How to remove Dharma-Harma Ransomware and decrypt .harma files

What is Dharma-Harma Ransomware

Being part of the Dharma family, Dharma-Harma Ransomware is a viral program based on AES-256 + RSA algorithms that are meant to encrypt user’s data. After the virus gets settled on the system, it blocks multiple files by putting unbreakable ciphers. Once encrypted, files undergo a couple of significant changes. Firstly, the affected files are altered according to such pattern: original_filename.{random-8-digit-alphanumerical-sequence}.[e-mail-address].harma. Note that cybercriminal’s e-mail may vary from person to person. Here is a list of most popular variants that have been noticed by victims:

[ban.out@foxmail.com].harma
[savemydata@qq.com].harma
[The777@tuta.io].harma
[Harmahelp73@gmx.de].harma
[Harmahelp73@protonmail.com].harma
[MerlinWebster@aol.com].harma
[ecnrypt98@cock.li].harma
[gillian.cher@aol.com].harma
[vite.mcclatchie@aol.com].harma
[marjut56@cock.li].harma
[writehere@onlinehelp.host ].harma
[maximum@onlinehelp.host ].harma
[manyfiles@aol.com].harma
[whitwellparke@aol.com].harma
[testfile1@protonmail.com].harma
[devil98@tutanota.com].harma
[harma277@gmx.de].harma
[MrRdx@cock.li].HARMA

Once the encryption is finished, Dharma-Harma generates a text file or image that contains ransom information. It says that your computer is unprotected and needs to be fixed. To restore the lost files, you have to contact them through the attached e-mail. After that, they will supposedly give further instructions and demand a payment in BTC. Unfortunately, those victims who decided to pay a ransom, often get fooled and do not get any decryption keys. Although decrypting the locked data appears to be impossible in most cases, it is still feasible to delete Dharma-Harma Ransomware from your PC and restore the data from external storage.

How Dharma-Harma Ransomware infected your computer

There are many options for how ransomware is spread. The most effective and popular ones are via e-mail spams, trojans, exploits, fake updates (Adobe Flash Player), and untrustworthy downloads. To maximize the list of victims, extortionists set special bots that automatically send a stream of fake messages. These e-mails are often highlighted with appealing headings that urge users to do something. However, such messages often contain malicious attachments or dubious links that redirect to questionable websites that ask you to download something or fill a form with personal information. If you fell into this trick, then more likely your PC will be infected with malware. Besides that, trojans are meant to entail a range of malware that does irreversible damage. To evade such attacks, we strongly advise you to stop clicking on unknown content or downloading something you are not familiar with. Even if you accidentally picked up a ransomware, we are here to help you get rid of this parasite and recover the blocked data in the article below.

1. Download Dharma-Harma Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .harma files
3. Recover encrypted files with Stellar Data Recovery Professional
4. Restore encrypted files with Windows Previous Versions
5. Restore files with Shadow Explorer
6. How to protect from threats like Dharma-Harma Ransomware

Dharma-Harma Ransomware files:


{randomfilename}.exe
RETURN FILES.txt
DHL.exe

Dharma-Harma Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .harma files

Use automated decryptors

Download Kaspersky RakhniDecryptor

Use following tool from Kaspersky called Rakhni Decryptor, that can decrypt .harma files. Download it here:

Download RakhniDecryptor

There is no purpose to pay the ransom because there is no guarantee you will receive the key, but you will put your bank credentials at risk.

Dr.Web Rescue Pack

Famous antivirus vendor Dr. Web provides free decryption service for the owners of its products: Dr.Web Security Space or Dr.Web Enterprise Security Suite. Other users can ask for help in the decryption of .harma files by uploading samples to Dr. Web Ransomware Decryption Service. Analyzing of files will be performed free of charge and if files are decryptable, all you need to do is purchase a 2-year license of Dr.Web Security Space worth $120 or less. Otherwise, you don’t have to pay.

If you are infected with Dharma-Harma Ransomware and removed it from your computer you can try to decrypt your files. Antivirus vendors and individuals create free decryptors for some crypto-lockers. To attempt to decrypt them manually you can do the following:

Use Stellar Data Recovery Professional to restore .harma files

1. Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional.
2. Click Recover Data button.
3. Select type of files you want to restore and click Next button.
4. Choose location where you would like to restore files from and click Scan button.
5. Preview found files, choose ones you will restore and click Recover.

Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Using Windows Previous Versions option:

1. Right-click on infected file and choose Properties.
2. Select Previous Versions tab.
3. Choose particular version of the file and click Copy.
4. To restore the selected file and replace the existing one, click on the Restore button.
5. In case there is no items in the list choose alternative method.

Using Shadow Explorer:

1. Download Shadow Explorer program.
2. Run it and you will see screen listing of all the drives and the dates that shadow copy was created.
3. Select the drive and date that you want to restore from.
4. Right-click on a folder name and select Export.
5. In case there are no other dates in the list, choose alternative method.

If you are using Dropbox:

1. Login to the DropBox website and go to the folder that contains encrypted files.
2. Right-click on the encrypted file and select Previous Versions.
3. Select the version of the file you wish to restore and click on the Restore button.

How to protect computer from viruses, like Dharma-Harma Ransomware, in future

1. Get special anti-ransomware software

Use ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

Famous antivirus brand ZoneAlarm by Check Point released a comprehensive tool, that will help you with active anti-ransomware protection, as an additional shield to your current protection. The tool provides Zero-Day protection against ransomware and allows you to recover files. ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware is compatible with all other antiviruses, firewalls, and security software except ZoneAlarm Extreme (already shipped with ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware) or Check Point Endpoint products. The killer features of this application are: automatic file recovery, overwrite protection that instantly and automatically recovers any encrypted files, file protection that detects and blocks even unknown encryptors.

Download ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

2. Back up your files

As an additional way to save your files, we recommend online backup. Local storages, such as hard drives, SSDs, flash drives or remote network storages can be instantly infected by the virus once plugged in or connected to. Dharma-Harma Ransomware uses some techniques to exploit this. One of the best services and programs for easy automatic online backup is iDrive. It has the most profitable terms and simple interface. You can read more about iDrive cloud backup and storage here.

3. Do not open spam e-mails and protect your mailbox

Malicious attachments to spam or phishing e-mails is most popular method of ransomware distribution. Using spam filters and creating anti-spam rules is good practice. One of the world leaders in anti-spam protection is MailWasher Pro. It works with various desktop applications, and provides very high level of anti-spam protection.

Download MailWasher Pro