RDAT EXPOSED: .RDAT Files, DAT_INFO.txt, and @returndat

You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The vacation shot should still be vacation.jpg. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf. The tax sheet should still be taxes.xlsx. Instead every familiar name has been branded. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT. A small text file named DAT_INFO.txt is sitting in the same folder. A pop-up is already on the screen, talking like a recovery desk.

That is the trap, not a glitch.

This page is for the hour those names appear. It is not a miracle key. It is a map of the trap, so the note and the pop-up do not become your incident plan.

Overview

RDAT ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name and the old type, and hangs a victim ID, a criminal inbox, and .RDAT on the end. Then it drops DAT_INFO.txt and a pop-up window. The text file is three short lines. The pop-up is the louder room. Both point at the same three contacts: dat@mailum.com, datret@tuta.com, and Telegram @returndat.

If you are staring at a pile of .RDAT files, that text note, and that window, you are in a ransom incident, not a broken disk and not a Windows help page. The folder is the evidence. The notes are a checkout. Stay with the folder, not with the script.

The first tell is the rename. In the documented sample used for this page, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT. You can still read what the file used to be. You can still read the ID 9ECFA84E. You can still read dat@mailum.com inside the name. You cannot open the photo. Windows may call the type an RDAT File and offer a useless “choose an app” box. An app cannot talk locked bytes back into a JPEG.

The second tell is the pair of notes. After the files are locked, the malware drops DAT_INFO.txt into the same folders and throws a pop-up. The text file sounds like a scrap. The pop-up sounds like a service desk. Put them together and the first English you can still read after the photos break is a sales floor. The floor is meant to be opened. It is not meant to be trusted.

The body of DAT_INFO.txt is short on purpose. all your data has been locked us. You want to return? write email dat@mailum.com or datret@tuta.com or @returndat. That is the whole slip. Broken grammar. No price. No wallet. No onion site. No Session handle. Three doors, one shop.

The pop-up is the longer flyer. It opens with All your files have been encrypted! Then it says Don’t worry, you can return all your files! It tells you to write datret@tuta.com and to put YOUR ID on the line. If you have not answered by mail within 12 hours, it tells you to write dat@mailum.com. It offers a “free decryption as guarantee” if you send up to 3 files. The total size must be less than 3Mb, non archived, and the files should not contain valuable information (databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.). Then it labels a TELEGRAM line and tells you to write @returndat. Then it warns you not to rename encrypted files, not to try third party software, and not to use third parties who will add their fee or scam you.

That is the whole pitch. A locked folder of .RDAT names branded with id-9ECFA84E and dat@mailum.com. A DAT_INFO.txt slip. A pop-up that talks like a help desk. Two inboxes. One Telegram handle. A 12-hour second door. A 3-file demo with a 3Mb cap. There is no printed $ amount. There is no printed wallet. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is no reason to mail those inboxes or message @returndat today because a window told you to.

This is a Dharma family locker, the same family people still call Crysis. Older notes from that family used other endings, other inboxes, and other filenames. This page is not those older posts. This page is the .RDAT wave that signs the folder with DAT_INFO.txt, a pop-up, @returndat, dat@mailum.com, and datret@tuta.com.

The .RDAT name is the first warning

Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. This one uses .RDAT. The extra cruelty is how readable the listing stays. You do not have to decode anything. You can still see 1.jpg inside 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT. You can still see the invoice year. You can still see the word taxes. The familiar words are still in the folder. The files are not familiar anymore.

Do not treat that readable name as a fix. Do not strip .RDAT off the end and expect Photos or Excel to open the file. Do not delete the id-9ECFA84E chunk because it looks like junk. Do not run a bulk “extension fixer” you found in an ad. The name is a label. The lock is in the content. Editing the label can make a later trusted tool have a harder time matching the file to what it was. Leave the locked copies as they are until you have a clean machine and a plan that does not start in a criminal inbox.

The extra ending also does advertising. Anyone who sees 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT next to DAT_INFO.txt can pretend they already have your case. A later fake helper will quote the extension, the ID, and the Mailum address back to you as if that were expertise. Those strings are public. They are sitting in the folder. Quoting them proves nothing except that they can read a listing.

DAT_INFO.txt is a sales slip, not a help file

The short ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like paperwork. DAT_INFO.txt wants the first click after the panic. DAT sounds technical. INFO sounds like a brief. A .txt ending is something Windows already trusts. Put them together and the first file you can still open looks like a status sheet, not a demand.

Double-clicking it opens Notepad. That is why a panicked first click feels like opening the help page. It is not help. It is the demand, written so short that you finish it before a relative walks into the room. The grammar is broken on purpose or by habit. all your data has been locked us. You want to return? Then three contacts. Paperwork that short is easier to obey than a threat that fills the screen.

Keep the file on disk. Then close it. Do not treat it as a set of steps you should follow. Do not tidy the filename. Do not shorten it to “the dat info” when you write the incident down. Copy DAT_INFO.txt the way you would copy a serial off a stolen laptop. That string is how a responder matches this locker. It is not a coupon you redeem by mailing dat@mailum.com or datret@tuta.com, and it is not a coupon you redeem by messaging @returndat.

The pop-up is the loud room

Dharma family lockers like a window you cannot miss. RDAT still uses that habit. The pop-up repeats the shop in bigger type while DAT_INFO.txt sits in the folder as a backup copy of the same aisle. If you close the window, the text file is still there. If you ignore the text file, the window is still there. Two formats, one checkout.

The pop-up is where the theater lives. Don’t worry, you can return all your files. Write this mail. If 12 hours pass, write the other mail. Free decryption as guarantee. Send up to 3 files. Less than 3Mb. Non archived. No databases, backups, or large excel sheets. TELEGRAM. @returndat. Attention. Do not rename. Do not try third party software. Third parties add their fee, or they scam you. That is a script, not a technician. It is built so every fear has an answer, and every answer is still their inbox or their Telegram handle.

Do not keep the pop-up open as a to-do list. Screenshot it once for the incident record if you need a record of the window. Then close it. The live window is not a chat you should answer. The live window is how they stay on top of Photos, Excel, and the file you were about to open.

All your files have been encrypted is a shout, not a lab report

The first line of the pop-up is not a diagnosis. It is a headline. All your files have been encrypted! does the same job a fake breaking-news banner does on a scare page. It names the disaster in a short sentence so the rest of the flyer feels like the only adult in the room. You are supposed to stop thinking and start obeying.

The shout is also a brand. Later search ads will quote it. Later “helpers” will paste it so they sound close to your folder. Anyone can copy a headline. Copying All your files have been encrypted does not mean they can reverse .RDAT. It means they read the same window you did, or they read a screenshot of it.

The text file uses a different shout. all your data has been locked us. Same claim, worse English, same job. If you find both lines in the same folder, that is normal for this strain. It is one incident with two flyers. Keep one clean copy of DAT_INFO.txt as evidence. You do not need to answer either voice. You do not need to compare them in mail to datret@tuta.com.

datret@tuta.com is checkout, not support

The pop-up’s first printed contact is datret@tuta.com. Write to the mail, it says, and put YOUR ID on the line. That is the aisle. A private inbox puts you in a room they own, on an account they can delete, with a thread they can screenshot and reuse. Email would feel like a ticket. This email is not a ticket. It is how a locked photo becomes a negotiation.

Do not open a fresh mail account because the window said to. Do not send a test file to prove you are a real victim. Do not paste a folder listing into a new message. Do not argue about a price they have not even printed. Those addresses belong to the people who locked the files. Writing them is the product.

Tuta is branding here, the same way .RDAT is branding. Anyone can stand up a lookalike inbox after a wave of locked folders. Writing the first message does not start a warranty. It starts a conversation you cannot enforce. The missing $ amount is how they make that first message feel unfinished, so you write just to “find out the cost.” Finding out the cost is still checkout.

The 12-hour second inbox is a fuse

If you have not answered by mail within 12 hours, the pop-up says, write to us by another mail: dat@mailum.com. That line does two jobs. It plants a clock. It plants a backup door. You are supposed to feel that silence is already a mistake, and that the second address is a kindness. It is not a kindness. It is a second checkout in case the first inbox is slow, blocked, or ignored.

Notice where dat@mailum.com already lives. It is inside every locked name. 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT prints that inbox before you even open DAT_INFO.txt. The 12-hour line pretends Mailum is the fallback. The folder already made Mailum the billboard. A billboard is not a help desk.

Do not set a 12-hour personal timer because the window printed one. Do not switch inboxes at hour 13 “just to see.” Do not mail both at once to “cover your bases.” Two inboxes are still one shop. The fuse is there so you feel late while you are still sitting in Documents.

@returndat is Telegram checkout, not a person who can help

The printed chat handle is @returndat. The pop-up labels it TELEGRAM, then says write to us by telegram. The text file names the same handle in the same breath as the two inboxes. That is the modern aisle for this Dharma wave. Older family notes often stopped at mail. This one wants you in a chat they control, on an account they can mute, with a thread they can screenshot and reuse.

Telegram would feel like a faster ticket. Faster is the point. Chat is where a “quick question” becomes a sample file, then a price, then a push to pay before you talk to anyone else. Do not search the handle “just to see if it is real.” Do not send a hello. Do not forward a screenshot of Explorer to prove the lock. They already chose the extension. They already chose the ID. They already printed dat@mailum.com in the filename.

The handle is branding, the same way DAT_INFO.txt is branding. Anyone can stand up a lookalike @returndat after a wave of locked folders. Writing the first message does not start a warranty. It starts a conversation you cannot enforce. A chat green bubble is not Photos opening 1.jpg again.

The 3-file demo is bait with a 3Mb cap

The pop-up offers free decryption as guarantee. Before paying, it says, you can send up to 3 files. The total size of files must be less than 3Mb (non archived). The files should not contain valuable information (databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.). That paragraph is the friendliest line on the page. Friendly is a tactic. It is how they get samples, how they prove they “can” unlock junk, and how they keep you in the thread until a $ figure finally appears.

Do not send three files. Do not send one file. Do not send a tiny JPG you “do not care about” to test them. A demo that unlocks a throwaway photo does not prove they will unlock the invoice, the tax sheet, or the family video. It proves they can open a file you handed them. Anyone running the locker can do that. The 3Mb cap and the “no valuable information” rule exist so they never have to touch the files you actually need.

The specs are also a filter. Non archived means they do not want a zip of your real work. No databases means they do not want the file that would actually end the incident. No large excel sheets means the spreadsheet you would pay for is off the table. You are being invited to mail leftovers. Leftovers do not restore vacation.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT.

YOUR ID is a tracking tag, not a ticket number

The pop-up says write to the mail: datret@tuta.com YOUR ID -. In the documented sample, that ID is already in the filename: 9ECFA84E. You do not need to invent a new one. You also do not need to mail it. The tag is how they map a locked folder to a key they claim to hold. It is not a case number from a vendor who will still be there on Monday.

Keep id-9ECFA84E on the files. Do not “clean” it off. Do not replace it with your name. Do not type it into a form a stranger sends. When you describe the incident, the ID plus .RDAT plus DAT_INFO.txt plus @returndat is enough for a responder to match the strain. Mailing the ID to the people who printed it does not start a repair. It starts a ledger with your name on it.

No printed $ is not kindness

Neither note prints a ransom in $. Neither note prints a wallet. Neither note prints an onion site. That absence is not mercy. A number would give you something to argue with. A wallet would give copycats a string to steal. This flyer skips both and goes straight to mail and Telegram. You are supposed to feel that the only remaining step is to write, and that the $ figure will be “reasonable” once you are already in the thread.

Do not invent a price because other Dharma family notes used one. Do not invent a Bitcoin address because a later helper offers one. The published notes have neither. A stranger who adds a $ amount, or who asks you to send coin to a wallet they just typed, is rewriting the flyer so they can stand in the aisle. The original shop already named the contacts. It did not need a printed bill to start the checkout.

The CISA StopRansomware Guide is blunt about this kind of squeeze. Paying does not ensure the files come back, does not ensure the systems are clean, and does not ensure anyone on the other side keeps a promise. A missing $ on the note does not change that. It only delays the number until you are already talking to @returndat.

Dharma-family RDAT is still this shop

RDAT is a Dharma family strain, also tracked as Crysis. That family is old. It likes readable names, a unique ID, an email glued into the filename, a pop-up, and a text note. It likes machines that still boot so you can read the demand. Older public posts on this site covered other endings and other inboxes from the same family. Those are not this incident. This incident is .RDAT, DAT_INFO.txt, the pop-up, id-9ECFA84E, dat@mailum.com, datret@tuta.com, and @returndat.

Family membership is not a decryptor. It does not mean a key from a 2016 Crysis case will open these files. It does not mean a tool built for a different Dharma ending will strip .RDAT back into a JPEG. It means the costume is familiar: keep the old name, brand it, drop a note, talk like a help desk, and wait. Treat this wave by the marks in your folder, not by a family nickname you saw on an older page.

How The Attack Works

The shop is simple once you stop reading it as a rescue. Lock the files. Brand the names with an ID, an inbox, and .RDAT. Drop a three-line DAT_INFO.txt. Throw a pop-up that shouts encrypted, names two mails, plants a 12-hour fuse, offers a 3-file demo, and points Telegram at @returndat. Skip the printed $. Skip the wallet. Then wait for someone else to sell the missing number.

1. The lock keeps the old name so you recognize the loss

RDAT encrypts the files it wants as leverage, then leaves the original name in front of the new branding. That is why 1.jpg is still readable as 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT. The operators want you to inventory the damage in seconds. They want you to see the vacation photo, the invoice, the tax sheet, and the family video in one glance. A coded filename can confuse you. A readable filename makes you feel the theft.

If only one folder looks wrong, do not assume the rest of the disk is safe. Ransomware walks trees. It hits Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Downloads, and any drive letter it can reach, including a USB stick you forgot was plugged in. Unplug extra disks. Do not plug in a copy “just to check.” Checking is how the extra copy gets the same .RDAT ending.

Double-clicking a renamed file does not bring the photo back. The thumbnail may already look broken. Excel may ask for a workbook that is still sitting in the same folder, only the bytes inside are no longer a workbook. That broken open is the first proof. The second proof is the extra ending. Together they are enough. You do not need to mail datret@tuta.com to confirm what you are looking at.

2. The ID, the inbox, and .RDAT brand the listing

Dharma family lockers like a three-part stamp. RDAT still uses it. Original name. Then .id-9ECFA84E. Then .[dat@mailum.com]. Then .RDAT. Each piece has a job. The original name makes you feel the loss. The ID maps you. The inbox advertises the aisle before you open a note. The extension is the brand you will search at 2 a.m.

That stamp is also a filter for later scams. A stranger who cannot quote id-9ECFA84E, cannot quote dat@mailum.com inside the name, and cannot quote DAT_INFO.txt is not close to your folder. A stranger who can quote all three has still only read a listing. Quoting a billboard is not a key. Leave the stamp alone. Do not invent a new ID. The documented sample already has one.

3. DAT_INFO.txt turns a break-in into a ticket

Once the names are branded, the malware needs a voice that survives a reboot. DAT_INFO.txt is that voice. It sits in the same folders as the locked files so the first sort puts help next to harm. On many machines a text file sorts near the top, especially with a name in capitals. You open it because it looks like the only thing that still speaks English.

The body is short enough to finish in one breath. Locked. Want to return? Write these three contacts. Each beat closes a door. The broken first line closes “maybe Windows just glitched.” The return question closes “maybe I should wait.” The contact line closes “maybe there is a local tool” by handing you mail and Telegram in one sentence.

Notice what the text file does not give you. It does not give you a company, a refund policy, a $ amount, a wallet, or a way to prove the other side will ever send a key. It does not give you a filled unique ID. It gives you a tone that says this is already decided. That tone is the product. Read the file as a sales slip. Then close it. Keep it on disk.

4. The pop-up repeats the shop in a window you cannot miss

The text file is the quiet copy. The pop-up is the loud one. Dharma family notes have used that pairing for years. RDAT still does. A window that stays on top feels urgent. A .txt file feels official. Together they cover the person who closes pop-ups and the person who never reads Notepad.

The pop-up is also where the extra beats live. The 12-hour fuse. The second inbox. The 3-file, 3Mb demo. The TELEGRAM label. The do-not-rename warning. The third-party scare. None of those lines are a technician talking. They are objections handled in advance. If you are scared of waiting, here is a clock. If the first mail is quiet, here is another. If you want proof, here is a demo with rules that protect the files that matter. If you want outside help, here is a warning that outside help will cost more or steal the rest.

Close the window after you have a record of it. Do not use it as a live checklist. Do not type YOUR ID into the window. There is nothing to submit there except your attention.

5. datret@tuta.com is the door they want first

The recovery step in the pop-up starts with mail. Write to datret@tuta.com. Put YOUR ID on the line. That is the first door. It looks like support because support uses email. Criminal shops use email too, because a thread is where a locked photo becomes a sample they asked you to attach, and where a missing $ becomes a number they can change.

Do not write that inbox. Do not create a throwaway account “just to see.” Do not send a screenshot of Explorer to prove the lock. They already chose the extension. They already chose the note name. A photo of DAT_INFO.txt sitting next to 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT does not make you a verified customer. It makes you a person still following the flyer.

If someone later says they will “talk to RDAT for you” through that same address, that is a broker pitch. Brokers need you in the same funnel. You do not owe them a seat. Report the incident through official desks. Let counsel decide if contact is ever required for a specific legal reason. That decision is not yours to make from the Documents folder at midnight.

6. After 12 hours they point you at dat@mailum.com

The second door is dat@mailum.com. The pop-up pretends it is only for people who waited 12 hours. The filenames already print it. DAT_INFO.txt already names it first. Mailum is not a fallback. It is the address they want in the listing, in the slip, and in the window. Three placements, one inbox.

A second mail is also how they survive filters. If Tuta is slow, Mailum is waiting. If one provider burns the account, the other still collects victims who followed the 12-hour line. You are not required to keep their redundancy working. Do not “cc both.” Do not forward the pop-up text from one address to the other. Silence is not rude here. Silence is how you stay out of their queue.

7. @returndat is the Telegram aisle

Plenty of lockers hide chat until you write. This one prints @returndat on both notes. The pop-up even gives it a heading, TELEGRAM, so you cannot miss the channel. Chat is faster than mail. Faster is how a scared person skips the relative, skips counsel, and starts sending files before breakfast.

Do not open Telegram to “check the handle.” Do not add @returndat as a contact you might need later. Do not ask a friend who already has Telegram to send the first hello. A hello is still contact. Contact is the product. If a later message quotes the pop-up and offers a different handle “because the real one is busy,” that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.

8. The 3-file, 3Mb demo is how they get samples

The free decryption line is how the pop-up turns a victim into a sender. Up to 3 files. Total size less than 3Mb. Non archived. No valuable information. Databases, backups, and large excel sheets are called out so you will not mail the one file that would actually hurt them to unlock for free. The demo is designed to be impressive and useless at the same time.

Do not pack three leftovers into a mail to datret@tuta.com. Do not drag three leftovers into a Telegram chat with @returndat. Do not zip them first and then remember the note said non archived. The rule is not there to help you follow instructions. The rule is there to keep the real files on your disk while they unlock a scrap and ask for money.

A returned scrap also travels. They can send you a working photo and a $ ask in the same hour. The working photo is bait. The $ ask is the shop. You already know the files are locked. You do not need their demo to prove it. You need a plan that does not start with attaching 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT to their inbox.

9. Do not rename and do not use third parties is how they keep you

The pop-up’s Attention block is a fence. Do not rename encrypted files. Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss. 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. Two of those lines are almost useful. Renaming locked files can make recovery harder. Random “decryptor” ads are often more malware. The rest is a sales fence. It wants you afraid of everyone except dat@mailum.com, datret@tuta.com, and @returndat.

Read the useful part, then ignore the aisle it points to. Leave the names alone. Do not feed the pile to a mystery app that asked for admin rights because a pop-up named third parties. Do not hire a stranger who quotes the Attention block as if that were a credential. The fence is public. Anyone can copy it. Copying Attention! does not mean they can reverse .RDAT.

10. Third parties will sell an RDAT conversation

After a ransomware incident, search results fill up with companies that say they can decrypt RDAT or “all .RDAT files.” Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote DAT_INFO.txt so they sound close to the case. They will mention id-9ECFA84E. They will mention @returndat. They will mention the 3-file demo as if they already called the original crew. They will ask for a sample file, a remote-access session, or a deposit.

A demo that “unlocks one file” is not proof they can unlock the vacation photo. Anyone can open one junk file they control. Anyone can send you a $ figure the original notes never printed. A $ figure is not Photos opening vacation.jpg again. If a later message skips the original inboxes and asks for coin over ordinary mail, that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. Do not answer. Do not help them invent a wallet the notes left out on purpose.

A real public decryptor, when one exists, shows up on an official project page that already existed before your incident. It does not need a 3-file send to dat@mailum.com. It does not need a Telegram hello to @returndat. If the pitch is “we can decrypt, pay us first,” you are still in the market the ransomware created. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one, treat any site that says “we already have the RDAT key” as a second sales pitch.

11. Payment and mailing those inboxes close nothing

Paying a stranger for a private key is not a guarantee. The people who send the note can take the money and disappear. They can send a string that only makes a decryptor show an error. They can come back later and lock the same machine again. A mail thread or a Telegram chat makes that outcome easier, not harder. You cannot leave a review on @returndat.

Mailing dat@mailum.com or datret@tuta.com is the free version of the same dead end. Messaging @returndat is the faster version. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Starting a thread does not rebuild a JPEG. It only keeps you in their story while the rest of the disk still needs a real plan.

If this is a company machine, tell counsel and your incident lead. If this is a home PC, tell the people whose files lived on it. Change passwords from a clean device. Watch bank and email alerts. Opening those inboxes again is not useful work. It is the checkout, even when the notes never printed a $ amount.

What To Do If Your Files End in .RDAT

Do not pay. Do not mail dat@mailum.com. Do not mail datret@tuta.com. Do not message @returndat on Telegram. Do not send 3 test files, or 1 test file, or a “worthless” JPG under 3Mb. Do not invent a wallet, a Session ID, an onion site, or a $ figure to finish DAT_INFO.txt. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not pay a deposit to “hold the original price” for anyone who quotes the pop-up.

• STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.
• STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove for Ransomware and Unwanted Programs
• STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Trojans and other Malware
• STEP 4: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Extensions and Adware
• STEP 5: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
• STEP 6: Restore the files encrypted by ransomware

STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.

In this first step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate suspicious programs that may be running on your computer.

RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.

1. Download Rkill.

   You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.

   

   RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Rkill)

2. Run RKill.

   After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
   The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.

   

   When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.

STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Ransomware and Unwanted Programs

In this second step, we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.

Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and trusted anti-malware tools for Windows — and it’s completely free for removing infections. It catches threats that many antivirus programs miss, including adware, browser hijackers, and trojans. Follow the steps below to scan and clean your PC in just a few minutes.

1. Download Malwarebytes

   Click the button below to download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows from the official source. The free version is all you need — it will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software at no cost.

   

   DOWNLOAD MALWAREBYTES FOR WINDOWS (FREE)
   
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Install Malwarebytes

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the MBSetup file. If Windows shows a User Account Control pop-up, click “Yes” to allow the installation.

   

3. Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes

   The setup wizard will walk you through a few quick screens:

   • Choose where you’re installing the program — “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” — then click Next.

     

   • Malwarebytes will now install on your device. This usually takes under a minute.

     

   • When installation is complete, the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen will open automatically.

     

   • On the final screen, click Open Malwarebytes to launch the program.

     

4. Enable “Scan for Rootkits”

   Before scanning, turn on rootkit detection so Malwarebytes can find even the most hidden threats. Click the Settings gear icon on the left side of the screen.

   

   In the settings menu, find “Scan for rootkits” and click the toggle so it turns blue.

   

   Done? Click “Dashboard” in the left pane to return to the main screen.

5. Start the Scan

   Click the blue Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its virus database and start checking your computer for malware.

   

6. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   The scan checks your entire system for browser hijackers and other malicious programs, so it can take several minutes. Feel free to do something else — just check back occasionally to see the progress.

   

7. Quarantine the Detected Threats

   When the scan is done, you’ll see a list of everything Malwarebytes found — malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all of them at once.

   

   Malwarebytes will now remove the malicious files and registry entries and move them safely into quarantine.

   

8. Restart Your Computer

   Some threats can only be fully removed after a reboot. If Malwarebytes asks you to restart, click Yes. Once you’re logged back in, your PC is clean and you can continue with the next steps in this guide.

   

STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware

In this third step, while the computer is in normal back, we will download and run a scan with HitmanPro to remove Trojans, rootkits, and other malicious programs.

HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner — it’s designed to catch what your main antivirus might have missed. Instead of relying on a single detection engine, it checks the behavior of files in the locations where malware usually hides. Anything suspicious gets sent to the cloud, where it’s analyzed by two of the best antivirus engines available: Bitdefender and Kaspersky.

Good news: scanning is completely free, with no limits. You only need a license when it’s time to remove what was found — and even then, you can activate a free one-time 30-day trial to clean your PC at no cost. (A full license is $24.95 per year for 1 PC.)

1. Download HitmanPro

   Click the button below to download HitmanPro. Remember — the scan is free, so you have nothing to lose by checking your PC.

   DOWNLOAD HITMANPRO (FREE SCAN)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Install HitmanPro

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the file: “hitmanpro.exe” on 32-bit Windows, or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” on 64-bit Windows.

   

   If a User Account Control pop-up asks whether HitmanPro can make changes to your device, click “Yes” to continue.

   

3. Follow the On-Screen Prompts

   On the HitmanPro start screen, click “Next” to begin the system scan. No lengthy setup required — it goes straight to work.

   

   

4. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   HitmanPro will now check your computer for malicious programs. This usually takes just a few minutes thanks to its cloud-based scanning.
   

5. Review the Results and Click “Next”

   When the scan is done, HitmanPro will show you everything it found. Click “Next” to remove the detected threats.

   

6. Click “Activate Free License”

   To remove the malicious files, click the “Activate free license” button. This starts your free 30-day trial — no payment details needed — and unlocks the full cleanup.
   

   When the removal is complete, HitmanPro will show a summary of everything it cleaned. Click Next, then click Reboot if prompted. If there’s no reboot prompt, just click Close — your PC is clean.

STEP 4: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Extensions and Adware

In this next step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies and unwanted browser extensions from your computer.

AdwCleaner is a free on-demand scanner that specializes in adware, browser hijackers, and unwanted toolbars — the exact threats that mainstream antivirus programs often miss. It also includes tools that repair the damage malware leaves behind, like hijacked browser settings and malicious policies. It’s a quick scan that’s well worth running.

1. Download AdwCleaner

   Click the button below to download AdwCleaner — it’s free, portable, and requires no installation.

   

   DOWNLOAD ADWCLEANER (FREE)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Run AdwCleaner

   Open your Downloads folder and double-click the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe“. There’s no installation — the program starts right away.
   

   If Windows asks whether you want to allow AdwCleaner to run, click “Yes“. When the license agreement appears, click I agree to continue.

   

3. Enable “Reset Chrome policies”

   This setting removes malicious browser policies — a trick malware uses to lock your browser settings so you can’t change them back. Click “Settings” on the left side of the window, then turn on “Reset Chrome policies“.

   

4. Start the Scan

   Click “Dashboard” on the left side of the window, then click the “Scan” button.

   

5. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   AdwCleaner will now check your computer for adware and other malware. This usually takes only a few minutes — it’s one of the fastest scanners around.

   

6. Quarantine the Detected Threats

   When the scan finishes, AdwCleaner will list everything it found. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all the malicious items at once.

   

7. Click “Continue” to Finish the Cleanup

   Save any open work first — AdwCleaner needs to close your open programs before it can clean. When you’re ready, click the “Continue” button.
   

   AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. If it asks you to restart your PC, allow it — your computer will be clean when you log back in.

STEP 5: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner

This final step involves installing and running a scan with ESET Online Scanner to check for any additional malicious programs that may be installed on the computer..

ESET Online Scanner is a free second-opinion scanner that performs a deep, full-system check for viruses, trojans, rootkits, and other malware. We use it as the final step because it’s thorough — if anything slipped past the previous scans, ESET will find it. A clean result here means your computer is malware-free.

1. Download ESET Online Scanner

   Click the button below to download ESET Online Scanner.

   

   DOWNLOAD ESET ONLINE SCANNER (FREE)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Run the Installer

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click “esetonlinescanner.exe“.
   

3. Install ESET Online Scanner

   On the start screen, select your language from the drop-down menu and click Get started.

   

   On the Terms of use screen, click Accept.
   

   Choose your preferences for the Customer Experience Improvement Program and the Detection feedback system (either choice is fine), then click Continue.
   

4. Start a Full Scan

   Click Full Scan — this checks your entire computer, not just the common hiding spots.

   

   Select Enable for Detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications — this lets ESET catch adware and bundled junk programs, not just viruses. Then click Start scan.

   

5. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   ESET will now check every file on your computer. Because it’s a full scan, this can take a while — often an hour or more, depending on how much data you have. Leave it running in the background and check on it from time to time.

   

6. Review the Results

   When the scan completes, the Found and resolved detections screen appears. Any threats found were automatically cleaned and quarantined — there’s nothing extra you need to do. Click View detailed results if you want to see exactly what was removed.
   

   If ESET found nothing — congratulations, your computer has passed the final check and is malware-free.

STEP 6: Restore the files encrypted by ransomware

Unfortunately, in most cases, it’s not possible to recover the files encrypted by this ransomware virus because the private key which is needed to unlock the encrypted files is only available through the attackers. However, below we’ve listed three options you can use to try and recover your files.

Option 1: Search a decryption tool for this ransomware

The cybersecurity community is constantly working to create ransomware decryption tools, so you can try to search these sites for updates:

• https://id-ransomware.malwarehunterteam.com/
• https://decrypter.emsisoft.com/
• https://noransom.kaspersky.com/
• https://www.avast.com/ransomware-decryption-tools

Option 2: Use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free to recover the encrypted files

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free can restore files and repair corrupted files with simple clicks. Its powerful scanning algorithms can identify and retrieve huge file type library, including all of the popular video files, audio files, photos, and document formats.
While the free version only allows you to recover 2 GB of data, this can be helpful to see if the recovery is possible and restore back the most important files from your computer.

1. Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free.

   You can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free by clicking the link below.

   

   EASEUS DATA RECOVERY WIZARD FREE DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new page from where you can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard)

2. Double-click on the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free setup file.

   When EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.

   

   You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow EaseUS to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free installation.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

   When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation begins, click on the “Install Now” as seen in the image below.
   

   When your EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation completes, click the “Start Now” button to start the program.
   

4. Select a location to start recovering the encrypted files.

   Choose the drive or folder where you are the encrypted files that you want to recover and click “Scan“.
   

5. Wait for the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan to complete.

   EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will now scan your computer files that can be restored. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
   

6. Find the files you want to recover.

   When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan is finished scanning it will show a screen that displays the files that can be recovered. This tool can recover a lot of data, use the “Filter” button to quickly filter specific file types and find the files that you want to recover.
   

   Click the “Preview” button or double-click on a file for a full preview.
   

7. Select your files and click “Recover”.

   Finally, select the the files you want to recover and click “Recover“.
   
   Choose a safe location to save all the files.
   
   The free version only allow you to recover 2 GB of data, however, this will allow you to recover the most important files and see if EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can correctly recover them.
   

Option 3: Try to restore your files with ShadowExplorer

This ransomware will attempt to delete all shadow copies when you first start any executable on your computer after becoming infected. Thankfully, the infection is not always able to remove the shadow copies, so you should continue to try restoring your files using this method.

1. Download ShadowExplorer.

   You can download ShadowExplorer from the below link.

   SHADOW EXPLORER DOWNLOAD LINK
   (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “ShadowExplorer”)

2. Install ShadowExplorer.

   Double-click on the ShadowExplorer-x.x-setup file to start the installation process, then follow the on-screen promts to install this program.
   

3. Select snapshot date.

   Open ShadowExplorer and then from the top bar select the drive where the files that you want to save are located, then select from the snapshot available one previous to this infection.

   

4. Export the files that you want to recover.

   Once you have found a copy of the original file or folder, right-click on it and the select “Export”. A window will prompt you where you want to save the file or folder.
   

Keep every .RDAT name exactly as it is. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT back to 1.jpg, or vacation.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT back to vacation.jpg, or invoice-2026.pdf.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT back to a normal PDF, or taxes.xlsx.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT back to a spreadsheet, or family.mp4.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT back to a video. Stripping the extra ending is not a repair. It can make a later trusted tool worse, not better. The original name is already sitting in front of .RDAT. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost.

Keep DAT_INFO.txt with the locked files, and keep at least one .RDAT sample next to it. Do not “clean up” every copy of the note. Do not fill in a $ amount so the flyer looks complete. The short slip, the pop-up text, and the branded names are how you prove this was Dharma-family RDAT and not a different locker that only sounds similar. Keep the contact marks as identifiers: dat@mailum.com, datret@tuta.com, @returndat, id-9ECFA84E, and the 3-file, 3Mb offer. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.

Do not pay. Do not email those inboxes. Do not message @returndat. Do not send 3 test files. Do not ask a friend to write them “just to see.” A missing $ on the note is still a ransom shop. A calm Telegram handle is still the people who locked the files. If a later message quotes DAT_INFO.txt and offers “the real price,” that is still the same shop. If a later message skips the original contacts and asks for coin over a different address, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.

If someone claims they can already decrypt RDAT files for a fee because they can recite id-9ECFA84E and the 3Mb rule, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention @returndat as proof they “already called the crew,” they read the same note you did. Do not answer. Do not complete their checkout. Do not help them fix the flyer.

If Windows still offers to pick an app for the .RDAT type, decline it. There is no player for that ending.

The Bottom Line

RDAT ransomware is a Dharma family locker with a readable filename, a short DAT_INFO.txt slip, and a pop-up that talks like a recovery desk. It keeps the old name and appends an ID, an inbox, and .RDAT. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.id-9ECFA84E.[dat@mailum.com].RDAT. The notes point you at dat@mailum.com, datret@tuta.com, and Telegram @returndat. They offer a 3-file demo under 3Mb. They print a 12-hour second door. They do not print a $ amount. They do not print a wallet. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain.

Do not pay. Do not email those inboxes. Do not message @returndat. Do not send 3 test files. Do not rename the pile in bulk. Keep DAT_INFO.txt and a .RDAT sample. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .RDAT, plus DAT_INFO.txt and a pop-up that names @returndat, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone offers to invent the missing $.