Phobos Ransomware: What You Need to Know & How to Recover Fast

If you get hit by Phobos ransomware, you may have an emergency on your hands. Still, it’s important to stay calm. You can learn more about the Phobos ransomware and how to identify it and remove it on this page. For personalized assistance, you can also contact our team of ransomware data recovery experts 24/7 and for a FREE consultation and immediate assessment of the damages.

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How do I know if Phobos Ransomware has infected my system?

Phobos Ransomware is a highly aggressive ransomware strain, known for its fast encryption and extortion tactics against businesses of all sizes. Discover how it operates, review real-life cases, and get expert help to recover your data and resume operations.

Phobos Ransomware is a novel ransomware virus strain that first appeared in 2017. It is closely related to Dharma Ransomware. Phobos uses an AES 256-bit encryption standard, making it almost impossible to recover your files with a free decryptor tool.

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Rapid Encryption
One of the fastest ransomware encryption speeds, making attacks harder to stop.
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Disables Backups
Actively seeks and deletes backups to prevent easy recovery after encryption.
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Persistence Mechanisms
Installs hidden tools to maintain long-term access and re-infect systems.
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You are unable to use your antivirus software or find it deactivated.

Why You Shouldn’t Attempt to Fix It Alone

If Phobos ransomware has hit your business, taking the wrong steps can cause permanent data
loss or legal risks. Like a crime scene, a ransomware attack must be preserved—tampering
with encrypted files, attempting self-recovery, or engaging with attackers can destroy
critical evidence and reduce your chances of recovery.

The right response in the first moments after a Phobos attack can make the difference
between full recovery and permanent data loss. Follow these critical steps to protect your
data and maximize your chances of restoring operations.

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If you find a “ReadMe” note on your system showing information like the above, you’ve likely suffered a Phobos Ransomware attack.

Do not alter or interfere with the data.

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What should I do when my data has been encrypted by Phobos?

If you’ve fallen victim to ransomware, follow these crucial steps:

1

Request 24/7 Ransomware Recovery Help

Get expert guidance to assess, contain, and recover safely.

2

Isolate Infected Systems

Disconnect infected devices to stop the spread. Avoid self-recovery.

3

Preserve Evidence Immediately

Keep ransom notes & logs. Do not restart or modify anything.

Phobos ransomware statistics & facts

RANSOM AMOUNTS

Groups using Phobos ransomware often target large organizations. As a result, the average ransom amounts for Phobos is quite high.

Demands often fall in the range of $5,000–$25,000.

Victims are faced with unexpected costs when buying and transferring cryptocurrencies, usually additional acquisition costs of 10% are incurred here for quick purchase options via PayPal and/or credit cards.

AVERAGE RANSOM, USD $

AVERAGE LENGTH

The Phobos ransomware downtime is a bit longer than normal ransomware attacks. The manual process of email-based communication with the attackers can add a considerable delay in the response time.

Depending on your company size and how often you use IT-systems in your daily business, this is the most expensive part of this incident. Additional to the unavailability of your IT-systems, this is damaging your company reputation.

Your goal should be to get your systems back to a productive state as soon as possible. The best way to do this is to call in experts, which have a vast knowledge of Phobos ransomware and get the IT-systems back up running.

CASE OUTCOMES

There is a high chance to get a working Phobos decryptor after paying the attackers. But there’s never a guarantee to get a working decryption key at all.

Some attackers have a good reputation for providing working Phobos decryptors. Others are known as scammers and will never provide a decryption tool.

Unfortunately, hackers will receive the ransom payment and get away with it, leaving the victim in cold waters.

COMMON ATTACK VECTORS

The most common attack vector for Phobos ransomware is an unsecured RDP-Connection (Remote Desktop Protocol) followed up by phishing emails and security vulnerabilities.

Name
Phobos Virus / Phobos Ransomware
Danger level
Very High. Advanced Ransomware which makes system changes and encrypts files
Release date
2019
OS affected
Windows
Appended file extensions
.acute, .actin, .Acton, .actor, .Acuff, .Acuna, .acute, .adage, .Adair, .Adame, .banhu, .banjo, .Banks, .Banta, .Barak, .Caleb, .Cales, .Caley, .calix, .Calle, .Calum, .Calvo, .deuce, .Dever, .deal, .devil, .Devoe, .Devon, .Devos, .dewar, .eight, .eject, .eking, .Elbie, .elbow, .elder, .phobos, .help, .blend, .bqux, .com, .mamba, .KARLOS, .DDoS, .phoenix, .PLUT, .karma, .bbc, .CAPITAL
Ransom note
"Phobos.hta" or "info.txt"
Contact email address
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Known scammers
1. [email protected]

2.Telegram @coderunlocker

[email protected]
Phobos ID ending in "-3149"

How to identify Phobos ransomware

This is an average Phobos ransomware note. (With slight redaction in the interest of public safety)

Phobos.hta
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 decryption tool that will decrypt all your files. Free decryption as guarantee Before paying you can send us up to 1 file for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 1Mb (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. https://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here: http://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/
Phobos.txt
!!! All your data is encrypted !!! To decrypt them send email to this address: [email protected] If there is no response from our mail, you can install the Jabber client and write to us in support of [email protected]

Phobos decryptor demonstration

This is a technical demo of the Phobos Decryptor. Copyright by BeforeCrypt

Experiencing Ransomware or Cyber Breach?

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Frequently asked questions

How Does Ransomware Encrypt Files?

Ransomware encrypts files using advanced cryptographic algorithms, typically AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman). Once executed, the malware scans the system for specific file types and encrypts them, making them inaccessible to the user. Some variants use symmetric encryption (AES), while others combine it with asymmetric encryption (RSA) to lock files with a unique key pair.

Can You Decrypt My Ransomware Encrypted Files?

Decryption depends on the ransomware variant. In some cases, publicly available decryption tools exist, but not all attacks have a known solution. You can submit a free ransomware recovery request, and we will check for possible decryption methods.