Remove OOXA Ransomware Virus (DECRYPT .ooxa FILES)

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

OOXA Ransomware Virus Is a New Threat to Computer Users

Contents

OOXA Ransomware Virus Is a New Threat to Computer Users
How to Ensure That Your Computer Is Safe From STOP/DJVU Ransomware Virus
How to Safely Remove OOXA Ransomware Virus
Decrypt OOXA files
Frequently Asked Questions

OOXA ransomware virus is a new threat every computer user should be wary of. This destructive malware was created by a group known as STOP/DJVU and their aim is to use it to extort ransom from their victims. Their method of spreading it is by attaching it to pirated software content so they would become triggered once downloaded by unsuspecting users. They usually exploit online torrent platforms as well as other methods like mass sending of unsolicited emails to random people. Regardless of the method used, once the OOXA malware infiltrates any computer, it will automatically begin data encryption, thereby making all files contained in it unreadable and useless to the owner. After that, it would also append .ooxa extension to all the files respectively as a way of identifying them. For more clarity, files that were formerly saved as 1.jpeg and 2.jpg before the encryption would now become 1.jpeg.ooxa and 2.jpeg.ooxa respectively and include videos, pictures, and documents.

While the above process is still taking place, the cybercriminals would also release notifications called _readme.txt, which inform the victim about what was happening. They will state that a ransomware attack has occurred successfully, and considering that complex encryption keys were used in the process, the victim is now mandated to pay certain fees as ransom before they would make decryption tools available.

Cybercriminals demand contacting them within 3 days

Victims of ransomware attacks are typically disconcerted once they realize that important files have been encrypted and made inaccessible to them. This could result in acts of desperation and willingness to comply with demands made by the cybercriminals, especially in cases whereby the victim has no backup. In anticipation of such, the cybercriminals would drop two email addresses, namely: support@bestyourmail.ch, supportsys@airmail.cc, while suggesting that the victim should reach out for possible assistance.

However, this is only a deception to make the victim pay ransom demands. They will also claim that even though the ransom fee is $980, half of it i.e. $490 would be acceptable provided the victim is able to pay within 3 days of being asked to do so. To put more pressure on their victim, they would warn that the offer would be withdrawn once it exceeds that period.

In addition to that, they would also emphasize that the ransom fee can only be paid with cryptocurrency. They prohibit the use of conventional payment methods because it would expose their identity, unlike cryptocurrency, which provides anonymity.

Nevertheless, victims of ransomware attacks are advised not to pay ransom to cybercriminals regardless of the threats. The FBI and other globally recognized security organizations also support this assertion. Listed below are some of the factors they considered before making the recommendation:

Since there is no guarantee that cybercriminals would keep to their own part of the bargain by decrypting the files after payment has been made, it is, therefore, unreasonable to pay the ransom.
Records have shown that most paying victims are often targeted again in the future because cybercriminals are greedy in nature and always look for means to extort more money.
Ransom payment makes it easy for cybercriminals to increase their capacity, which puts a greater number of computer users at risk.
It encourages them to continue in their criminal activities since it has become profitable to them.

The importance of securing your computer ASAP

It is also important to note that OOXA ransomware virus is not the only risk that emanates from the attack, as other dangerous Trojans are equally released during the process. The cybercriminals that spread STOP/DJVU ransomware virus series are known for embedding RAT’s i.e., Remote Access Trojans as secondary malware. These RATs are then used to steal vital personal information such as software login credentials, banking details, passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and browsing history, among others. Loss of such sensitive personal information to cybercriminals would put the victim at significant risk of further cyber-attacks and potential losses.

The risk posed by both the ransomware virus and the attached Trojan is why it is very important for the victim to remove them both as soon as possible. Granted that one can make use of different options to remove OOXA ransomware, using Safe Mode with Networking option is highly recommended as the best and most effective. After using antivirus solution, download RESTORO to identify virus damage caused for Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

Name	OOXA Ransomware Virus
Type	Ransomware; Crypto-malware; Virtual Extortion Virus
Family	STOP/DJVU
Encryption type	RSA 2048 + Salsa20
Previous versions	GGEW, GGWQ, GGEO, OORI, OOXA (find full list here)
Version	529th
Extension	.ooxa
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 .ooxa 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).

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE

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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.

See how encrypted files appear in a data folder.

How to Ensure That Your Computer Is Safe From STOP/DJVU Ransomware Virus

Every computer is potentially at risk of malware infection, but the user can take proactive steps that would greatly diminish their exposure. This would include avoiding online torrent platforms, shunning P2P software sharing, not making use of cloned software contents, not opening emails/attachments from unrecognizable sources etc. In trying to deceive potential victims, cybercriminals also spoof their own addresses and impersonate corporate brands or personalities. Such emails and attachments should be deleted once they appear in spam folders or inbox.

Cybercriminals also target popular software contents that are in high demand which they would clone and use as bait to victimize as many people as possible. Unknown to unsuspecting victims, such pirated software contents have been embedded with ransomware and would be triggered once they’re installed in any computer. Based on reports gotten from victims over the years, we compiled a list of popular software copies often cloned and used in the distribution of ransomware. Please check below:

Adobe Photoshop;
Adobe Premiere Pro;
Adobe Illustrator;
Corel Draw;
Fifa 20;
VMware Workstation;
Cubase;
League of Legends;
AutoCad;
Tenorshare 4ukey;
Internet Download Manager.

Some computer users don’t like paying for these software copies and believe it saves cost to get them through other means free of charge. However, on the contrary, using illegal means not recognized by the original content producers could lead to severe losses to the computer user. Also, note that these are copyright products of companies that invested huge resources in research and development and thus are entitled to earn profits from it. As long as it remains profitable for them, the IT industry will continue to grow since they would invest more.

However, cybercriminals are doing the opposite by constituting a nuisance. The fees requested by the original content producers are always negligible when compared to huge ransom fees often demanded by cybercriminals from their victims, yet there is no guarantee that encrypted files will be restored.

Files such as XLS, PDF, and DOCX often come in handy to cybercriminals because they have macro function abilities that enable them to covertly attach malware to cloned software copies.
For computer users that have fallen victim already, you should not complicate issues by visiting sites that make bogus claims of having STOP/DJVU ransomware decryption tools. So far, only Emsisoft and DiskTuna have proven to be effective, while most others are fraudulent.

How to Safely Remove OOXA Ransomware Virus

Victims of OOXA ransomware virus are advised to remove it once it is detected in their system. This should be done by login into the computer through Safe Mode with Networking before activating any reliable antivirus software. The next step could be usage of RESTORO (secure download link), a tool that can repair virus damage caused to Windows OS files.

The following steps should also be taken after OOXA virus removal:

Inform relevant local authorities about the situation.
Use backups to restore lost files.
Change all passwords that were used on the compromised computer.

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

DOWNLOAD RESTORO

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.

OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA files

Fix and open large OOXA 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 OOXA 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. OOXA Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like GGEW, GGWQ, GGEO, OORI, OOXA (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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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 .OOXA files?

You can only open OOXA 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 OOXA 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 OOXA 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.