans your system periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Donkeyhot ransomware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your computer in the future.

🤔 What to do if the Donkeyhot virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

In such a case, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your computer. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Many of the blocked files might still be within your reach

• If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs⁵ to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

• In the United States: On Guard Online;
• In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
• In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
• In Australia: SCAMwatch;
• In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
• In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
• In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
• In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

References

1. Encyclopedia of threats.
2. You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
3. GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site:
4. More information about GridinSoft products:
5. Here’s the list of the top 10 file recovery tools of 2021.