C0v Virus File (Dharma Ransomware)
A new iteration of the Dharma ransomware family has been detected in the wild. Appending the .c0v ([c0v1d19@job4u.com].c0v) file extension to encrypted file, the c0v cryptovirus will demand a ransom payment from you to allegedly restore your files. However, we advise you to be extra careful and not get in touch with cybercriminals. There is no guarantee that your files will be restored, and by paying the ransomware operators, you will only enable their future malicious campaigns.
Note that the c0v file virus is currently being distributed across the web, targeting vulnerable Windows systems and users with weak protection and bad online habits. Don’t open suspicious or unexpected emails that contain an urgent subject line and attached files, as these emails could have been coined by the Dharma operators to spread their file-encrypting payload. Continue reading to learn more about the ways of ransomware distribution, and how to remove the c0v ransomware.
Another example of a Dharma variant is the .TomLe virus file, released in February 2021.
C0v Virus File Summary
| Name | C0v ransomware |
| File Extensions | .c0v file extension |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts all files located on infected systems. A specially crafted message gives the victim instructions on what to do to supposedly get their files back. |
| Symptoms | Your files are encrypted and can’t be accessed. |
| Ransom Demanding Note | FILES ENCRYPTED.txt |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Freeware Installers |
| Detection Tool |
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C0v Virus File – How Did It Sneak Into My Computer?
The most widespread techniques of spreading ransomware such as C0v virus file are pirated software and malicious email attachments. We can describe two of the most popular infection cases for you:
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1. You may have downloaded a form of suspicious software from an untrustworthy torrent or freeware platform. Users like you are often led to believe that downloading apps from such places is safe. In truth, most torrent websites contain unverified downloads that directly put you at risk of Trojans and ransomware. If you have downloaded a trojanized application, it may have opened the door to more severe infections, such as the C0v cryptovirus. We highly advise you to keep great online and computer hygiene. You should always keep an eye on pending software and operating system patches. This way, you will update them as soon as a critical or important patch arrives.
2. You may have opened a malicious email attachment sent to you by a seemingly trustworthy sender, such as a company, or a company representative. Keep in mind that malspam operators use misleading tricks to make you open their emails. The attached file may look like a regular document, but in truth, it contains malicious code that could compromise your system severely. We advise you to disable macros in Microsoft Office applications. You can go to Microsoft’s support page on macros for more details. Note that if you are an enterprise user, the system administrator is in charge of the macro default settings.
3. Long story short, opening an unexpected email attachment hides many risks and shouldn’t be done without additional verification. If you can’t define whether the attached archive is malicious or not, you can always refer to us for help!
Should You Pay the Demanded Ransom?
We believe that contacting cybercriminals is not a good idea. There is no guarantee you will get your files back, if you follow their requests and demands. Instead, we advise you to remove the virus from your system to prevent it from spreading further, and wait for an official decryption tool. In the meantime, you can try to restore your files via using an alternative method. More about this is available in the instructions below.
Remove C0V Virus File ([c0v1d19@job4u.com].c0v)
You can remove the cryptovirus by following the removal instructions below. We created these steps to navigate you through the removal process.
NOTE! If the manual removal steps don’t work for some reason, we would advise you to do what most cybersecurity experts would do – run a scan with an advanced anti-malware tool on your PC. Such a program aims to automatically detect and delete all malicious files and objects and protect your machine against future infections.
In terms of encryption of files locked by this Dharma variant, you can refer to the “Try to restore” step. Please note that the alternative solutions we have given may not recover all affected files, but you may be able to restore some of your data partially.
Milena Dimitrova
An inspired writer and content manager who has been with SensorsTechForum since the project started. A professional with 10+ years of experience in creating engaging content. Focused on user privacy and malware development, she strongly believes in a world where cybersecurity plays a central role. If common sense makes no sense, she will be there to take notes. Those notes may later turn into articles! Follow Milena @Milenyim
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Attention! SensorsTechForum strongly recommends that all malware victims should look for assistance only by reputable sources. Many guides out there claim to offer free recovery and decryption for files encrypted by ransomware viruses. Be advised that some of them may only be after your money.
As a site that has been dedicated to providing free removal instructions for ransomware and malware since 2014, SensorsTechForum’s recommendation is to only pay attention to trustworthy sources.
How to recognize trustworthy sources:
- Always check "About Us" web page.
- Profile of the content creator.
- Make sure that real people are behind the site and not fake names and profiles.
- Verify Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter personal profiles.
- Guide 1: How to Remove C0v Virus File from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of C0v Virus File from Mac OS X.
How to Remove C0v Virus File from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove C0v Virus File
Step 2: Uninstall C0v Virus File and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by C0v Virus File on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by C0v Virus File there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Step 4: Scan for C0v Virus File with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by C0v Virus File.
Ransomware infections and C0v Virus File aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested a data recovery method that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that this method may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
Get rid of C0v Virus File from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall C0v Virus File and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove C0v Virus File via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by C0v Virus File.
Ransomware infections and C0v Virus File aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested a data recovery method that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that this method may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
C0v Virus File FAQ
What is C0v Virus File ransomware and how does it work?
C0v Virus File is a ransomware infection - the malicious software that enters your computer silently and blocks either access to the computer itself or encrypt your files.
Many ransomware viruses use sophisticated encryption algorithm how to make your files inaccessible. The goal of ransomware infections is to demand that you pay a ransom payment to get access to your files back.
How does C0v Virus File ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.C0v Virus File Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing e-mails, containing virus attachment.
This attachment is usually masked as an important document, like an invoice, bank document or even a plane ticket and it looks very convincing to users.
After you download and execute this attachment, a drive-by download occurs and your computer is infected with the ransomware virus.
Another way, you may become a victim of C0v Virus File is if you download a fake installer, crack or patch from a low reputation website or if you click on a virus link. Many users report getting a ransomware infection by downloading torrents.
How to open .C0v Virus File files?
You can't. At this point the .C0v Virus File files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted.
Decryptor did not decrypt my data. What now?
Do not panic and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your .C0v Virus File files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by C0v Virus File ransomware is to use a decryptor for it. But since it's a new virus, advised that the decryption keys for it may not be out yet and available to the public. We will update this article and keep you posted as soon as this decryptor is released.
How Do I restore ".C0v Virus File" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .C0v Virus File files.
These methods are in no way 100% guarantee that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How do I get rid of C0v Virus File ransomware virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti malware software. It will scan for and locate C0v Virus File ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .C0v Virus File files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like C0v Virus File ransomware also install Trojans and keyloggers that can steal your passwords and accounts. Scanning your computer with an anti-malware software will make sure that all of these virus components are removed and your computer is protected in the future.
What to Do If nothing works?
There is still a lot you can do. If none of the above methods seem to work for you, then try these methods:
- Try to find a safe computer from where you can can login on your own line accounts like One Drive, iDrive, Google Drive and so on.
- Try to contact your friends, relatives and other people so that they can check if they have some of your important photos or documents just in case you sent them.
- Also, check if some of the files that were encrypted it can be re-downloaded from the web.
- Another clever way to get back some of your files is to find another old computer, a flash drive or even a CD or a DVD where you may have saved your older documents. You might be surprised what will turn up.
- You can also go to your email account to check if you can send any attachments to other people. Usually what is sent the email is saved on your account and you can re-download it. But most importantly, make sure that this is done from a safe computer and make sure to remove the virus first.
More tips you can find on our forums, where you can also asks any questions about your ransomware problem.
How to Report Ransomware to Authorities?
In case your computer got infected with a ransomware infection, you can report it to the local Police departments. It can help authorities worldwide track and determine the perpetrators behind the virus that has infected your computer. Below, we have prepared a list with government websites, where you can file a report in case you are a victim of a cybercrime:
Cyber-security authorities, responsible for handling ransomware attack reports in different regions all over the world:
- Germany - Offizielles Portal der deutschen Polizei
- United States - IC3 Internet Crime Complaint Centre
- United Kingdom - Action Fraud Police
- France - Ministère de l'Intérieur
- Italy - Polizia Di Stato
- Spain - Policía Nacional
- Netherlands - Politie
- Poland - Policja
- Portugal - Polícia Judiciária
- Greece - Cyber Crime Unit (Hellenic Police)
- India - Mumbai Police - CyberCrime Investigation Cell
- Australia - Australian High Tech Crime Center
Reports may be responded to in different timeframes, depending on your local authorities.
