Remove BBII Ransomware Virus (DECRYPT .bbii FILES)

remove BBII ransomware virus and learn how to decrypt or repair files with .bbii extension (free guide)

BBII Ransomware Is Currently Being Spread By Cybercriminals

Contents

BBII Ransomware Is Currently Being Spread By Cybercriminals
Prevention of STOP/DJVU Ransomware
BBII Ransomware Removal & File Restoration
Decrypt BBII files
Frequently Asked Questions

BBII ransomware is a malicious computer virus currently being spread by cybercriminals with the intention of extorting ransom from those that fall victim to it. This virus is a variant of the STOP/DJVU ransomware, a notorious malware group that has over 490 versions in its collection. However, from what is obtainable so far, it operates in a similar manner to the earlier versions, i.e., infects a computer, encrypts all fines contained in it, and thereafter attaches .bbii extension to the respective file names. For example, a file that was hitherto saved as 1.jpg in a computer prior to it being infected would eventually become 1.jpg.bbii once the computer becomes infected, and the same will be applicable to every other file stored in the system.

Simultaneously, the cybercriminals would also forward _readme.txt (a ransom note explaining the situation and why the victim must pay a certain amount of money in order to regain their encrypted files)to the computer. They will claim that a decryption tool is with them and would be released to the victim once they’re able to pay the ransom.

What the ransom note explains to the victim

On the part of the victim, it is usually disconcerting when they realize that their entire data, including very important files can no longer be accessed. Once they recover from the rude shock, the next they would be contemplating is how to overcome this unanticipated challenge. The virus leaves ransom notes in every folder for those to be noticeable easily; each note holds a message from cybercriminals with an explanation of what happened to all data stored on the system. The note provides two email addresses – support@bestyourmail.ch and supportsys@airmail.cc so that the victim could get in touch with the threat actors using any of them. Their terms and conditions would also be made known to the victim.

The _readme.txt ransom note also states that the ransom fee payable by the victim is $490, provided the victim would be able to pay within 72 hours/3 days of being told to do so. However, if they fail to meet up with the deadline, the maximum ransom fee of $980 is what they would be mandated to pay.

To make an already bad situation worse, cybercriminals would insist that payment can only be made through cryptocurrency transfer. They avoid bank payment or any other form of money transfer for obvious reason. They only accept crypto payments because it wouldn’t reveal their identity and can be easily cashed out. Furthermore, to motivate the victim and make them pay the ransom, they may even suggest that parts of the encrypted files be forwarded to them for test decryption. But will also warn that any information they perceive to be important to the victim won’t be released to them.

Whatever be the case, it is in the best interest of the victim not to comply with the demands of cybercriminals. The FBI and other cybersecurity experts have warned that ransom fees must not be paid to cybercriminals and the following reasons were given for their standpoint:

The law is against the payment of ransom.
Ransom payment does not guarantee file recovery from cybercriminals.
It enriches cybercriminals and motivates them to attack even more computer users.
It puts the victim at significant risk of being attacked again in the future.

More details regarding the attack

Research conducted by cyber-security experts has brought up a startling revelation about how this ransomware operates. It was discovered that a number of countries located in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are immune to this ransomware attack. They are listed as follows: Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Syria, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kazachstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Once the malware infiltrates a computer system, it will first determine its geo-location. To do this, it will make a connection with https[:]//api.2ip.ua/geo.json before sending the outcome to geo.json file where vital information such as IP address, zip code, city/town, and country as well as longitude and latitude. After accessing the data, it would be able to decipher if the computer is domiciled in any of the countries that were designated as encryption-exempted or not.

The menace of BBII ransomware virus on computers as pertains to data encryption is well known and more awareness is being made on ways it can be avoided or treated. However, it isn’t the only danger associated with the virus. There are other relatively less known threats such as the Remote Access Trojans or RATs for short. Although these Trojans are spread as a secondary attachment to the BBII ransomware virus, it can still wreak havoc on their victims. The names of these threats that usually travel alongside STOP/DJVU ransomware variants are VIDAR and AZORULT.

They are usually used by the cybercriminals to steal sensitive personal data (such as banking details, cryptocurrency wallets, passwords etc.) without the victim being aware. Once such details are in the hands of cybercriminals, they can be used in committing other forms of fraud like stealing of money or cryptos, blackmail or to have unauthorized access to classified information.

To be on the safe side, computer users are advised to get rid of STOP/DJVU ransomware once it is discovered in their system. The best way to go about it is to set up the computer in Safe Mode with Networking before activating a genuine antivirus. If you’re desirous of salvaging some damaged Windows OS files wherever possible, then you should download RESTORO for such purposes.

Ransomware Summary

Name	BBII Ransomware Virus
Type	Ransomware; Crypto-malware; Virtual Extortion Virus
Family	STOP/DJVU
Encryption type	RSA 2048 + Salsa20
Previous versions	ZFDV, RRBB, RRCC, RRYY, BBYY, BBII, BBZZ (find full list here)
Version	498th
Extension	.bbii
Cybercriminal emails	support@bestyourmail.ch and supportsys@airmail.cc
Additional malware dropped	Azorult or Vidar Trojan
Damage	The ransomware uses encryption to maliciously modify all files on the PC and marks their original names with .bbii extension. Ransom notes called as _readme.txt will be dropped in every computer folder. This piece of malware usually drags VIDAR Stealer alongside it and also eliminates VSS from the system. On top of that, it tends to modify Windows HOSTS file to restrict computer user’s access to cybersecurity-related websites online.
Ransom note	_readme.txt
Ransom demand	$490-$980 in Bitcoin
Distribution	Victims often download this ransomware along illegal torrent downloads, cracked software, activators, key generators or tools like KMSPico.
Known software cracks to contain this malware	Corel Draw, Tenorshare 4ukey, Adobe Photoshop, Cubase, Adobe Illustrator, Internet Download Manager, Tally, League of Legends.
Detection names	Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.PAL!MTB (Microsoft), Trojan.Crypt (A) (Emsisoft), HEUR:Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Stop.gen (Kaspersky), Trojan.GenericKD.47850419 (BitDefender), Trojan.MalPack.GS (Malwarebytes), ML.Attribute.HighConfidence (Symantec) see all detection name variations on VirusTotal
Removal	Remove ransomware and related malware from your PC using trustworthy software. To repair virus damage on Windows OS files, consider scanning with RESTORO (secure download link).

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Scan your system for FREE to detect security, hardware and stability issues. You can use the scan results and try to remove threats manually, or you can choose to get the full version of software to fix detected issues and repair virus damage to Windows OS system files automatically. Includes Avira spyware/malware detection & removal engine.

The screenshot provided below illustrates how the files encrypted by this ransomware virus appear in folders.

Prevention of STOP/DJVU Ransomware

The best way to prevent becoming a victim of ransomware attack is to avoid online torrent platforms or any other form of illegal sharing of fake key generators, activation tools or cloned software copies. In addition to that, opening of emails or attachments from unknown or unrecognized sources should be avoided as well.

Over the years, we have been able to detect some popular software copies often pirated by cybercriminals and used in spreading of malware. Some of them are listed below for your consideration.

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

Based on the explanations so far, it can be deduced that trying to source for software content illegally may appear cheap. Still, the risks associated with it far outweighs whatever gain the computer user may be hoping to make. Paying for software content as requested on the official pages of the producers is the right thing to do because it takes time and costs a lot of money to develop them. It then becomes unfair to steal and use them.

When using emails and attachments to spread malware, cybercriminals often make use of files such as DOCX, PDF and XLS simply because they make it easy for malware to be embedded on them. Emails with spoofed addresses should also be avoided.

It is also important to note that online sites advertising solutions for STOP/DJVU ransomware should be avoided because they’re mostly fraudulent. So far, only Emsisoft and DiskTuna have shown remarkable success in file repair.

BBII Ransomware Removal & File Restoration

Now that it time to focus on BBII virus removal, we invite you to read instructions presented below this article. Our team has prepared extensive guidelines on how to eliminate the malware and protect the computer system from future attacks.

As stated earlier, Safe Mode with Networking option should be used alongside a reputable antivirus when trying to remove BBII ransomware virus. In addition, our team recommends downloading RESTORO (download link), a tool that can be used to identify and repair virus damage on Windows OS.

Once that is done, the following steps should be taken as well.

Inform the local police or relevant government agency charged with handling such issues.
Make use of any available backup in restoring lost files.
Look for possible ways that files damaged by STOP/DJVU ransomware can be repaired.
Change all passwords used on the compromised computer immediately.

OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND

Our team recommends removing malware using a professional antivirus software and then using the following tool to repair virus damage to Windows system files:

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER

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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.

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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.

BBII Ransomware Virus Removal Guidelines

Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking

Step 1. Start Windows in Safe Mode with Networking

Before you try to remove BBII 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

First of all, turn off your PC. Then press the Power button to start it again and instantly start pressing F8 button on your keyboard repeatedly in 1-second intervals. This launches the Advanced Boot Options menu.
Use arrow keys on the keyboard to navigate down to Safe Mode with Networking option and press Enter.

Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users

Open Windows Start menu, then press down the Power button. On your keyboard, press down and hold the Shift key, and then select Restart option.
This will take you to Windows Troubleshoot screen. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Tip: If you can't find Startup Settings, click See more recovery options.
In Startup Settings, press the right key between F1-F9 to enter Safe Mode with Networking. In this case, it is the F5 key.

Step 2. Remove files associated with the virus

Now, you can search for and remove BBII 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, which also includes data recovery software. For virus damage repair, consider using RESTORO.

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Method 2. Use System Restore

In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically.

Step 1. Boot Windows in Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users

Shut down your PC. Start it again by pressing the Power button and instantly start pressing F8 button on your keyboard repeatedly in 1-second intervals. You will see Advanced Boot Options menu.
Using arrow keys on the keyboard, navigate down to Safe Mode with Command Prompt option and press Enter.

Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users

Launch Windows Start menu, then click the Power button. On your keyboard, press down and hold the Shift key, and then choose Restart option with the mouse cursor.
This will take you to Windows Troubleshoot screen. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Tip: If you can't find Startup Settings, click See more recovery options.
In Startup Settings, press the right key between F1-F9 to enter Safe Mode with Command Prompt. In this case, press F6 key.

Step 2. Start System Restore process

Wait until system loads and command prompt shows up.
Type cd restore and press Enter, then type rstrui.exe and press Enter. Or you can just type %systemroot%system32restorerstrui.exe in command prompt and hit Enter.
This launches System Restore window. Click Next and then choose a System Restore point created in the past. Choose one that was created before ransomware infection.
Click Yes to begin the system restoration process.

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 BBII files

Fix and open large BBII 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.

Create a copy of encrypted file to a separate folder using Copy > Paste commands.
Now, right-click the created copy and choose Rename. Select the BBII extension and delete it. Press Enter to save changes.
In the prompt asking whether you want to make the changes as file might become unusable, click OK.
Try opening the file.

STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide

STOP/DJVU ransomware versions are grouped into old and new variants. BBII Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like ZFDV, RRBB, RRCC, RRYY, BBYY, BBII, BBZZ (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 BBII files, follow the given tutorial.

Download the decryption tool from Emsisoft.
Click the little arrow next to your download and choose Show in Folder.
Now, right-click the file and choose Run as Administrator. If asked, enter administrator's password.
In UAC window, click Yes.
Click Yes to agree to software terms in both windows.
The tool will automatically include C:// disk as a location to decrypt. The file recovery tool will prepopulate the locations to scan, including connected data storage drives or network drives. Click Add folder if you wish to add additional locations.
In Options tab, you can choose to keep encrypted file copies. We recommend leaving this option selected, especially if you do not know if the decryption tool will work.
Click Decrypt to start restoring BBII files. You will see the progress in the Results tab. Here, you can see messages from the tool, such as whether the decryption procedure is successful, or you need to wait for an update.
You might also be informed that online key was used to encrypt your files. In such case, the decryption tool won't work for you, and the only way to recover your files is to use a data backup.

Meanings of decryptor's messages

The BBII 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 BBII 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.

Report Internet crime to legal departments

Victims of BBII 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ How can I open .BBII files?

You can only open BBII files if you have the decryption key, or if you were affected by offline encryption type.

✓ How do I know if my files were encrypted with offline or online encryption?

To figure out whether you were affected by offline encryption, please go to C:/SystemID/PersonalID.txt and see if the string inside of it ends in t1. You can also try using Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP/DJVU.

✓ My files contain very important information (family memories). Every tool I used says it is impossible to decrypt. What should I do?

Please follow the guidances provided by the official BBII decryption tools and believe what they say. If they say it is impossible to decrypt, it really is so. There is no magic tool or human capable of decrypting your files hiding somewhere. Encryption is a technique created to be nearly impossible to decrypt without a special private key (held by the criminals).

✓ I am afraid virus is still in my computer system. What should I do?

We advise scanning with anti-virus, anti-malware, malware removal tools or software like RESTORO to eliminate virus damage on the system. If you do not trust using a single tool, try running one after another. However, we do not recommend keeping several security programs on a computer at once as they can interfere with each other's work.

✓ I saw several Youtube videos suggesting secret decryption tools. Can I trust them?

Beware of fake BBII decryption tools circulating around the web. Cyber criminals are uploading them to various shady websites, also might be promoting them via suspicious Youtube videos. These programs can infect your computer even more heavily (Trojans, miners, etc.). We suggest being extremely cautious around the web. If there will be an official STOP/DJVU decryption tool available, it will be widely discussed in public media.

Norbert Webb

Norbert Webb is the head of Geek’s Advice team. He is the chief editor of the website who controls the quality of content published. The man also loves reading cybersecurity news, testing new software and sharing his insights on them. Norbert says that following his passion for information technology was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “I don’t feel like working while I’m doing something I love.” However, the geek has other interests, such as snowboarding and traveling.