Enigma ransomware virus: what it is and how to remove it
Enigma virus was detected at the end of April 2016. It is obvious that it uses a name similar to a well-known software developer called Enigma Software.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Enigma ransomware virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Ransom note | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Contact | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Encrypted file extension | .enigma |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 9 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | Enigma ransomware virus |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | Files renamed with a new extension |
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| Encrypted files | .enigma |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 6 October 2026) |
| First seen | 11 October 2016 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
- File extension:
.enigma
From our report of Oct 2016 · not reviewed since
What Enigma ransomware virus is
Enigma virus was detected at the end of April 2016.
It is obvious that it uses a name similar to a well-known software developer called Enigma Software. Most probably, the name of this virus was selected according to a first cryptographic machine called "Enigma machine."
However, there is no guarantee that people behind Enigma ransomware are not seeking to manipulate the name of the reputable anti-spyware maker and discredit its product. If you are infected with this cyber threat, you can always rely on and use it for malicious files' removal.
How does Enigma virus operate?
Enigma virus, which falls into ransomware category, seems to be hostile to the Russian-speaking computer users. Once installed on the computer system, it checks what is the default language of the computer. If it is Russian, Enigma malware starts its activities right away.
If it's not, it simply terminates itself. Once it determines that the computer user speaks Russian language, it starts scanning the entire computer system and searches for audio, video files, images, documents, and basically all types of victim's files. Then it encrypts them using AES crypto-algorithm.
Once it encrypts a file, it also adds .enigma extension to the filename. In the beginning of October 2016, new versions of Enigma virus has been spotted, and these add a different file extension to encrypted files - .1txt file extension.
Once Enigma ransomware finishes with the encryption process, it launches enigma.hta file, which opens up in Internet Explorer. This file is the so-called ransom note, which informs the user about what has happened to the computer and what needs to be done in order to recover the encrypted data.
The ransom note is written in the Russian language, and it instructs the victim to install the Tor Browser, enter a particular website and upload .RSA file that came with the virus. When the victim uploads this file, he enters an Internet site that introduces him/her with the cost of the decryption key that is required for data decryption.
An interesting fact is that Enigma virus provides a chat box to speak with the cyber criminals directly. However, no matter how valuable your files are, do not rush to pay the ransom (crooks ask for 0.4273 BTC, which is approximately 200 USD).
The developers of this malware have left a flaw in this virus - if the user has enabled Windows UAC on the computer, the virus will show a "User Account Control" prompt, which gives the user two options - either agree or disagree on allowing the "following program" make changes on the computer.
In case the victim clicks No, the virus encrypts files but leaves Volume Shadow Copies untouched, and these copies can be used for data recovery. Therefore, if you have clicked "No," all you need to do now is to remove Enigma ransomware.
If you are not a skillful computer user, we do not recommend you to deal with this virus on your own. You can quickly eliminate this virus with a help of anti-malware software like .
How Enigma ransomware virus behaves
From our report of Oct 2016 · not reviewed since
How did Enigma ransomware infect your computer?
Ransomware viruses mostly spread via spam emails.
Cyber criminals usually send mass emails including malicious attachments, so we advise you to stay away from emails that are sent by people you do not know in person. If you open such malicious email attachment, Enigma virus will be immediately installed on your computer system.
We have discovered that Enigma ransomware arrives in a form of HTML document, which, once the victim opens it, launches in default Internet browser and executes a JavaScript file. Then it drops Свидетельство о регистрации частного предприятия.js file on victim's computer system and asks the victim to open it. If the victim opens this file, the malware starts the encryption process.
However, downloading malicious email attachments is not the only way to infect your PC with Enigma ransomware. Crooks also spread this virus via malvertising, so you should stay away from untrustworthy download websites, and especially from suspicious pop-up ads that suggest you to update Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat or other well-known programs.
These bogus updates usually include malicious attachments. If your computer has been affected by Enigma malware already, do not waste any time and eliminate it. To find out how to remove this virus and recover your files, follow Enigma removal guide (given below).
UPDATED on October 11: It seems that scammers use even more advanced techniques to distribute ransomware, and in this case, it has been spotted that such malicious software can be dropped on the computer after one of the most infamous adware-type programs installs it. Adware programs suspected for malware distribution are these: OpenCandy and Dealphy.
How to remove Enigma ransomware virus
Tools you'll need
All of these are free except where noted. Download them on a clean device if the infected PC is offline.
- A USB stick: to keep the ransom note, two or three encrypted files and screenshots off the infected PC.
- Microsoft Defender Offline: built into Windows 11 and Windows 10; scans before Windows starts, so running malware cannot hide.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a second, portable scanner with current signatures; each download works for 10 days.
- ID Ransomware: identifies the family from the note and one encrypted file and says whether a decryptor exists.
- No More Ransom: the free decryptors from police and security companies; check it again every few months.
- Fortect (optional): scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. The free scan is in the box above.
How to remove Enigma ransomware virus and get your files back
Work in this order.
Disconnecting comes first, removal comes before any restore, and nothing here asks you to contact the attackers.
Step 1: Disconnect the PC and unplug backup drives
Enigma ransomware virus encrypts everything it can reach, including drives and shares you connect later. Cut the network first: cable out, or Wi-Fi off from the taskbar.
Then unplug every USB stick and backup disk and pause cloud sync, so the encrypted versions do not replace your online copies. Do not reconnect any of them until the ransomware is removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: turn off Wi-Fi to take the PC offline. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 2: Save the ransom note and identify the family
Find the ransom note, usually a
.txt,.htmlor .hta file in every folder or on the desktop, and copy it with one or two encrypted files to a USB stick.From another device, upload them to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom's Crypto Sheriff, which name the family from the note and the file extension. Write down the contact address and your personal ID from the note for the report.
Warning: Never contact the attackers from the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: the ransom note and encrypted files to copy for identification. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 3: Check for a free decryptor
For Enigma ransomware virus, no free decryptor is known (checked 6 October 2026). Search the family name in the No More Ransom decryption tools list and in the free decryptors of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, because new tools appear years after an attack.
Important: Keep the encrypted files even if nothing works today, and do not pay before every free option is ruled out: payment does not guarantee a working key.
Decryptors run on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but only after the ransomware itself is removed.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Restoring or decrypting files while Enigma ransomware virus still runs lets it encrypt them again. Run a Full scan in Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
If the ransomware blocks Windows Security, start Safe Mode with Networking and scan from there. Some families install a password stealer as well, so let both scans finish on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 5: Look for shadow copies of the files
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
vssadmin list shadows. If it lists copies dated before the attack, right-click a folder with encrypted files in File Explorer, choose Properties > Previous Versions, and open or restore a version from before that date.ShadowExplorer, a free tool, shows the same copies when the tab is empty or hidden. Most current families delete shadow copies, so an empty list is normal, but the check takes two minutes on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: vssadmin list shadows shows whether shadow copies exist. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 6: Restore the files from a backup or recover deleted originals
Restore from an external backup, File History or OneDrive's version history, choosing a date before the attack. Connect the backup drive only after the scans are clean, or the ransomware encrypts it too.
If there is no backup, file recovery software can sometimes find the deleted originals, because some ransomware writes an encrypted copy and deletes the original file.
Stop writing to the drive and try recovery on Windows 11 or Windows 10 before new files overwrite the space.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
From our report of Oct 2016 · not reviewed since
Uninstall Enigma ransomware and decrypt your files
As we have mentioned on page 1, you can delete Enigma virus with an automatic malware removal software (for instance, ).
For users who do not want to obtain a malware removal tool, we have prepared a manual Enigma removal tutorial. You can find it below this article. Make sure you completely remove this computer infection before you attempt to recover your files using Volume Shadow Copies.
If your files have been locked by ransomware virus, do not rush to pay up. Ransomware are humans, and they make mistakes, too, and it would simply be wrong not to take advantage of these mistakes. There is a slight chance that you can recover your files from Volume Shadow Copies, so remove Enigma malware first and then follow instructions provided below:
Recover encrypted data using ShadowExplorer
If you're lucky, the virus hasn't deleted Volume Shadow Copies, which are essential for those who wish to restore their precious files charge-free. To find out if there are any remains of these copies, follow these instructions:
Report it and recover your files
Report it
Report the attack even if you do not expect the files back: insurers and banks ask for the report number, and police use the contacts in the note to link cases.
- United States
- FBI IC3 · FTC ReportFraud
- United Kingdom
- Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) · NCSC
- Australia
- ReportCyber (ASD)
- EU countries
- Europol: national reporting sites
Give the victim ID, the note and the date the files were encrypted. A business that holds personal data may also have to notify its data protection authority, in the EU within 72 hours.
Protect the files you restore
Restore only after the scans are clean and the PC no longer shows files that end in .enigma and no longer open; otherwise the restored copies can be damaged again.
Then build a backup that survives the next infection:
- one copy in the cloud with version history
- one on an external drive that is disconnected between backups
- the working copy on the PC
Version history matters because a backup that syncs damaged files overwrites the good ones.
How to do this with the tools built into Windows: the 3-2-1 backup rule on Windows.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
Questions about Enigma ransomware virus
Is there a decryptor for .enigma files?
That depends on the family behind the .enigma extension, which this guide cannot confirm yet from the reports alone. Check No More Ransom and ID Ransomware with your ransom note and one encrypted file; they list families with free tools.
If none exists today, keep the encrypted files and a copy of the note on a separate drive, because decryptors are sometimes published months later after flaws are found or servers are seized. Never buy a decryptor from a website that is not the security company that made it.
How do I open .enigma files?
You cannot open them by renaming or by choosing another program. The .enigma ending shows that Enigma ransomware virus encrypted the content, and only the matching key can reverse it. Renaming a file back to .docx or .jpg changes nothing except the icon, and it can confuse a future decryptor, so leave the names as they are.
To get the content back, use a backup, an unencrypted copy elsewhere, or a decryptor listed on No More Ransom if one exists for Enigma ransomware virus. Store the encrypted files on an external disk until then.
Can a data-recovery company decrypt my files for a fee?
Only if a decryptor already exists or the company pays the attackers for you. Some "ransomware recovery" services advertise that they can decrypt families with no known flaw; in practice they negotiate with the attackers and add their own fee. Others use the same free tools listed on No More Ransom.
Before you hire anyone, ask in writing how they will recover the files, whether they will contact the attackers and what happens if they fail. A legitimate service answers clearly. If a free decryptor exists for your family, you can run it yourself.
Should I pay the ransom?
We advise against it, and so do the FBI, Europol and national cyber agencies. Payment does not guarantee a working tool: some attackers never reply, some tools damage files, and some variants have no decryptor at all. Paying also funds further attacks and can make you a target again.
Before considering payment, try every recovery option in this guide and report the attack. Companies must involve their legal adviser and insurer, because payments to sanctioned groups can be illegal. If files are truly irreplaceable, store the encrypted copies and wait; decryptors sometimes appear later.
How did Enigma ransomware virus get on my computer?
The way Enigma ransomware virus spreads has not been documented yet, so look at your own recent activity. On home PCs, ransomware most often comes with cracked programs, game cheats, key generators and fake updates, or with an e-mail attachment that was opened. On business networks, attackers usually log in through Remote Desktop with a stolen or guessed password.
Think back to what was downloaded or installed in the days before files that end in .enigma and no longer open, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Did Enigma ransomware virus steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by Enigma ransomware virus, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .enigma and no longer open, which says nothing about what happened before. Many current ransomware attacks copy files or run a password stealer first, so it is wise to act as if they did.
From a clean device, change the passwords that were saved in the browsers on this PC, starting with e-mail and banking, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification. Watch bank statements and account activity for the next few weeks.
Is Enigma ransomware virus the same as other ransomware with a similar name?
Not necessarily. Ransomware names come from the file extension, the note or a word in the code, so unrelated families often end up with similar names, and one family can appear under several names. The difference matters: a decryptor or advice for one family does not fit another and can damage files.
Compare the ending added to your files and the exact name of the note with the summary table at the top of this guide, then upload the note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware from a clean device. If the result names another family, follow the guide for that family instead.
Should I reinstall Windows after the .enigma attack?
Reinstalling removes the ransomware but not the encryption: your files ending in .enigma stay encrypted afterwards. So first copy the encrypted files and the ransom note to a separate drive, in case a decryptor appears later. Then decide:
- a clean-up with an offline scan is often enough for home PCs
- while a full reset is safer if remote access was involved
- scans keep finding new items
Restore your backups only after the PC is clean, and change passwords from another device.
If I delete Enigma ransomware virus, do my files come back?
Unfortunately not. Deleting the program only ends the attack; every file that already has the .enigma ending stays encrypted, because decryption needs a key that only the attackers hold.
That is why this guide separates removal from recovery. First make sure Enigma ransomware virus is gone with an offline scan, then work through the recovery list:
- backups
- OneDrive history
- Previous Versions
- copies on other devices and
- if one exists
- a decryptor
Do not rename or edit the encrypted files in the meantime, and keep them even if nothing works today.
Will Fortect remove Enigma ransomware virus?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Enigma ransomware virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 6, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)