How to remove Tycx Ransomware and decrypt .tycx files

What is Tycx Ransomware

The number of queries related to new ransomware activity is growing each day with new infections. This time around, users are dealing with Tycx Ransomware, which is a new and dangerous piece developed by the Djvu/STOP family. This particular version started infecting computers in the second half of March 2023. Its recent activity has encrypted a lot of personal data with strong algorithms. Despite Tycx Ransomware has not being totally inspected just yet, there are some things that are clear already. For example, the virus reconfigures various types of data (images, documents, databases, etc.) changing original extensions to .tycx. This means that all types of data will save its initial name, but change the main extension to something like this "1.pdf.tycx". Once the encryption process gets to a close, you will no longer be able to access your data. In order to regain it, extortionists have scripted the creation of identical notes dropped into encrypted folders or onto a desktop. The name of the note is usually _readme.txt, which contains detailed instructions on how to recover your data.

As developers claim, the only feasible way to decrypt your data is to purchase special software along with the unique key stored on their servers. To disperse any doubts of users, they also offer to test free decryption before buying the whole software. You can choose any blocked file (not valuable) and send it to cybercriminals for free decryption. More likely they will successfully prove their ability of data decryption, however, this does not exclude the risk of being fooled afterward. There have been many scenarios when users did not receive any decryption tools even after paying the ransom. This is why the risk is always present and it is up to you whether to pay the ransom or not. The total price of decryption software equals $980, however, it can be halved down to 490$ if you contact cyber criminals within 72 hours via e-mail (support@freshmail.top or datarestorehelp@airmail.cc). Unfortunately, these swindlers are true saying that they are the only figures being able to decrypt your data. At the moment of writing this article, cyber experts have not found a way to decipher the data encrypted by Tycx Ransomware. As a rule, all Djvu infections are well-developed and contain minimal bugs that could expose their ciphers. In this case, recovering access to blocked data is very unlikely, but still worth trying if you are not ready to pay the ransom. To do this, you should remove Tycx Ransomware from your computer and use the recovery tools presented below.

How Tycx Ransomware infected your computer

If you are wondering how ransomware could pounce your system, we have it explained in this section. Usually, file-encrypting programs tend to be distributed via unprotected RDP configuration, e-mail spam letters, keyloggers, trojans, backdoors, fake software cracking tools, malicious ads, dubious downloads, and many more. The most popular penetration out of this list appears to be done via e-mail messages. Extortionists disguise a wide range of e-letters as legitimate campaigns promoting online products. Bundled with malicious attachments, swindlers make everything possible to force users into downloading or interacting with them. The hidden malware is often included in MS Office documents, PDFs, executables, and JavaScript files. Thus, whenever you see an ostensibly legitimate message asking to open a file or follow suspicious links, more likely it is meant to deliver ransomware or other types of malware. Overall, in order to prevent ransomware from reaching your data, you should be more careful whilst using the web. Never open or download content spread by unknown and dubious resources. In addition to that, it is highly recommended to use anti-malware software that warns and blocks users from facing potentially dangerous content. We offer a couple of high-end software that will be useful in combating such threats in the future. Both removal instructions and protection tools can be found below.

1. Download Tycx Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .tycx 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. Restore media files with Media Repair
7. How to protect from threats like Tycx Ransomware

Virus modifies “hosts” file to block Windows updates, downloading antivirus programs, and visiting sites related to security news or offering security solutions. Tycx Ransomware comes along with AZORult trojan, which was initially created to steal logins and passwords. The process of infection also looks like installing Windows updates, the malware shows a fake window, that mimics the update process.

It uses rdpclip.exe to replace a legal Windows file and to launch an attack on a computer network. After encrypting the files, the encrypter is deleted using the delself.bat command file. Tycx Ransomware virus is propagated via spam attack with malicious e-mail attachments and using manual PC hacking. Can be distributed by hacking through an unprotected RDP configuration, fraudulent downloads, exploits, web injections, fake updates, repackaged, and infected installers. The virus assigns a certain ID to the victims, which is used to name those files and supposedly to send a decryption key. Great tools to protect against Tycx Ransomware are: Emsisoft Anti-Malware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

How to remove Tycx Ransomware manually

It is not recommended to remove Tycx Ransomware manually, for safer solution use Removal Tools instead.

Tycx Ransomware files:

_readme.txt
rdpclip.exe
delself.bat
{randomname}.exe

Tycx Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .tycx files

Use automated decryptors

Download STOP Djvu Decryptor from EmsiSoft (.tycx variations)

IMPORTANT: Read this detailed guide on using STOP Djvu Decryptor to avoid file corruption and time wasting.

STOP Djvu Decryptor is able to decrypt .tycx files, encrypted by Tycx Ransomware. This tool was developed by EmsiSoft. It works in automatic mode, but in most cases works only for files encrypted with offline keys. Download it here:

Download STOP Djvu Decryptor

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 .tycx files by uploading samples to Dr. Web Ransomware Decryption Service. Analysis 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 Tycx Ransomware and removed it from your computer, you can try decrypting 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 .tycx 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.

Use Media Repair to decrypt media files encrypted with .tycx

1. Download Media Repair tool.
2. Right-click on the downloaded archive, and select Extract to Media_Repair\.
3. Then double-click on the extracted .exe file to launch the utility.
4. At first, you have to choose which file type you want to decrypt. You can do it from the drop-down menu in the utility.
5. Next, browser the folder with encrypted or reference files. Choose any of them and click on the Test icon located in the top right corner.
6. Media Repair will display a pop-up message with information on whether it can repair the selected file or not.
7. After checking if it is possible or not, select your reference file and click on the icon right under the Test button we used in step #5.
8. If the file pair is properly matched, you can move on and hit the Play button to start repairing. You can also stop the process anytime by clicking on the Stop button.

How to protect computer from viruses, like Tycx 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 storage, such as hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, or remote network storage can be instantly infected by the virus once plugged in or connected to. Tycx 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 a simple interface. You can read more about iDrive cloud backup and storage here.

Download iDrive

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

Malicious attachments to spam or phishing e-mails are the 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 a very high level of anti-spam protection.

Download MailWasher Pro