After identifying the encrypted files with the use of extensions, the cybercriminals will begin the second phase of the attack by notifying the victim about the situation. Their message is usually sent a notification known as _readme.txt and it would be forwarded to all the affected folders. Furthermore, two emails (support@fishmail.top and a reserve e-mail address: datarestorehelp@airmail.cc) are also delivered to enable a communication channel between the cybercriminals and their victim.

The criminals expect victims to pay a ransom

Whenever they get to such extent, it means that extensive damage has been done to the files. Trying to reach an agreement with cybercriminals is never advisable considering they have done their worst already. Those that reached out to them in the past only succeeded in suffering more losses. They would mandate the victim to pay the ransom so they could forward a decryption tool in exchange. But they hardly keep to their own part of the bargain, even after collecting the ransom fee – they either ignore the victim or send fake decryption software that does not work. Victims that indicate the interest of complying with them are often asked to send across $980 as ransom. However, to railroad the victim into paying it without second thoughts, they may add a caveat that only half of the amount, i.e., $490, could be acceptable but provided the victim can remit it within a maximum of 72 hours or 3 days. It should be noted that cybercriminals mostly don’t accept any other payment method except via cryptocurrency. The reason is quite apparent; making use of different forms of payment like bank deposits or money transfers would expose their real identity, thereby making it possible for them to be arrested. That is why they insist on receiving the cryptocurrency equivalent in their untraceable wallet. Going through all these troubles is never worth it, especially when you take into cognizance that they may either ghost you or forward a useless decryption tool. There are other reasons as well that make it a bad idea to pay ransom to cybercriminals. In tandem with other top cybersecurity firms, our organization also discourages any ransom payment. Here are some of the reasons:

In most countries, paying ransom in any guise is considered illegal. Such proceeds of crime encourage criminality and help them to enhance their operations. When victims pay the ransom, cybercriminals consider them to be cash cows that can be extorted again in the future. Victims paying ransom is the major reason why ransomware virus attacks haven’t been completely eliminated.

Victims affected by this described malware variant are advised to remove ZATE ransomware virus and any other related threats from their computers as soon as possible. The fastest way to delete malicious files and components is using a trustworthy antivirus solution, such as INTEGO Antivirus. You can read a full tutorial on how to securely prepare your computer for ransomware removal below.

Ransomware Summary

Also, note that ransomware viruses may also spread Remote Access Trojans (VIDAR, AZORULT) as secondary attachments. Award-winning antivirus solution for your PC. Robust security software that provides robust 24/7 real-time protection, Web Shield that stops online threats/malicious downloads, and Prevention engine that wards off Zero-Day threats. Keep your PC safe and protected against ransomware, Trojans, viruses, spyware and other forms of dangerous programs. Cybercriminals use them for different purposes, such as stealing software login details, banking information, credit card information, etc., and could be used in further scamming their victim. That is why it is very important to get rid of ransomware virus immediately after it is spotted on any computer.

Methods of malware distribution used by cybercriminals

Cybercriminals usually spread ransomware through deceptive methods such as emails and attachments, P2P sharing, and online torrent platforms.

Emails and accompanying attachments

P2P sharing (torrents)

This is an illegal method of sharing software between users. Software copies that are distributed through this means are mostly fake versions cloned by cybercriminals. Those that source their software through this means are putting their computers at serious risk. Instead of using P2P data sharing, software users should do the right thing by downloading the original versions using the legitimate channels established by the copyright owners. P2P sharing is closely tied to the use of online torrent platforms. Cybercriminals sometimes target software users that prefer getting them as freebies instead of paying the fees requested by the copyright owners. So, they upload the cloned versions to online torrent listings and make it accessible for all. However, unknown to those downloading them, such software copies are tainted with malware and often trigger ransomware virus attack when downloaded into any computer. To avoid that, software content should only be downloaded via the legitimate channels promoted by their copyright owners.

Deceptive online downloads

Cybercriminals also often try to bait potential victims by creating rogue websites that claim to provide premium content for free. Whenever an user attempts to download something from such websites, the alleged file can contain malware. Therefore, you should remember that files that are not accessible for free do not usually just await for you in some suspicious website. Changes are high that whoever uploaded the file and named it attractively for the audience has potentially malevolent intentions. We came up with a list of popular software copies that are habitually cloned and used in spreading different forms of malware:

Microsoft Office; Corel Draw; Cubase; Adobe Photoshop; VMware Workstation; FIFA 22; League of Legends; Adobe Illustrator; Internet Download Manager; HP Printer Drivers; Tenorshare 4ukey.

This list is not exhaustive as there are so many others, but it’s just to give software users an idea. When you need to use these software copies and similar others, you’re advised to buy them legitimately.

Instantly remove ZATE ransomware virus

Endeavor to remove ZATE ransomware virus once it is found in any computer. This process is best done using INTEGO Antivirus because of its proven reliability. In conclusion, here are other important steps to take:

Replace all existing passwords. Make use of any available backup in recovering lost files. Consider reporting to local authorities for possible action.

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 ZATE 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 ZATE 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 ZATE files

Fix and open large ZATE 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. ZATE 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 ZATE files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The ZATE 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 ZATE 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 ZATE 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.