While the above process is still taking place, the cybercriminals would also release notifications called _readme.txt, which inform the victim about what was happening. They will state that a ransomware attack has occurred successfully, and considering that complex encryption keys were used in the process, the victim is now mandated to pay certain fees as ransom before they would make decryption tools available.

Cybercriminals demand contacting them within 3 days

Victims of ransomware attacks are typically disconcerted once they realize that important files have been encrypted and made inaccessible to them. This could result in acts of desperation and willingness to comply with demands made by the cybercriminals, especially in cases whereby the victim has no backup. In anticipation of such, the cybercriminals would drop two email addresses, namely: support@bestyourmail.ch, supportsys@airmail.cc, while suggesting that the victim should reach out for possible assistance. However, this is only a deception to make the victim pay ransom demands. They will also claim that even though the ransom fee is $980, half of it i.e. $490 would be acceptable provided the victim is able to pay within 3 days of being asked to do so. To put more pressure on their victim, they would warn that the offer would be withdrawn once it exceeds that period. In addition to that, they would also emphasize that the ransom fee can only be paid with cryptocurrency. They prohibit the use of conventional payment methods because it would expose their identity, unlike cryptocurrency, which provides anonymity. Nevertheless, victims of ransomware attacks are advised not to pay ransom to cybercriminals regardless of the threats. The FBI and other globally recognized security organizations also support this assertion. Listed below are some of the factors they considered before making the recommendation:

Since there is no guarantee that cybercriminals would keep to their own part of the bargain by decrypting the files after payment has been made, it is, therefore, unreasonable to pay the ransom.Records have shown that most paying victims are often targeted again in the future because cybercriminals are greedy in nature and always look for means to extort more money.Ransom payment makes it easy for cybercriminals to increase their capacity, which puts a greater number of computer users at risk.It encourages them to continue in their criminal activities since it has become profitable to them.

The importance of securing your computer ASAP

It is also important to note that OOXA ransomware virus is not the only risk that emanates from the attack, as other dangerous Trojans are equally released during the process. The cybercriminals that spread STOP/DJVU ransomware virus series are known for embedding RAT’s i.e., Remote Access Trojans as secondary malware. These RATs are then used to steal vital personal information such as software login credentials, banking details, passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and browsing history, among others. Loss of such sensitive personal information to cybercriminals would put the victim at significant risk of further cyber-attacks and potential losses. The risk posed by both the ransomware virus and the attached Trojan is why it is very important for the victim to remove them both as soon as possible. Granted that one can make use of different options to remove OOXA ransomware, using Safe Mode with Networking option is highly recommended as the best and most effective. After using antivirus solution, download RESTORO to identify virus damage caused for Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE See how encrypted files appear in a data folder.

How to Ensure That Your Computer Is Safe From STOP/DJVU Ransomware Virus

Every computer is potentially at risk of malware infection, but the user can take proactive steps that would greatly diminish their exposure. This would include avoiding online torrent platforms, shunning P2P software sharing, not making use of cloned software contents, not opening emails/attachments from unrecognizable sources etc. In trying to deceive potential victims, cybercriminals also spoof their own addresses and impersonate corporate brands or personalities. Such emails and attachments should be deleted once they appear in spam folders or inbox. Cybercriminals also target popular software contents that are in high demand which they would clone and use as bait to victimize as many people as possible. Unknown to unsuspecting victims, such pirated software contents have been embedded with ransomware and would be triggered once they’re installed in any computer. Based on reports gotten from victims over the years, we compiled a list of popular software copies often cloned and used in the distribution of ransomware. Please check below:

Adobe Photoshop;Adobe Premiere Pro;Adobe Illustrator;Corel Draw;Fifa 20;VMware Workstation;Cubase;League of Legends;AutoCad;Tenorshare 4ukey;Internet Download Manager.

Some computer users don’t like paying for these software copies and believe it saves cost to get them through other means free of charge. However, on the contrary, using illegal means not recognized by the original content producers could lead to severe losses to the computer user. Also, note that these are copyright products of companies that invested huge resources in research and development and thus are entitled to earn profits from it. As long as it remains profitable for them, the IT industry will continue to grow since they would invest more. However, cybercriminals are doing the opposite by constituting a nuisance. The fees requested by the original content producers are always negligible when compared to huge ransom fees often demanded by cybercriminals from their victims, yet there is no guarantee that encrypted files will be restored. Files such as XLS, PDF, and DOCX often come in handy to cybercriminals because they have macro function abilities that enable them to covertly attach malware to cloned software copies.For computer users that have fallen victim already, you should not complicate issues by visiting sites that make bogus claims of having STOP/DJVU ransomware decryption tools. So far, only Emsisoft and DiskTuna have proven to be effective, while most others are fraudulent.

How to Safely Remove OOXA Ransomware Virus

Victims of OOXA ransomware virus are advised to remove it once it is detected in their system. This should be done by login into the computer through Safe Mode with Networking before activating any reliable antivirus software. The next step could be usage of RESTORO (secure download link), a tool that can repair virus damage caused to Windows OS files. The following steps should also be taken after OOXA virus removal:

Inform relevant local authorities about the situation.Use backups to restore lost files.Change all passwords that were used on the compromised computer.

OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.

Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking

Before you try to remove OOXA Ransomware Virus virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, if you prefer a video version of the tutorial, check our guide How to Start Windows in Safe Mode on Youtube. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users Now, you can search for and remove OOXA Ransomware Virus files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable security program such as INTEGO Antivirus. For virus damage repair, consider using RESTORO.

Method 2. Use System Restore

In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future.

Alternative software recommendations

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.

System Mechanic Ultimate Defense If you’re looking for an all-in-one system maintenance suite that has 7 core components providing powerful real-time protection, on-demand malware removal, system optimization, data recovery, password manager, online privacy protection and secure driver wiping technology. Therefore, due to its wide-range of capabilities, System Mechanic Ultimate Defense deserves Geek’s Advice approval. Get it now for 50% off. You may also be interested in its full review.

Disclaimer. This site includes affiliate links. We may earn a small commission by recommending certain products, at no additional cost for you. We only choose quality software and services to recommend.

Decrypt OOXA files

Fix and open large OOXA files easily:

It is reported that STOP/DJVU ransomware versions encrypt only the beginning 150 KB of each file to ensure that the virus manages to affect all files on the system. In some cases, the malicious program might skip some files at all. That said, we recommend testing this method on several big (>1GB) files first.

STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide

STOP/DJVU ransomware versions are grouped into old and new variants. OOXA Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like BPTO, ISWR, ISZA, BPSM, ZOUU, MBTF, ZNSM (find full list here). This means full data decryption is now possible only if you have been affected by offline encryption key. To decrypt your files, you will have to download Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP DJVU, a tool created and maintained by a genius security researcher Michael Gillespie. Note! Please do not spam the security researcher with questions whether he can recover your files encrypted with online key - it is not possible. In order to test the tool and see if it can decrypt OOXA files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The OOXA decryption tool might display several different messages after failed attempt to restore your files. You might receive one of the following messages: Error: Unable to decrypt file with ID: [example ID] This message typically means that there is no corresponding decryption key in the decryptor’s database. No key for New Variant online ID: [example ID]Notice: this ID appears to be an online ID, decryption is impossible This message informs that your files were encrypted with online key, meaning no one else has the same encryption/decryption key pair, therefore data recovery without paying the criminals is impossible. Result: No key for new variant offline ID: [example ID]This ID appears to be an offline ID. Decryption may be possible in the future. If you were informed that an offline key was used, but files could not be restored, it means that the offline decryption key isn’t available yet. However, receiving this message is extremely good news, meaning that it might be possible to restore your OOXA extension files in the future. It can take a few months until the decryption key gets found and uploaded to the decryptor. We recommend you to follow updates regarding the decryptable DJVU versions here. We strongly recommend backing up your encrypted data and waiting.

Victims of OOXA Ransomware Virus should report the Internet crime incident to the official government fraud and scam website according to their country:

In the United States, go to the On Guard Online website.In Australia, go to the SCAMwatch website.In Germany, go to the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik website.In Ireland, go to the An Garda Síochána website.In New Zealand, go to the Consumer Affairs Scams website.In the United Kingdom, go to the Action Fraud website.In Canada, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.In India, go to Indian National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.In France, go to the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information.

If you can’t find an authority corresponding to your location on this list, we recommend using any search engine to look up “[your country name] report cyber crime”. This should lead you to the right authority website. We also recommend staying away from third-party crime report services that are often paid. It costs nothing to report Internet crime to official authorities. Another recommendation is to contact your country’s or region’s federal police or communications authority.