Geek's Advice

FUTM ransomware encrypts all files on computer, demands $490-$980 for decryption service

FUTM ransomware is a malicious malware that belongs to the STOP/DJVU ransomware group. This notorious virus operates by encrypting all data in any system it infects and adds .futm extension to each file name. For instance, an existing file known as 1.jpg gets renamed to 1.jpg.futm, which will apply to all the files. During the process, it will drop a message saved as _readme.txt in all folders on the computer. The news is that criminals behind this virus demand a ransom from the victim and instruct the victim to contact them regarding FUTM decryption tool.

The cybercriminals will notify the victim that FUTM ransomware virus has totally encrypted their entire database, including vital documents, pictures, etc. Only when the victim fulfills their ransom demand would decrypt the files so it can be useful to them once again. Contained in the message are two email addresses (manager@mailtemp.ch and helprestoremanager@airmail.cc.) they purposely attached to communicate between both parties.

They will also give a breakdown of the strict payment condition they must abide to. The ransom has to be paid within 72 hours if the victim wants to experience a 50% ransom fee slash which will bring down the cost to $490, but if they fail to pay within 3 days, they would have to pay the maximum fee of $980.

If the victim reaches out to them, he would be told to pay the exact fee in cryptocurrency into a particular wallet address that would be made available to him. They use this medium in order to remain anonymous and evade arrest. They will suggest to the victim to forward any portion of the files to them for decryption as a way of convincing him of their expertise in restoring the encrypted data. However, they will still emphasize that such a portion must not contain any important data.

Our cybersecurity department announced that following the FBI’s guidelines is the right thing to do, and ransom demands from the cyber criminals should never be consented to. Paying the ransom is a big gamble, and it’s not worth it since there is no guarantee that they will restore the files even after receiving payment. Also, when you pay them, you are inadvertently encouraging them to continue in their criminal activities, considering they will have more funds to expand their nefarious activities.

Another factor to consider is that the virus can release data-stealing Trojans like AZORULT or VIDAR as a secondary attack on the already compromised computer, and it will covertly extract important personal information such as banking details, various passwords saved in your browser, software login details, cryptocurrency wallets, and browsing history etc. Such vital details in the hands of cybercriminals can lead to blackmails and other crimes aimed at extorting more money from the victim.

If you’re already a victim to this STOP/DJVU variant malware attack, endeavor to remove FUTM ransomware virus ASAP. Scanning a strong and genuine antivirus while your computer is in “Safe Mode with Networking” would enable it to detect and remove any malware virus found within it. You can make use of any antivirus you deem fit but always ensure it is genuine and reliable. Our team recommends INTEGO Antivirus which has excellent malware detection rate and provides robust computer and network traffic protection. Additionally, we recommend victims to download RESTORO to repair damage caused for Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

Name	FUTM Ransomware Virus
Type	Ransomware; Crypto-malware; Virtual Extortion Virus
Family	STOP/DJVU
Encryption type	RSA 2048 + Salsa20
Previous versions	VYIA, QBAA, FOPA, VTYM, KQGS, XCBG, BPQD (find full list here)
Version	349th
Extension	.futm
Cybercriminal emails	manager@mailtemp.ch, helprestoremanager@airmail.cc
Additional malware dropped	Azorult or Vidar Trojan
Damage	The ransomware often hides in malicious torrent downloads. After being launched by the victim, it begins scanning al system directories and encrypting personal files located in them. To make encrypted files stand out, the virus appends their original filenames with .futm extension. Next, it drops _readme.txt ransom note in every affected data folder. The ransomware also runs commands to eliminate Volume Shadow Copies which prevents the victim from using System Restore points. The malware also affects Windows HOSTS file and can potentially compromise the infected computer with AZORULT Trojan or VIDAR.
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	Trojan:Win32/Krypter.AA!MTB (Microsoft), Gen:Variant.Fragtor.36858 (B) (Emsisoft), UDS:Trojan.Win32.Scarsi.gen (Kaspersky), Gen:Variant.Fragtor.36858 (BitDefender), MachineLearning/Anomalous.95% (Malwarebytes), Packed.Generic.528 (Symantec) see all detection name variations on VirusTotal
Removal	Remove ransomware and related malware from your PC using professional software of your choice. We highly recommend using INTEGO Antivirus. To repair virus damage on Windows OS files, consider scanning with RESTORO.

REMOVE MALWARE & REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE

All you need to know about ransomware distribution

STOP/DJVU ransomware variants such as FUTM virus are spread through malicious torrents. They often hibernate in pirated license activation tools and crack/key generators as well as in pirated software copies but will become active and infect computers when users try to upload those harmful contents they downloaded from malicious torrents. Various victims have reported diverse classes of software used by cybercriminals to spread this malware and they include the following:

• KMSPico (used for Windows activation);
• Fifa 20;
• Tenorshare 4ukey;
• AutoCad;
• phpStorm;
• Opera browser;
• Corel Draw;
• VMware Workstation;
• Cubase;
• Adobe Illustrator;
• League of Legends;
• Internet Download Manager;
• Adobe Photoshop.

Certain users often seek for software torrents online because they don’t want to pay for such software content or tools, but this is a dangerous thing to do and absolutely not worth the trouble. Each time they get involved in such activity, they end up putting their computer systems at risk of ransomware attack. In addition, it also puts the users at risk of possible prosecutions for copyright violations. Aside the negative consequences attached to it, it also comes with moral baggage. Obtaining products of software developers without paying for it is unfair and negatively affects the industry. Always remember that whatever amount you spend to obtain software products legitimately through their official channels pales to insignificance compared to the obscene amounts you will be asked to pay if you become a victim to ransomware attack.

Another avenue cybercriminals use is spreading malware is through malicious email attachments. They will create “real” looking but unsolicited email messages with attachments in PDF, DOCX or XLS formats. Why they mostly use these platforms is because they enable JavaScript and other macro functions which they can use to attach the malware.

Sometimes it can be quite tricky trying to figure out if an email is real or a malware carrier because cybercriminals often mimic genuine emails. They may disguise it to appear as it originated from reputable companies such as Amazon, DHL, or UPS. They will also give the files appropriate names that will be in tandem with what those brands are known for, such as Invoice, Tracking Details or Order Summary as the case may be. Likewise, they may also make use of spoofing techniques to camouflage the actual sender’s email address. However, you need to be smart and apply common sense whenever you receive any unsolicited email from a suspicious address. Such emails shouldn’t be opened.

STOP/DJVU ransomware attack can be a painful experience, but victims should be wary of any website that claims to have the ability to decrypt files. Some of these sites were established by cybercriminals who equally take advantage of victims desperate to retrieve their files by releasing other STOP/DJVU ransomware variants such as ZORAB. At the moment, there is no reliable solution to encrypted files except the repair tools from Emsisoft and DiskTuna.

Further information about FUTM Ransomware Virus

To know more about the extent your computer was compromised by the FUTM ransomware attack, you can go through the information here. The first thing the malware does is to mount a set of build.exe or build2.exe as well as winupdate.exe. Afterwards, it links up with https[:]//api.2ip.ua/geo.json before saving the response to a geo.json file. Ultimately, the malware picks every relevant information computer such as its geolocation, time zone, longitude and latitude, and zip code, etc. This information is forwarded to their server. The image below depicts how geo.json file looks like.

One striking thing the virus does is to profile the country code where the computer is domiciled to know if it falls among their list of exempted countries. Note that the following countries are encryption-exempted: Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazachstan. If the virus realizes that the victim resides in any of the countries in their list, it will automatically stop the attack.

However, suppose the victim’s geolocation is not exempted. In that case, the ransomware will extract a random encryption key from their remote database and will join it to the victim’s ID before saving them on the bowsakkdestx.txt file and also to PersonalID.txt file. Below is a screenshot of these files.

If the virus couldn’t create any online encryption ID for any reason, it will resort to an offline one. However, this offline encryption ID will be uniform for all victims affected by that malware variant. When t1 characters are appended at the end of the victim’s personal ID, it shows that computer was affected by an offline key. The good thing about this is that with offline key, you can possibly decrypt .futm files in the future.

The data encryption now commences fully by scanning all folders and encrypting them with Salsa20; afterward, it uses RSA-2048 to lock the encryption key. The image below shows a folder containing encrypted files.

You can also see a screenshot of the _readme.txt ransom note left in each folder, as shown in the image below.

Making use of the Command Prompt task: vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All/Quiet, the virus will delete Volume Shadow Copies. Additionally, the virus collects hardware specifications, installed software list and active processes and saves them to information.txt file, plus sends it to the attacker’s Command&Control server.

Lastly, the malware will add an additional number of domains to the Windows Hosts file and associate them to a localhost IP. This move will automatically prevent the victim from having access to any of the denylisted websites. When they make an attempt to access them, a DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message may appear on the screen. The aim of the cybercriminals is to preempt any attempt by the victim to seek any help online.

Additional malware such as AZORULT Trojan could be dropped at this point. You can learn how to boot your system in Safe Mode with Networking. Note that once you put your computer in this setup, it hibernates most other Windows functions, thereby enabling the antivirus to penetrate and effectively get rid of the malware.

Remove FUTM Ransomware Virus and Recover Your Files

Victims of this malware variant should remove the FUTM ransomware without delay and equally report the incident to relevant local authorities. You can follow the steps outlined below as a guide. We also want to emphasize how important it is to armor your computer with a robust antivirus to avoid computer infections. If you do not have one yet, our team suggests you to use INTEGO Antivirus for cleansing your computer from malware. It is tested and trusted and has proven reliable in removing all traces of viruses that may linger in your computer and can also prevent future malware attacks as well. Additionally, we recommend downloading RESTORO for virus damage repair on Windows OS files.

Once you have prepared the security software and other tools, we recommend running them in Safe Mode with Networking to ensure that viruses won’t interfere the FUTM virus removal process.

Here are additional recommendations for victim of ransomware. Please follow them accordingly:

• Inform relevant local authorities about the attack as soon as you can.
• You can restore your lost files with the help of a backup, but make sure there is no trace of malware left in your computer before plugging in any external device.
• Go for tutorials so you can understand how to decrypt/repair STOP/DJVU encrypted files.
• Replace all old passwords associated with the computer with new ones.

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.