What is a .KRAB file?
A .KRAB file is a type of file that has been locked by a harmful computer program known as the GandCrab V4 virus. This virus acts like a trojan horse, which means it sneaks into your computer by pretending to be something else, often through websites offering illegal downloads of paid software for free. Once it gets into your computer, it attacks your files, such as documents, spreadsheets, or videos, and changes them into .KRAB files by using a complex code called the Salsa20 algorithm to lock them. This means you can't open or use these files anymore because they have been encrypted, or locked, by the virus.
The GandCrab V4 virus started causing problems for people in July 2018, and it creates files that end in .KRAB, similar to another type of file created by an earlier version of the virus, which ended in .GDCB. The main goal of the people who spread this virus is to make money illegally. They lock your files and then demand payment, usually in a digital currency like bitcoin, to unlock them. After locking your files, the virus leaves a note, usually a text file named KRAB-DECRYPT.txt, telling you that your files have been encrypted and giving you instructions on how to pay to get them back.
To deal with a .KRAB file, you can't just use a regular program to open it because it's encrypted. The only way to potentially get your files back without paying the ransom is to use a system restore feature if you have a backup of your files or to try using a specialized decryption tool designed to fight against the GandCrab V4 virus. However, these methods might not always work, and the safest way to protect your files is to regularly back them up and be cautious about what you download and install on your computer.
Verification
Our goal is to help people find the most up-to-date information about file extensions for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. We researched over 10,000 file extensions and their respective programs that open those files. If you want to suggest edits or updates about .KRAB file formats, example files, or programs that are compatible. Please contact us.