How to remove Fonix ransomware

Fonix ransomware uses the extension pattern model that is similar to Ouroborus

Fonix ransomware (a.k.a. FonixCrypter) has been uncovered in early June 2020 by a famous ransomware researcher Micahel Gillespie^[1]. The first sample of this deadly dangerous virus has been uploaded into the VirusTotal^[2] scanner a day ago, which showed a high-detection rate – 54 out of 74 AV engines can quarantine the infection. However, having a powerful AV engine does not assure the block of the ransomware payload because it's initial expression may not be recognized as malicious. 

Unfortunately, the Fonix ransomware payload can spread in camouflage with fake email messages or brute-forced into targeted PCs via unprotected RDPs. If the payload is launched, the ransomware unravels itself in three phases, i.e. infiltration, encryption, and emersion.

According to researchers, the pattern of encryption is reminiscent of the one used by Ouroboros ransomware. The ransomware locks files using a strong combination of Salsa20and RSA 4098 ciphers and appends .FONIX file extension to locked files. The email addresses for contacting the criminals behind this ransomware are fonix@tuta.io and fonix@mailfence.com, though the general information reaches victims in the form of a HowTo Decrypt Files.hta ransom note.  

Fonix virus is considered to be v6 variant of Ouroborus due to the similarities of the file extension patterning. However, such speculations haven't been confirmed yet since an unfamiliar footer of the encrypted files (x2 0x100 blobs as base64 ASCII w/ colon delims) has been spotted.

Disregarding the geology, the Fonix ransomware belongs to the group of crypto-malware, meaning that it's sole purpose to attack as many people as possible and extort money out of their pockets. The size of the redemption is not clarified, those it typically starts with $490 if the victim contacts criminals in less than 48hours and then gets doubled. 

For more information on Fonix decryption possibilities, the victims are supposed to contact criminals via fonix@tuta.io or fonix@mailfence.com emails. However, experts from senzavirus.it^[3] and others do not recommend contacting criminals at all and stress the fact that it's not an official contract that would grant that the payment will be followed by data decryption. 

Instead of the payment, you should focus on a full Fonix ransomware removal. This malicious cyber infection is not very likely to refuse its position quite easily. When it uncovers the package of the malicious entries, they are scattered in various system's locations, including: 

• C:Windows
• C:Program Files
• C:Users/[current user]/AppDataRoamingMicrosoft
• C:\Windows\System32

Finding and decontaminating malicious entries manually is not possible. The only way to remove Fonix ransomware completely is to scan the machine with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, or another professional anti-malware tool. However, it's advisable to prepare cold storage for the files encrypted by this malicious crypto-virus. As we have already pointed out, this virus can successfully be quarantined by 53 AV tools out of 73 and the most common detections are as follows:

• Win32:Malware-gen
• TR/Diss.cxjcx
• A Variant Of Generik.IZSVMDG
• Trojan.Win32.Diss.suvbu
• Mal/VMProtBad-A
• Trojan.GenericKD.43207004
• Trojan.Encoder.31902
• Trojan.GenericKD.43207004 (B), etc. 

In case AV engine flags any file running on your machine as malicious and report any of the above-listed names, take immediate actions to remove Fonix from the machine. Reboot the system into Safe Mode and set the antivirus to perform a thorough scan. 

The .fonix file extension virus creators try to scare their victims into transferring the ransom using the intimidation strategy. They generate a ransom note HowTo Decrypt Files.hta on the machine's desktop and list the conditions and threatening not to try renaming or decrypting files manually because a permanent file loss is imminent.

While this may be true, we recommend making backups of the files locked with .fonix extension virus on an external HDD storage, get rid of the ransomware, and them render third-party data recovery software for data recovery. 

ALL YOUR FILES HAS BEEN ENCRYPTED!!!

All your important files like photoes, documents, audios and etc has been encrypted by FonixCrypter using strong cryptography algorithms Salsa20and RSA 4098

Decryption key is hold in our server

!!Recovery tools and other software will not help you !!

The only way to receive your key and decrypt your files is the payment with bitcoin
You have to 48 hours(2 Day) To contact or paying us

After that, you have to Pay Double!!
Our Email = fonix@tuta.io in case of no answer in 24 hours  write us to this Email = fonix@mailfence.com if you don't know how to buy bitcoin you can use this link.
The easiest way to buy bitcoin is local Bitcoins.

Note:  Before payment, you can contact with us and send  1 free small file (size less 2Mb) as decryption test
The test files shouldn't contain valuable data like large  SQL or Backup files.

ATTENTIONS :Don't  delete any files or rename encrypted files

– If you using other applications to decrypt, it may damage your files
– Don't find your backups? they have been Successfully encrypted too or securly wiped.

Regards-FonixTeam

Spam email attachments carry malicious script in the disguise of the legitimate-looking files

The prevalence of the ransomware depends very much on the methods that their developers use for the distribution. Targetted attacks against the business sector are most frequently arranged in advance planning brute-force attacks via unprotected RDPs or other security gaps. Therefore, server administrators must take an obligation to take precautionary steps against cyber attacks by ensuring full update of the software, no vulnerabilities, the most powerful threat protection, strong password protected RDPs, etc. 

However, even though criminals want easy money by attacking companies and demanding thousands in exchange for the decryption software, individual home users are no less endangered. Through the year of 2019, criminals managed to infect over 11.5 billion computers^[4] and the most successful way for infecting PCs is spam. 

Criminals launch spam emails impersonate legitimate companies and organizations. For example, people may get email messages from FedEx saying “See the order confirmation attached.” However, such and similar attachments contain malicious scripts that demand enabling macros. That's a catch since not a macros get enabled, but a ransomware payload.

Thus, if you see a suspicious message in your inbox, do not open its attachment. Analyze the email for grammar mistakes and double-check the sender. In case of any suspicions arise, send the email to spam to protect your machine and data from attacks. 

Fonix ransomware removal will not help to recover files but prevents downloads of other viruses

Fonix ransomware removal is a must. This intruder causes much damage to the machine by disabling some functions, such as security software, and increase vulnerabilities to open backdoor access to other cyber threats, such as Trojans or spyware. For that reason, you do not postpone ransomware elimination. 

To remove Fonix ransomware virus from the Windows system once and for all, you need to launch the AV scanner while the system is booted in Safe Mode with Networking. However, before launching the scanner, make sure that the software is updated and has the latest virus definitions. Our recommended tools for that purpose are SpyHunterCombo Cleaner and MalwarebytesMalwarebytes.  

While the Fonix removal may not be a difficult task for the AV tool, the recovery of the system itself is a bit more intricate procedure that should be performed with a dedicated repair tool. Therefore, upon full virus decontamination, run a scan with FortectIntego to recover Windows Registries and other important files that could have been damaged.