Files on my external drive have changed from .doc to .DOC.hjkcbvn

Hello,

I accessed my WD external drive tonight in search of some Word docs only to discover that every Word doc on the drive has changed from .doc to .DOC.hjkcbvn. When I try to open the files there is just a bunch of jibberish.

I am accessing the external drive using a Windows 7 64-bit Dell Latitude. I'm wondering if there is any way to undo this extension so that I can read my documents again. As an experiment I renamed a couple of the files (to .doc and .txt, respectively) but this did not resolve the issue and the jibberish remained when I opened the files in Word and Notepad. Windows scanned the drive for issues but none were identified. I tried to restore the drive to a previous version but there are no restore points from which to choose.

I also searched the Web but was unable to find any forums specific to this issue, so I'm hoping you might be able to assist. Would appreciate any help you may offer. Thanks so much-

 

You never completed your thread in malware
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=281288

so if you still had something residing on your computer, it could affect the files on your external hard drive.

Since the hjkcbvn extension brings up zero results, except for this thread. I suspect malware.
I look and see hj and wonder if that stands for high jack. You could have ransomeware. This would encrypt your files and not allow you to open them until you pay the ransom.

Go back to the malware thread and do the things that chaslang requested in his last post. After he looks at those, ask about your external hard drive and the files you can't open.

 

Unfortunately the laptop that I was referencing in this post...

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=281288

is no longer functioning. I'm having this new issue with a different laptop (a Dell Latitude E6430). Would you recommend that for this current issue I should go back to the former thread and follow the advice on that thread? Just want to make sure.

Thanks-

 

If it is a different computer, then start a new thread in malware.
You are the 2nd person today that has some nonsense 7 letter extension tacked on to all doc files.
It might be some new variation of malware because I can find nothing about an added extension added to all doc files.