If your files have a new extension .FUCK it means you are infected with one of the most common variants of GlobeImposter 2.0 ransomware.
Why Imposter? This part of the malware name suggests the infection is not true to the name it bears. That is to say, there is another ransomware which is basically a true Imposter. The fake one tries to look like the original, perhaps because the initial release has become a notorious specimen of cyber extortion. Meanwhile, the copycat proves to be even more devastating.
Again, the .FUCK version of GlobeImposter 2.0 adds the .FUCK extension to the infected files. The infection typically retains the original name and extension for the affected items. The encrypting payload it executes, however, totally distorts their contents. The infection applies a strong, military-grade encryption. The impact is so strong that any possible computation will not do.
Theoretically, you can undo the scrambling. This will require the strongest computer available to human race and a time longer than an average person lives on Earth.
The infection vector that drops the ransomware using the Necurs botnet and the so-called Blank Slate spam campaign. This owes its name to the empty message that it circulates. The blank body and subject line conceal a deadly attachment. The attachment name is so arranged that the recipient is likely to open it. Important to note, the hackers often use a targeted attack. They know certain details of their victims, at least their names. Thereby, they include the name and email of the victim into the name of the malicious attachment. The recipients too often treat this as a safety sign. They go ahead to opening the file attached, even though the message neither has a body nor a subject line.
The attachment is typically a ZIP archive. Its unpacking drops a malicious JS file. This JavaScript completes the installation of .FUCK version of GlobeImposter 2.0.
Having completed its scrambling payload, the infection creates a ransom note. This note is an HTML file that basically introduces the victim to what is going on. The reader is supposed to contact the attacker by email specified in the message. The ransom amount is case specific, payable in bitcoins.
Free guidance on the data recovery and the removal of .FUCK version of GlobeImposter 2.0 extortion crypto-virus is available below.
Automatic removal of .FUCK 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 .FUCK Ransomware
new Locky variant aka .FUCK 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, .FUCK Ransomware 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. .FUCK 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 .FUCK 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 .FUCK 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
