Vfgj file virus (Free Guide) - Quick Decryption Solution
Vfgj file virus Removal Guide
What is Vfgj file virus?
Vfgj ransomware is the infection encoding commonly used files with the intention to get money from victims directly
The infection focuses on file encryption and direct cryptocurrency demands
Vfgj virus blocks access to files like images, documents, audio, or video data. The process is called encryption, and during it original code of the data is altered, so files become scrambled. The worst issue with this threat is direct money demands that appear in the ransom note placed on the system in the form of _readme.txt. This is the file containing particular demands and instructions for the victims.
This threat is coming from the well-known virus family that releases new versions all the time. The name of the ransom note and the contents of that message are not changed since 2019. The only thing that virus creators alter every time is the file appendix. In this case, encrypted files receive the .vfgj file marker, hence the name of the Vfgj file virus.
When files get renamed, the virus is done with the file locking procedure, but there are additional activities that ransomware can run on the computer besides encryption. This is one of the most dangerous threats for a reason. The threat can ensure the persistence with various alterations in system folders and damage caused to settings, so the sooner this threat is removed, the better.
Name | Vfgj ransomware |
---|---|
Type | Cryptovirus, file-locker |
Family | STOP virus/ Djvu ransomware |
Extension | .vfgj |
Ransom note | _readme.txt |
Ransom amount | $490/$980 |
Contact emails | manager@mailtemp.ch, helprestoremanager@airmail.cc |
Distribution | Files with the payload get added to pirating software packages or as attachments to spam emails |
Elimination | The threat can be removed using anti-malware tools like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes |
Repair | Malware can trigger changes and file corruption, so FortectIntego can help repair issues with files and performance |
More about the cryptocurrency-extortion threat
If your device has gotten affected by malware and your operating system is blocked, it's likely the hackers who created this virus will never give up their tools for file recovery. In order to get back what was lost, paying them could be an option, and criminals behind the Vfgj virus claim that this is the only solution.
This information is delivered via _readme.txt ransom note which also lists contact emails for contacting the criminals. If you want your files back, you should pay them $980. Criminals try to convince people with a 50% discount during the first 72 hours but it's just tricking them into thinking they can get their data back.
The ransom note lists the contact information as manager@mailtemp.ch, helprestoremanager@airmail.cc. Before paying a ransom, victims can send one encrypted file and get it decrypted for free! Or at least Vfgj file virus creators state so. Experts[1] never recommend contacting criminals that rely on such tactics.
The ransom note reads;
ATTENTION!
Don't worry, you can return all your files!
All your files like pictures, databases, documents and other important are encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key.
The only method of recovering files is to purchase decrypt tool and unique key for you.
This software will decrypt all your encrypted files.
What guarantees you have?
You can send one of your encrypted file from your PC and we decrypt it for free.
But we can decrypt only 1 file for free. File must not contain valuable information.
You can get and look video overview decrypt tool:
hxxps://we.tl/t-ZYodHvPkHI
Price of private key and decrypt software is $980.
Discount 50% available if you contact us first 72 hours, that's price for you is $490.
Please note that you'll never restore your data without payment.
Check your e-mail “Spam” or “Junk” folder if you don't get answer more than 6 hours.To get this software you need write on our e-mail:
manager@mailtemp.chReserve e-mail address to contact us:
helprestoremanager@airmail.ccYour personal ID:
Elimination of the dangerous threat
Unfortunately, once a user has contacted the Vfgj ransomware virus authors about their locked data and provided personal ID information, there is a risk that threat actors can send malware instead of the decryption tool. Criminals will sometimes provide further instructions on how payment should go through Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
Threat actors can pose as trustworthy before they disappear into anonymity again with no way of knowing whether funds were actually received. Criminals only care about money. Remove Vfgj ransomware instead of paying these criminals. This can help terminate malicious processes and avoid further damage.
The best way to combat this is by clearing the infection properly from the machine. Tools like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes can find the threat, and detection[2] tools can expose various threats on the machine. Once the list of malicious applications gets displayed, you can remove all found infections.
The main worry for victims is to get their files back but removing the threat is crucial
Vfgj file virus infection is not the sort of thing you want to take lightly. The family is known for accessing user machines without permission and encrypting all files on them, which gives cybercriminals plenty of power over your computer system. It is completely normal that you are worried about your files. However, before doing anything else with the data affected by infection, the threat needs to be removed first!
Once a computer is infected with Vfgj ransomware, its system is changed to operate differently. For example, an infection can alter the Windows registry database, damage vital bootup, and other sections, delete or corrupt DLL files, etc. If the system file is damaged by malware, antivirus software is not capable of doing anything about it, leaving it just the way it is.
Therefore, we highly recommend using a one-of-a-kind, patented technology of FortectIntego repair. Not only can it fix virus damage after the infection, but it is also capable of removing malware that has already broken into the system thanks to several engines used by the program. Besides, the application is also capable of fixing various Windows-related issues that are not caused by malware infections, for example, Blue Screen errors, freezes, registry errors, damaged DLLs, etc.
- Download the application by clicking on the link above
- Click on the ReimageRepair.exe
- If User Account Control (UAC) shows up, select Yes
- Press Install and wait till the program finishes the installation process
- The analysis of your machine will begin immediately
- Once complete, check the results – they will be listed in the Summary
- You can now click on each of the issues and fix them manually
- If you see many problems that you find difficult to fix, we recommend you purchase the license and fix them automatically.
Additional tips when dealing with the threat
Vfgj virus attacks Windows computers by utilizing various infiltration methods. The most common ones are files with malicious code, which can be added to emails as attachments or included in pirating packages and injections. STOP/Djvu family have been known for these particular tactics involving Adobe software cracks and game cheats for NBA games.
These recent versions like Miia, Vgkf, Dehd were delivered using deceptive and stealthy methods too. Keeping the threat can lead to secondary encryption and other security or financial issues. However, there is more to this infection than only common file encryption and Vfgj file virus damage.
Some ransomware might modify Windows hosts file in order to prevent users from accessing certain websites online. For example, Djvu ransomware variants add dozens of entries containing URLs of security-related websites, such as 2-spyware.com. Each of the entries means that users will not be able to access the listed web addresses and will receive an error instead.
Here's an example of “hosts” file entries that were injected by ransomware:
In order to restore your ability to access all websites without restrictions, you should either delete the file (Windows will automatically recreate it) or remove all the malware-created entries. If you have never touched the “hosts” file before, you should simply delete it by marking it and pressing Shift + Del on your keyboard. For that, navigate to the following location:
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\
File repair after the Vfgj ransomware infection
Vfgj ransomware can be involved in double-extortion[3] campaigns and cause much more issues. You need to remove the infection and try to repair the performance before any changes regarding those encoded files. Once you are done, there are a few options for you.
Ransomware is starting to make waves in the malware world. Unlike other more classic types of malware, this one isn't detected by anti-virus programs, and it can be difficult for users without technical knowledge to find and terminate the malware. It is difficult to access the credentials needed when trying to crack the encrypted files too. Especially since the family relies on online identification systems.
Offline IDs are created for all devices related to a single version, and online keys get developed separately, making the latest versions like this Vfgj file virus – unbreakable without an Activation Key. The official decryption tool that is available cannot be useful for all of the victims, but try to check if that is useful for you.
The difference between an offline key and an online ID determines how easy it is to recover affected data on the machine. Such ransomware is a seriously dangerous virus that affects the machine significantly. You need to be sure it's no longer present and active so you can get back those damaged files.
Make sure to remove the Vfgj file virus properly and then, only then, move to the file recovery. Threats can be removed using SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes and other security tools. Then clear the corrupted files using FortectIntego and move on to using your data backups or alternate measures.
Getting rid of Vfgj file virus. Follow these steps
Use Emsisoft decrytor for Djvu/STOP
If your computer got infected with one of the Djvu variants, you should try using Emsisoft decryptor for Djvu/STOP. It is important to mention that this tool will not work for everyone – it only works if data was locked with an offline ID due to malware failing to communicate with its remote servers.
Even if your case meets this condition, somebody from the victims has to pay criminals, retrieve an offline key, and then share it with security researchers at Emsisoft. As a result, you might not be able to restore the encrypted files immediately. Thus, if the decryptor says your data was locked with an offline ID but cannot be recovered currently, you should try later. You also need to upload a set of files – one encrypted and a healthy one to the company's servers before you proceed.
- Download the app from the official Emsisoft website.
- After pressing Download button, a small pop-up at the bottom, titled decrypt_STOPDjvu.exe should show up – click it.
- If User Account Control (UAC) message shows up, press Yes.
- Agree to License Terms by pressing Yes.
- After Disclaimer shows up, press OK.
- The tool should automatically populate the affected folders, although you can also do it by pressing Add folder at the bottom.
- Press Decrypt.
From here, there are three available outcomes:
- “Decrypted!” will be shown under files that were decrypted successfully – they are now usable again.
- “Error: Unable to decrypt file with ID:” means that the keys for this version of the virus have not yet been retrieved, so you should try later.
- “This ID appears to be an online ID, decryption is impossible” – you are unable to decrypt files with this tool.
Important steps to take before you begin malware removal
File encryption and ransomware infection are two independent processes (although the latter would not be possible without the former). However, it is important to understand that malware performs various changes within a Windows operating system, fundamentally changing the way it works.
IMPORTANT for those without backups! →
If you attempt to use security or recovery software immediately, you might permanently damage your files, and even a working decryptor then would not be able to save them.
Before you proceed with the removal instructions below, you should copy the encrypted files onto a separate medium, such as USB flash drive or SSD, and then disconnect them from your computer. Encrypted data does not hold any malicious code, so it is safe to transfer to other devices.
The instructions below might initially seem overwhelming and complicated, but they are not difficult to understand as long as you follow each step in the appropriate order. This comprehensive free guide will help you to handle the malware removal and data recovery process correctly.
If you have any questions, comments, or are having troubles with following the instructions, please do not hesitate to contact us via the Ask Us section.
IMPORTANT! →
It is vital to eliminate malware infection from the computer fully before starting the data recovery process, otherwise ransomware might re-encrypt retrieved files from backups repeatedly.
Restore files using data recovery software
Since many users do not prepare proper data backups prior to being attacked by ransomware, they might often lose access to their files permanently. Paying criminals is also very risky, as they might not fulfill the promises and never send back the required decryption tool.
While this might sound terrible, not all is lost – data recovery software might be able to help you in some situations (it highly depends on the encryption algorithm used, whether ransomware managed to complete the programmed tasks, etc.). Since there are thousands of different ransomware strains, it is immediately impossible to tell whether third-party software will work for you.
Therefore, we suggest trying regardless of which ransomware attacked your computer. Before you begin, several pointers are important while dealing with this situation:
- Since the encrypted data on your computer might permanently be damaged by security or data recovery software, you should first make backups of it – use a USB flash drive or another storage.
- Only attempt to recover your files using this method after you perform a scan with anti-malware software.
Install data recovery software
- Download Data Recovery Pro.
- Double-click the installer to launch it.
- Follow on-screen instructions to install the software.
- As soon as you press Finish, you can use the app.
- Select Everything or pick individual folders where you want the files to be recovered from.
- Press Next.
- At the bottom, enable Deep scan and pick which Disks you want to be scanned.
- Press Scan and wait till it is complete.
- You can now pick which folders/files to recover – don't forget you also have the option to search by the file name!
- Press Recover to retrieve your files.
Create data backups to avoid file loss in the future
One of the many countermeasures for home users against ransomware is data backups. Even if your Windows get corrupted, you can reinstall everything from scratch and retrieve files from backups with minimal losses overall. Most importantly, you would not have to pay cybercriminals and risk your money as well.
Therefore, if you have already dealt with a ransomware attack, we strongly advise you to prepare backups for future use. There are two options available to you:
- Backup on a physical external drive, such as a USB flash drive or external HDD.
- Use cloud storage services.
The first method is not that convenient, however, as backups need to constantly be updated manually – although it is very reliable. Therefore, we highly advise choosing cloud storage instead – it is easy to set up and efficient to sustain. The problem with it is that storage space is limited unless you want to pay for the subscription.
Using Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is a built-in tool that comes with every modern Windows version. By default, you get 5 GB of storage that you can use for free. You can increase that storage space, but for a price. Here's how to setup backups for OneDrive:
- Click on the OneDrive icon within your system tray.
- Select Help & Settings > Settings.
- If you don't see your email under the Account tab, you should click Add an account and proceed with the on-screen instructions to set yourself up.
- Once done, move to the Backup tab and click Manage backup.
- Select Desktop, Documents, and Pictures, or a combination of whichever folders you want to backup.
- Press Start backup.
After this, all the files that are imported into the above-mentioned folders will be automatically backed for you. If you want to add other folders or files, you have to do that manually. For that, open File Explorer by pressing Win + E on your keyboard, and then click on the OneDrive icon. You should drag and drop folders you want to backup (or you can use Copy/Paste as well).
Using Google Drive
Google Drive is another great solution for free backups. The good news is that you get as much as 15GB for free by choosing this storage. There are also paid versions available, with significantly more storage to choose from.
You can access Google Drive via the web browser or use a desktop app you can download on the official website. If you want your files to be synced automatically, you will have to download the app, however.
- Download the Google Drive app installer and click on it.
- Wait a few seconds for it to be installed.
- Now click the arrow within your system tray – you should see Google Drive icon there, click it once.
- Click Get Started.
- Enter all the required information – your email/phone, and password.
- Now pick what you want to sync and backup. You can click on Choose Folder to add additional folders to the list.
- Once done, pick Next.
- Now you can select to sync items to be visible on your computer.
- Finally, press Start and wait till the sync is complete. Your files are now being backed up.
Report the incident to your local authorities
Ransomware is a huge business that is highly illegal, and authorities are very involved in catching malware operators. To have increased chances of identifying the culprits, the agencies need information. Therefore, by reporting the crime, you could help with stopping the cybercriminal activities and catching the threat actors. Make sure you include all the possible details, including how did you notice the attack, when it happened, etc. Additionally, providing documents such as ransom notes, examples of encrypted files, or malware executables would also be beneficial.
Law enforcement agencies typically deal with online fraud and cybercrime, although it depends on where you live. Here is the list of local authority groups that handle incidents like ransomware attacks, sorted by country:
- USA – Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3
- United Kingdom – ActionFraud
- Canada – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
- Australia – ScamWatch
- New Zealand – ConsumerProtection
- Germany – Polizei
- France – Ministère de l'Intérieur
If your country is not listed above, you should contact the local police department or communications center.
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.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Vfgj file and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Lesvirus. Lesvirus. Spyware news.
- ^ Virus detection. VirusTotal. Online malware scanner.
- ^ Ransomware Double Extortion and Beyond: REvil, Clop, and Conti. Trendmicro. Cybersecurity research.