Locky ransomware is marking its another outbreak with a .zzzzz file extension. The Locky ransomware has been around long since and collected a great deal of victims. The infection leverages advanced encryption algorithms to transform your cyber data into gibberish. The encryption is followed by the ransom note that demands from the unhappy user a certain amount to be transferred in bitcoins. The Locky keeps on evolving so that .zzzzz is one of its milestones. For the time being, .zzzzz is circulating alongside .aesir strain of Locky.
The grim reality offers no plausible tool to decrypt the files hacked by the ransomware. Fortunately, there are some workarounds capable of restoring the data, especially in the case of regular backups.
The .zzzzz ransomware typically arrives with spam email. The title of such messages usually reads Order #. A victim is supposed to open the attachment to such email. Needless to say, you need to avoid opening emails without due precaution. Kindly note you are not on the safe side even if the sender is a real person that you are familiar with. The hackers crack real accounts and dispatch the infecting messages to all the contacts available in the address book.
Opening the infecting email attachment executes the malicious JS. The latter drops the dll serving as the Locky installer into a Temporary folder. The downloading keeps the dll encrypted at the initial stages and decrypt it only at the final stage. The installation involves legitimate Windows executable so that most of the security solutions do not detect the invasion.
The encryption stage follows instantly after the installation. It encrypts nearly any item on target PC. The ransomware comes with its ransom note that leads you to the second notification page. It is the page that finally notifies you of the amount to be paid. The sum varies but is always payable in bitcoins. Any cases reported so far would indicate the amount over USD 500.
Paying the ransom demanded by .zzzzz shall apply only as a matter of exemption, if ever. Follow the guidance below to remove .zzzzz ransomware for good, as well as to restore your data with backup and similar routines.
Automatic removal of .zzzzz file virus
The benefits of using the automatic security suite to get rid of this infection are obvious: it scans the entire system and detects all potential fragments of the virus, so you are a few mouse clicks away from a complete fix.
- Download and install recommended malware security suite
- Select Start Computer Scan feature and wait until the utility comes up with the scan report. Proceed by clicking on the Fix Threats button, which will trigger a thorough removal process to address all the malware issues compromising your computer and your privacy.
Restore files locked by .zzzzz file virus
new Locky variant aka .zzzzz file virus represents a unique category of malicious software whose attack surface reaches beyond the operating system and its components, which is why removing the virus itself is a part of the fix only. As it has been mentioned, it encrypts one’s personal information, so the next phase of the overall remediation presupposes reinstating the files that will otherwise remain inaccessible.
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Launch data recovery software
Similarly to the rest of its fellow-infections, .zzzzz file virus most likely follows an operational algorithm where it erases the original versions of the victim’s files and actually encrypts their copies. This peculiarity might make your day, because forensics-focused applications like Data Recovery Pro are capable of restoring the information that has been removed. As the virus further evolves, its modus operandi may be altered – in the meanwhile, go ahead and try this.
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Take advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service
This technique is based on using the native backup functionality that’s shipped with Windows operating system. Also referred to as Volume Snapshot Service (VSS), this feature makes regular backups of the user’s files and keeps their most recent versions as long as System Restore is on. .zzzzz file virus hasn’t been found to affect these copies therefore the restoration vector in question is strongly recommended. The two sub-sections below highlight the automatic and manual workflow.
- a) Use Shadow Explorer
Shadow Explorer is an applet that provides an easy way of retrieving previous versions of files and folders. Its pro’s include an intuitive interface where the computer’s entire file hierarchy is displayed within one window. Just pick the hard disk volume, select the object or directory to be restored, right-click on it and choose Export. Follow the app’s prompts to get the job done.
- b) Use file properties
Essentially, what the above-mentioned Shadow Explorer tool does is it automates the process that can otherwise be performed manually via the Properties dialog for individual files. This particular approach is more cumbrous but just as effective as its software-based counterpart, so you can proceed by right-clicking on a specific file, which has been encrypted by .zzzzz file virus, and selecting Properties in the context menu. The tab named Previous Versions is the next thing to click – it displays available versions of the file by date of the snapshot creation. Pick the latest copy and complete the retrieval by following the prompts.
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Data backups work wonders
Ransomware like .zzzzz file virus isn’t nearly as almighty and destructive in case you run regular file backups to the cloud or external data media. The virus itself can be completely removed in a matter of minutes, and the distorted information can then be just as easily recovered from the backup. Luckily, this is a growing trend, so ransom Trojans are hopefully going to become less subversive in the near future.
Verify thoroughness of the removal
Having carried out the instructions above, add a finishing touch to the security procedure by running an additional computer scan to check for residual malware activity
