Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Note! Your computer might be affected by Anubis and other threats.
Threats such as Anubis may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Strangely enough, a ransomware virus variant that has Anubis for it’s theme has appeared, leaving encoded files in .coded file extension after it encrypts them. The virus then changes the wallpaper of the affected computer with a distinctive one showing the Egyptian god and alongside a ransom note explaining the situation to affected users. The virus also drops a “decryption_instructions.txt” file which aims to induce fear into users and get them to pay the ransom and contact the cyber-crooks for decryption instructions on their e-mail “[email protected]”. Malware researchers who are reverse engineering the Anubis virus are advising users not to make any payoff the cyber-criminals behind this e-mail address and to remove the virus. If you seek alternative methods to restore your files and removal instructions for Anubis ransomware, you should read this article thoroughly instead of having to pay to crooks who may or may not restore your files.
Threat Summary
Name
Anubis
Type
Ransomware
Short Description
The ransomware encrypts files with an encryption algorithm rendering them no longer oopenable until a ransom is paid to the cyber-criminals who are the only ones with the decryption keys. The Anubis virus is believed to be a part of the EDA2 ransomware family.
Symptoms
Files are encrypted and become inaccessible. A ransom note with instructions for paying the ransom shows as a decryption_instructions.txt file.
Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery Technician’s License Notice! This product scans your drive sectors to recover lost files and it may not recover 100% of the encrypted files, but only few of them, depending on the situation and whether or not you have reformatted your drive.
Anubis Ransomware – How Does It Spread
Users can get infected with this variant of Anubis ransomware in multiple scenarios. The virus may spread via malicious web links posted all over the web in widely visited websites, such as social media sites as well as websites that have comments and user content, like Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, and others. The weblinks themselves may not be malicious, and this is what gets them posted online without being detected. They may, however, perform a browser redirect and transfer to the actual malicious URL that causes a drive-by-download or a file-less JavaScript type of infection.
The most likely scenario of getting infected with ransomware like the Anubis virus is via e-mail. The crypto-virus may be spammed via spamming software that sends multiple e-mails to a pre-configured list of targets. Such e-mails may contain various subjects that are convincing, like:
Invoice.
Payment confirmation.
PayPal transfers.
Letter from your bank.
Such subjects may convince users to open e-mail attachments that seem legitimate but contain the Anubis ransomware. Given that most users nowadays are inexperienced, it is already a proven method to cause malware infections, and this is why cyber-criminals prefer it.
Anubis Ransomware – Further Information
When initially activated, the malicious file may be the ransomware itself, especially if it is a .JS type of file. However, the virus may also be downloaded by third party malware that causes the infection. The payload of Anubis ransomware may be located under different names in one of the following key Windows folders:
After the payload has already been dropped, Anubis ransomware may cause the computer to slow down and even freeze while it performs it’s encryption process. Initially, the virus may either modify the registry entries in the keys “Run” and “RunOnce” of the infected computer or drop files in the %Startup% folder to make the file encryptor run every time Windows starts. It may also delete the shadow copies and file history to ensure that no files are restored. This is usually achieved by executing the following command in incognito mode:
After it’s preparation stage is complete, Anubis ransomware may target multiple types of files for encryption:
After having encrypted the targeted files, Anubis ransomware changes their core structure, and they can no longer be opened. The .coded file extension is added to the files, and they may appear like the following example:
After having enciphered your files, the ransomware virus Anubis drops a ransom note on the affected computer, named decryption_instructions.txt. It has the following distinctive message:
→”IMPORTANT INFORMATION! ————————– Your Computer ID: {uniqueID} <---- Remember it and send to my email.
--------------------------
All your files are encrypted strongly.!
-How to open my file?
-You need Original KEY and Decrypt Program
-Where can I get?
-Email to me: [email protected] or [email protected]
(Open file Decryption Instructions on your Desktop and send your SID)"
But the notification and persistence of Anubis does not end there. The virus also changes the background of the infected computer with Anubis’s image and the following message:
Source: demonslay335 (Twitter)
Malware researchers believe that this virus is part of the open-source HiddenTear (EDA2) ransomware project and might be decyptable.
Anubis Ransomware – Conclusion, Removal, and File Restoration
As a bottom line everyone who has had they PC’s infected with this variant of ransomware, should not pay any form of ransom. This is because ransomware researchers are often looking for a method to decrypt viruses like Anubis and they may release free decryptor soon. Until then, probably your best bet is to remove Anubis ransomware from your computer by following the instructions below and restore your files by seeing the alternative methods in step “2. Restore files encrypted by Anubis”. The best method to remove the ransomware, especially if you are having difficulties following the manual instructions and you are with no experience in detecting the malicious files is to use an advanced anti-malware program which will take care of Anubis ransomware automatically and swiftly. After having removed this virus, make sure that you backup your encrypted files before trying the file restoration methods because they may be risky in some circumstances.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by Anubis and other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as Anubis. Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove Anubis follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Anubis files and objects
OFFER
Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!
We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
For Windows XP, Vista and 7 systems:
1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu. 2. Select one of the two options provided below:
– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.
– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.
3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.
4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account
While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.
Step 1: Open up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
2. Find files created by Anubis on your PC
Find files created by Anubis
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
Step 1:
On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
Step 2:
Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
Step 3:
Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:
Step 1:
Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
Step 2:
After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
Step 3:
After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove Anubis with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Anubis and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove Anubis. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
4. Try to Restore files encrypted by Anubis
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by Anubis
Ransomware infections and Anubis aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested several alternative methods that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that these methods may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software. Another method for restoring your files is by trying to bring back your files via data recovery software. Here are some suggestions for preferred data recovery software solutions:
Method 2: Trying Kaspersky and EmsiSoft’s decryptors. If the first method does not work, we suggest trying to use decryptors for other ransomware viruses, in case your virus is a variant of them. The two primary developers of decryptors are Kaspersky and EmsiSoft, links to which we have provided below:
To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for Volume Shadow Copies, if ransomware has not deleted them, in Windows using the below software:
Method 4: Finding the decryption key while the cryptovirus sends it over a network via a sniffing tool.
Another way to decrypt the files is by using a Network Sniffer to get the encryption key, while files are encrypted on your system. A Network Sniffer is a program and/or device monitoring data traveling over a network, such as its internet traffic and internet packets. If you have a sniffer set before the attack happened you might get information about the decryption key. See how-to instructions below:
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Strangely enough, a ransomware virus variant that has Anubis for it’s theme has appeared, leaving encoded files in .coded file extension after it encrypts them. The virus then changes the wallpaper of the affected computer with a distinctive one showing the Egyptian god and alongside a ransom note explaining the situation to affected users. The virus also drops a “decryption_instructions.txt” file which aims to induce fear into users and get them to pay the ransom and contact the cyber-crooks for decryption instructions on their e-mail “[email protected]”. Malware researchers who are reverse engineering the Anubis virus are advising users not to make any payoff the cyber-criminals behind this e-mail address and to remove the virus. If you seek alternative methods to restore your files and removal instructions for Anubis ransomware, you should read this article thoroughly instead of having to pay to crooks who may or may not restore your files.
Source: demonslay335 (Twitter)
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for Anubis and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
