GozNym virus (Free Guide) - Removal Instructions

GozNym virus Removal Guide

What is GozNym virus?

GozNym virus is the banking malware targeting businesses and financial institutions in various countries since 2016

GozNym virusGozNym virus is the password-stealing malware that can be renewed and spread all over the internet. GozNym virus is a modified trojan that uses two known malicious programs to steal money from banks, credit unions, and other platforms. Ursnif and Nymaim are the malware programs used as examples in the coding of this malware. GozNym is designed as a virus that combines functions of dropper and banking trojan to achieve the malicious goal of stealing money from various accounts.

Trojans can perform online banking fraud, steal passwords, or different valuable information, credentials. This banking malware, in particular, is already known because victims suffer substantial financial losses due to this infection. Unfortunately, GozNym trojan contains malicious coding that also damages the system it infects, so various hackers may get access to the device and control the behavior of your PC remotely.

It was first spotted in April of 2016, but it was later determined that malware were active much earlier. It got developed in 2015 when the infections took first hits across the United States. The trojan developers gained more than $100 million from victims all over the world over the years. Although FBI and Europol have responsible people arrested and sentenced,[1] the malware can get distributed by other cybercriminals who either copy the coding of this threat or distribute the similar versions of the banking malware.

Name GozNym virus
Type Trojan, banking malware[2]
Tactics Installs malware with modified code, infects internet browsers and then spreads on the network
Targets Large businesses, financial companies, services
Known since 2015
Distribution Uses exploit kits, infected file attachments, and social engineering to get on the system. Other associated malware can spread the code of this virus directly
Developers At least ten citizens of Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, and Moldova have been linked with creating and distributing this malware
Elimination Download FortectIntego and remove GozNym virus from the system completely. Repeat the system scan to fix virus damage and clean the machine
Damage Stolen information can get used in later scams, for identity theft, further malicious campaigns[3]

GozNym virus is a threat that combines ransomware/ dropper qualities with banking trojan functionality. It works as a banking malware when it steals credentials needed for financial transactions and then initiates fraudulent transfers. Although primary attacks were launched on businesses and financial institutions, this virus can be used to perform fraud, laundering, and other conspiracies involving random people.

This hybrid trojan spreads mainly via spam email campaigns and targets countries all over the world. GozNym virus affects individual users and large businesses. The latter target makes more profit, so the cyber group focuses on large scale financial services and institutions. However, the attack remains the same regardless of the particular victim – virus steals banking credentials from victims' compromised computer.

GozNym virus belongs to the infrastructure of the Avalanche malware distribution network that is responsible for spreading severe cyber threats like the following:

You should be aware that GozNym Trojan emails spread around looking like legitimate emails from businesses, companies, and services, you may use on a daily basis. Experts[4] note that email spam campaigns get more advanced every month. Once the email is received an infected file attachment or malicious link redirects victim to a domain controlled by the criminal. This is how easy banking malware gets downloaded on the computer, you cannot even notice the process. GozNym trojanGozNym virus is the financial trojan that targets businesses and companies to steal large amounts of money from their accounts. Although people responsible for the distribution of this malware got arrested, or at least 10 of them, malware samples can be found on the internet and dark web is the place were hackers can obtain anything they want or need. The gang behind GozNym banking trojan might still be active and working on other campaigns.

There were tons of allegations and suspicious, conspiracy theories around this banking malware. It was believed that GozNym virus is a product of a mastermind from Georgia, Russian hackers, and Ukrainian criminals. However, this malware was created back in 2015 and have been active for years.

You should get an anti-malware tool and check the system, so you can have enough time to remove GozNym virus entirely from the machine. This virus involves phishing campaigns and exploits, malicious websites, so additional malware can easily get on your machine.

Get reliable tools for GozNym virus removal and clean the machine thoroughly. Attacks can lead to stolen money, sensitive data, and create more danger to your privacy. Employ FortectIntego for virus damage removal and make sure to keep the system safe by taking precautionary measures. GozNym banking malwareGozNym virus is a trojan that installs its code via web browser and steals various information from the victim. More than 40 000 people got victimized by the trojan throughout the years. GozNym Trojan infection can lead to various fraudulent campaigns, and virus may run other processes on the system that users cannot notice until it is too late. This malware is modified to have more functions than any other trojan:

The GozNym network exemplified the concept of cybercrime as a service, with different criminal services such as bulletproof hosters, money mules networks, crypters, spammers, coders, organizers, and technical support.

GozNym virus was created by advanced criminals who had many different roles in the process, so all of them made the malicious attack even more dangerous with the organizational tactics. Each person involved had the role of a coding expert, phishing email sender, or the person that manages all the transactions and financial gains.

There are plenty of malware creators who can obtain GozNym trojan code or create an identical virus and deliver that as a new strain to victims across the world. Stay away from any shady websites, phishing emails, and fake programs that may lead to such infections.

Malicious file attachments and direct links load malware on the system automatically

Email campaigns get used for delivering malware for ages now and scammers, cybercriminals get even more advanced and mart about this method of virus spreading. Emails in such attacks get designed to look like legitimate notifications from companies or services like eBay, DHL, FedEx, or even businesses related to the particular target.

Scammers use these emails and attach files or links to them. Once the file gets downloaded and opened, or a hyperlink clicked, the victim is redirected to the domain served by hackers where the automatic trojan installation is triggered. Files attached to such emails ca differ from images, PDFs, sound files, documents.

If you get asked to enable any content on the email itself, suggested to download something from the shady website or the link included int he notification is shortened, so you cannot see the website's name, pay close attention to such email. If you receive an email that was not expected to come, make sure to delete it before opening.

You need to terminate GozNym trojan as soon as possible and with proper tools

GozNym virus is the threat can install other malware, especially when the initial info-stealing tactics fail. This silent intruder easily can load ransomware on the machine and affect the performance significantly. Also, such threats damage the machine, result in privacy, money loss, or even permanently corrupted device.

You should immediately try to remove GozNym virus when you can see that your device is running slower or crashing from time to time out of nowhere. Get the reliable anti-malware tool and scan the machine thoroughly with the program, so it can detect all the intruders.

When system check results come in, you can perform GozNym virus removal with one of these: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, or Malwarebytes. After the process, make sure to double-check with another system scan and clean additional malware or fix virus damage that trojan may have caused.

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What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of GozNym virus. Follow these steps

Manual removal using Safe Mode

Reboot the system in Safe Mode to have the advantage of eliminating GozNym virus completely

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
  1. Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
  2. 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.
  3. Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list. Windows 7/XP
Windows 10 / Windows 8
  1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
    Settings
  2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
    Update and security
  3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
  4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
  5. Click Restart now.
    Reboot
  6. Select Troubleshoot. Choose an option
  7. Go to Advanced options. Advanced options
  8. Select Startup Settings. Startup settings
  9. Press Restart.
  10. Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking. Enable safe mode

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:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details.
    Open task manager
  3. Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
  4. Right-click and select Open file location.
    Open file location
  5. Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
    End task
  6. Delete the contents of the malicious folder.

Step 3. Check program Startup

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Go to Startup tab.
  3. Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
    Startup

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:

  1. Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
    Disk cleanup
  2. 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).
  3. Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:

    Temporary Internet Files
    Downloads
    Recycle Bin
    Temporary files

  4. Pick Clean up system files.
    Delete temp files
  5. 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.

Remove GozNym using System Restore

System Restore feature can recover the machine in a previous state when GozNym trojan was not present

  • Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
    Windows 7 / Vista / XP
    1. Click Start Shutdown Restart OK.
    2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
    3. Select Command Prompt from the list Select 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt'

    Windows 10 / Windows 8
    1. Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
    2. Now select Troubleshoot Advanced options Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
    3. Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window. Select 'Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt'
  • Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
    1. Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter. Enter 'cd restore' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    2. Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again.. Enter 'rstrui.exe' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    3. When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of GozNym. After doing that, click Next. When 'System Restore' window shows up, select 'Next' Select your restore point and click 'Next'
    4. Now click Yes to start system restore. Click 'Yes' and start system restore
    Once you restore your system to a previous date, download and scan your computer with FortectIntego and make sure that GozNym removal is performed successfully.

Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from GozNym and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes

How to prevent from getting trojans

Protect your privacy – employ a VPN

There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals. 

No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool

If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.

If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.

About the author
Jake Doevan
Jake Doevan - Computer technology expert

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