What is Adair ransomware?

Adair is a variant of the Phobos ransomware family virus. It encrypts files, changes their names and invites the user to contact the scammers who wrote this virus. In doing so, each infected file is assigned an extension according to the following pattern: “id[random characters].[email].Adair”. For example, it renames “song.mp3” to “song.mp3.id [2B943L23-5357]. [Kusachi@cock.li] .Adair ”, etc. A text file info.txt appears, which is also displayed in a pop-up window.

Adair ransomware reports that it has encrypted user data and can only be returned using the authors of the virus. For further guidance, these cybercriminals want you to contact them by email or through the Jabber client. It is said that they will contact them. As usual, cybercriminals offer free decryption of several files to prove that they have a key that can decrypt the victim’s files. Typically, such virus programs encrypt data securely enough so that you have no choice but to purchase decryption tools from cybercriminals. Regular backups will save you these problems. It is worth noting that the files remain encrypted even after the removal of the ransomware, its deletion only prevents further encryption. Cybercriminals cannot be trusted. They have the habit of not sending the decryption key even to those who paid for it. Text of the ransom demand 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 kusachi@cock.li
Write this ID in the title of your message 1E857D00-2261
In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to this e-mail:maycat@protonmail.com
If there is no response from our mail, you can install the Jabber client and write to us in support of help_decrypt@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 5 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 4Mb (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 the 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.
The 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.

At the last stage of the infection stage, this ransomware may delete all shadow volumes on your computer. After that, you will not be able to carry out the standard procedure for recovering your encrypted data using these shadow volumes. There are two solutions to remove Adair Ransomware and decrypt your files. The first is to use an automated removal tool. This method is suitable even for inexperienced users since the removal tool can delete all instances of the virus in just a few clicks. The second is to use the Manual Removal Guide. This is a more complex way that requires special computer skills.

How Adair ransomware gets on my computer?

– Spam attachments and hyperlinks
– Software vulnerabilities and exploits
– Malicious sites
– Backdoors (defects of the algorithm that are intentionally built into it by the developer and allow you to gain unauthorized access to data or remote control of the operating system and the computer as a whole)

In order to remove Adair ransomware and decrypt your files, as usual, we have 2 options, manual and automatic.

How to remove Adair ransomware?

First of all, don’t panic. Follow these easy steps below.

1. Start your computer in Safe Mode with networking. To do that, restart your computer before your system starts hit F8 several times. This will prevent system from loading and will show Advanced boot options screen. Choose Safe mode with networking option from the options list using up and down arrows on your keyboard and hit Enter.
2. Log in to the system infected with the Adair ransomware virus. Launch your Internet browser and download a reliable anti-malware program and start a full system scan. Once the scan is complete, review scan results and remove all entries detected.

Recommended Solution:

You may find more detailed information about antivirus products in our article – Top 5 Antivirus Software for Windows

Restore your files using shadow copies

1. Download and run Stellar Data Recovery.
2. Select type of files you want to restore and click Next.
3. Select the drive and folder where your files are located and date that you want to restore them from and press Scan.
4. Once the scanning process is done, click Recover to restore your files.

Download Stellar Data Recovery

Step 2: Remove following files and folders of Adair Ransomware:

Related connections or other entries:

No information

Related files:

No information

How to decrypt files infected by Adair Ransomware?

You can try to use manual methods to restore and decrypt your files.

Decrypt files manually

Restore the system using System Restore

Although the latest versions of Adair Ransomware remove system restore files, this method may help you partially restore your files. Give it a try and use standard System Restore to revive your data.

1. Initiate the search for ‘system restore‘
2. Click on the result
3. Choose the date before the infection appearance
4. Follow the on-screen instructions

Roll the files back to the previous version

Previous versions can be copies of files and folders created by Windows Backup (if it is active) or copies of files and folders created by System Restore. You can use this feature to restore files and folders that you accidentally modified or deleted, or that were damaged. This feature is available in Windows 7 and later versions.

1. Adairt-click the file and choose Properties
2. Open the Previous Version tab
3. Select the latest version and click Copy
4. Click Restore

How to prevent your system from Ransomware?

Make sure your Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection is closed when you don’t use it. Also, we recommend using a strong password for this service. The most efficient way to avoid data lose is of course to make a backup of all important data from your computer.