Remove OFWW Ransomware Virus (DECRYPT .ofww FILES)

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

OFWW ransomware virus & how to protect your computer

Contents

OFWW ransomware virus & how to protect your computer
- Ransomware Summary
Ways this ransomware infects target systems
- How you can safeguard your PC
Remove OFWW ransomware virus instantly and other things you can do
Decrypt OFWW files
Frequently Asked Questions

OFWW ransomware is a malicious computer virus that is designed to encrypt files stored on a personal or work PCs. It is a new and confirmed variant of STOP/DJVU ransomware. Once this virus version infects the target system, it encrypts all data and makes each file unreadable or, in other words, impossible to open or edit its contents. In addition, the ransomware attaches .ofww extension to each file name. For example, previously saved files with names like 1.jpeg, 2.png or 3.jpg automatically transform to 1.jpeg.ofww, 2.png.ofww and 3.jpg.ofww. This is done in order to make the infected files stand out and draw victim’s attention.

Meanwhile, notifications referred as _readme.txt are also forwarded while the above changes are still occurring. _readme.txt notifies the victim about the ransomware attack and the extent to which their computer has been compromised. They will threaten the victim to get ready to pay ransom fees to enable them to receive decryption tools or lose data for good.

The ransom note also provides two email addresses so the victim could contact the criminals for further instructions: support@bestyourmail.ch and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. Should the victim decide to write to the cybercriminals, an automated response will state that even though $980 is the amount that has to be paid as a ransom fee, they could also leverage their 50% price slash available for those that can pay within 72 hours of being notified. In other words, $490 is acceptable to them but only for victims that are capable of paying within short notice. They will insist that the maximum ransom fee must be paid once the grace period elapses.

Challenges faced by the victim don’t end there because the cybercriminals do not accept standard bank payments or any other money transfer. They understand that such easily traceable payments could lead to their arrest, so they insist that victims must buy crypto that is equivalent to the ransom fee and transfer it to a wallet address provided by them.

Nevertheless, victims of cyber-attack are generally advised to ignore these rogues and never pay ransom, no matter the pressure. This idea is also expressed by the FBI. These are the reasons that were given in support of the nonpayment of ransom:

The law doesn’t support ransom payments.
The victim stands to gain nothing by paying the ransom because cybercriminals typically ignore them once they receive payment.
When victims pay the ransom, they’re indirectly endorsing criminality.
Ransom funds make it easy for cybercriminals to increase their capacity, hurting more people.
Those that pay the ransom are usually targeted more in the future.

The primary aim of OFWW ransomware virus is to encrypt files contained in any infected computer but in addition to that, they also trigger the release of RATs used by cybercriminals in stealing sensitive personal information such as passwords, banking details, cryptocurrency wallets, browsing history and software login credentials thereby exposing the victim to other forms of attacks. It should be noted that RAT stands for Remote Access Trojans.

In order to protect your computer, the first thing we recommend you to do is to remove OFWW ransomware virus from your computer. To do this, you should first start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking option (explained in the guide below). Once you’ve run a scan with antivirus and deleted all threats, make sure you enable real-time protection in your AV’s settings so that your computer is safe at all times. On top of that, we also recommend using RESTORO (secure download link) to repair virus-affected Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

Name	OFWW Ransomware Virus
Type	Ransomware; Crypto-malware; Virtual Extortion Virus
Family	STOP/DJVU
Encryption type	RSA 2048 + Salsa20
Previous versions	OFLG, OFOQ, AABN, AAMV, AAWT, EEBN, (find full list here)
Version	569th
Extension	.ofww
Cybercriminal emails	support@bestyourmail.ch, datarestorehelp@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 .ofww 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.MK!MTB (Microsoft), Gen:Heur.Mint.Zard.52 (B) (Emsisoft), HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Scarsi.gen (Kaspersky), Gen:Heur.Mint.Zard.52 (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.

Ways this ransomware infects target systems

Just like in the previous edition of STOP/DJVU, OFWW virus was also designed for the purpose of infecting many computers and ultimately extorting money from the users, offering data decryption tool for a hefty price point as the only solution to restore encrypted data.

In other words, the cybercriminals use diverse methods to spread the ransomware virus, such as disguising malware as pirated software installers or sending fake email attachments embedded with malware, etc. When using cloned software, they target popular ones in high demand to get many intending users to download them and, while doing so, trigger the ransomware virus.

However, for the email and attachments alternative, they would impersonate notable brands such as marketplaces like Amazon and eBay or delivery service companies like DHL and FedEx. To make the email more enticing, they use compelling terms like Invoice, Order Details, or Tracking Number to tempt the receiver enough to open them.

How you can safeguard your PC

Virtually every computer is at risk of malware infection but it is the activities of the user that determines whether it will remain safe or eventually become infected. When users visit dangerous platforms like malicious online torrents or share software contents via P2P, they significantly increase chances of ransom attack.

Likewise, opening of emails and attachments without first scrutinizing them is a careless behavior that could also lead to malware infection. Therefore, it is advisable to completely shun the use of cloned versions of software contents. You’re better off sourcing them legitimately, through the officially recommended channels, which include going to the website of the copyright owners or ensuring you’re buying only the original software copies.

Cybercriminals are known for using deceptive methods in distributing ransomware virus to unsuspecting users. However, by taking proactive measures, as compiled in this article, one can still beat them in their own game. Speaking of malicious email attachments, you can also protect your computer if you learn how to recognize signals that reveal malicious nature of the email. If it that appears in your inbox and doesn’t seem intelligible to you, then consider it a red flag and delete it.

Even popular files like DOCX, XLS, and PDF are now exploited by cybercriminals who make use of their macro functions in embedding malware, transporting them, and also triggering them in other computers. That being said, you should also look out for urgent tone in emails that gives you a feeling that the sender wants you to open the attached document quickly and without thinking about potential danger behind it.

Furthermore, please pay whatever fees are requested by the copyright owners of any software you desire to download, and don’t try to cut corners that may lead you to the cloned versions used by cybercriminals in distributing malware.

From our own studies, we discovered that cybercriminals often clone particular software content may be due to the fact they’re in high demand. Here are some of them:

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

Quite frankly, many of those using cloned versions of software contents hardly consider the medium to long term effects of their actions. Firstly, it is injurious to the brand owners and generally affects the IT/software industry negatively. The activities of cybercriminals have constituted a menace to those investing their resources in the research and development of software. It becomes grossly unfair when those that benefit by using such software content end up making it unprofitable for the developers while rewarding rogues who contributed nothing in the first place. Also, those using cloned versions of software contents are exposing themselves to potential losses and distress.

For those that may have become victims of OFWW ransomware virus already, you’re advised to stay away from websites that advertise decryption tools/solutions because they’re mostly dubious. We have observed that only Emsisoft and DiskTuna have shown varying degrees of success producing data repair/decryption tools for STOP/DJVU ransomware victims.

Remove OFWW ransomware virus instantly and other things you can do

Quick OFWW ransomware virus removal should be your top priority task at the moment. Once detected in a computer, we advise using a strong antivirus software to remove the malware package that was installed on the system. However, the compromised computer ought to be set up via Safe Mode with the Networking login option prior to running a full scan on it.

If you’ve done everything to remove OFWW virus and related threats, consider following these additional recommendations:

All existing passwords should be changed.
Now is the time your backup comes in handy, so use it to restore lost files.
You may search for possible solutions online if you don’t have a backup but be careful while doing so. You can use the guide provided on our site.
It is necessary to report to the police or relevant government agency.

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.

Read full review here.

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.

OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW files

Fix and open large OFWW 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 OFWW 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. OFWW Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like OFLG, OFOQ, AABN, AAMV, AAWT, EEBN, (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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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 .OFWW files?

You can only open OFWW 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 OFWW 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 OFWW 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.