This article aims to help you by showing how to remove the latest variant of Dharma ransomware virus and restore files that have been encrypted with the .cobra file extension added to them.
A new variant of the notorious CrySiS ransomware variant, called Dharma Ransomware has reappeared and is likely to begin infecting computers all over the world. The virus may use the AES encryption algorithm to render important documents, images, videos and other types of files encrypted, meaning that they can no longer be opened, until they are unlocked with a specific decryption key. Since such key is only available to the creators of .cobra files virus, they ask from victims to make a ransom payment to get the files decrypted once again. If you are one of the victims of the .cobra Dharma ransomware, we recommend that you read this article immediately to learn how to effectively remove the .cobra ransomware variant of Dharma and how to try and recover most of your encrypted files without having to pay a hefty ransom.
Threat Summary
| Name | .cobra Virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | New variant of the notorious Dharma Ransomware, which derives from CrySiS virus family. Encrypts your files and then demands a rasnom to be paid to get them to work again. |
| Symptoms | Files are encrypted with an added .cobra extension and become no longer accessible. A ransom note appears on the infected computer with ransom instructions. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .cobra Virus. |
| Data Recovery Tool | Windows Data Recovery by Stellar Phoenix 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. |
.cobra Files Virus – Infection Process
In order to effectively infect a certain computer, the .cobra variant of Dharma ransomware uses very cunning tactics. The main of those accounts to over 80% of ransomware infections worldwide and is conducted via malicious e-mail spam. The way it works is that the cyber-criminals who are behind this variant of Dharma ransomware use deceitful techniques to convince unsuspecting victims in order to open a malicious e-mail attachment. They often pretend that the attachment being sent is a legitimate document, like:
- An invoice of a purchase that the user does not recall in making.
- A receipt of an order.
- A banking statement.
The e-mails often contain convincing statements, like the following example:
Most of the files which are attached to those e-mails often are either directly the infection executable file or a Microsoft Office document, using malicious macros to trigger the infection process. This happens after you open the document and enable the macros yourself:
So far, there has been one .exe file, related to the infection with the .cobra files variant of Dharma ransomware and it has been reported by researcher Jakub Kroustek (@JakubKroustek) to have the following parameters:
Dharma .cobra Ransomware Variant – Malicious Activity
When an infection with this variant of Dharma ransomware takes place, the SERVICE_2017-11-04_12-18.EXE infection file may connect silently to a remote C&C (Command and Control) server and from there download the payload of the .cobra files variant of Dharma. This payload consists of main executable, responsible for encryption process and other support files added alongside it. The malicious files may be dropped in the following Windows directories:
- %AppData%
- %Roaming%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Temp%
In addition to simply dropping files on your computer, the Dharma .cobra files variant may also modify the Run and RunOnce Windows registry sub-keys. They are responsible for the automatic running of the malicious executable of this virus that encrypts files. In them, a value string may be created with data in it, pointing out the exact name (which is often random) and location of the malicious file, belonging to the .cobra files variant of Dharma. The sub-keys are located in the Windows Registry Editor, more specifically in the following keys:
→ HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
After it has been executed on your computer, this .cobra files iteration of Dharma ransomware aims to encrypt the files on your computer and make the file recovery process very difficult for you. To do this, the virus first deletes your backups and shadow volume copies by running the vssadmin and bceditcommands in the Windows Command Prompt silently:
→ vssadmin delete shadows /for={volume} /oldest /all /shadow={ID of the Shadow} /quiet
.cobra Files Virus – Encryption Process
For the encryption process, the .cobra files virus may use an advanced encryption technique, also used in it’s previous variants. Without going in to technical details, the most important thing to know about this encryption mode is that it alters the core structure code of the legitimate files on your computer with code from the encryption algorithm it uses. The virus does not replace the whole code of the file, however, but only a portion of it, like it’s header or footer, enough to make the file itself no longer openable. To encrypt files, the .cobra variant of Dharma ransomware has a pre-configured list in which it targets the most commonly used files on your computer, some of which are the following:
“PNG .PSD .PSPIMAGE .TGA .THM .TIF .TIFF .YUV .AI .EPS .PS .SVG .INDD .PCT .PDF .XLR .XLS .XLSX .ACCDB .DB .DBF .MDB .PDB .SQL .APK .APP .BAT .CGI .COM .EXE .GADGET .JAR .PIF .WSF .DEM .GAM .NES .ROM .SAV CAD Files .DWG .DXF GIS Files .GPX .KML .KMZ .ASP .ASPX .CER .CFM .CSR .CSS .HTM .HTML .JS .JSP .PHP .RSS .XHTML. DOC .DOCX .LOG .MSG .ODT .PAGES .RTF .TEX .TXT .WPD .WPS .CSV .DAT .GED .KEY .KEYCHAIN .PPS .PPT .PPTX ..INI .PRF Encoded Files .HQX .MIM .UUE .7Z .CBR .DEB .GZ .PKG .RAR .RPM .SITX .TAR.GZ .ZIP .ZIPX .BIN .CUE .DMG .ISO .MDF .TOAST .VCD SDF .TAR .TAX2014 .TAX2015 .VCF .XML Audio Files .AIF .IFF .M3U .M4A .MID .MP3 .MPA .WAV .WMA Video Files .3G2 .3GP .ASF .AVI .FLV .M4V .MOV .MP4 .MPG .RM .SRT .SWF .VOB .WMV 3D .3DM .3DS .MAX .OBJ R.BMP .DDS .GIF .JPG ..CRX .PLUGIN .FNT .FON .OTF .TTF .CAB .CPL .CUR .DESKTHEMEPACK .DLL .DMP .DRV .ICNS .ICO .LNK .SYS .CFG”
The .cobra files variant of Dharma is also very careful not to encrypt any files in the %Windows% folder or other system directories. After the encryption process is complete, which usually takes couple of seconds, the .cobra extension is added to the files along with the e-mail to contact the cyber-criminals. An encrypted file by this Dharma ransomware variant may appear in the format below:
How to Remove .cobra Files Virus and Restore Encrypted Files
In order to remove this iteration of Dharma ransomware, you should follow the step-by-step removal instructions below. They are specifically organized in order to help you isolate and then delete Dharma ransomware. While those instructions are divided in manual and automatic removals, be advised that most ransomware researchers often advise removing dangerous malware, like the .cobra files variant of Dharma automatically, while using an advanced anti-malware software which will scan for them and remove any trace of the malware safely and quickly.
Furthermore, if you want to restore files that have been encrypted with the .cobra file extension, we advise you to check out the alternative file recovery methods which we have suggested below in step “2. Restore files encrypted by .cobra Virus” below. They may not be 100% effective to recover all the files, but may help you restore a lot of your encoded data without you having to pay the ransom yourself.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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Step 1: Scan for .cobra Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall .cobra Virus and related malware 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 delete most unwanted and malicious programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by .cobra Virus 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 .cobra Virus 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: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .cobra Virus
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .cobra Virus.
Method 1: Use STOP Decrypter by Emsisoft.
Not all variants of this ransomware can be decrypted for free, but we have added the decryptor used by researchers that is often updated with the variants which become eventually decrypted. You can try and decrypt your files using the instructions below, but if they do not work, then unfortunately your variant of the ransomware virus is not decryptable.
Follow the instructions below to use the Emsisoft decrypter and decrypt your files for free. You can download the Emsisoft decryption tool linked here and then follow the steps provided below:
1 Right-click on the decrypter and click on Run as Administrator as shown below:
2. Agree with the license terms:
3. Click on "Add Folder" and then add the folders where you want files decrypted as shown underneath:
4. Click on "Decrypt" and wait for your files to be decoded.
Note: Credit for the decryptor goes to Emsisoft researchers who have made the breakthrough with this virus.
Method 2: Use data recovery software
Ransomware infections and .cobra Virus 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 the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
.cobra Virus-FAQ
What is .cobra Virus Ransomware?
.cobra Virus 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 algorithms 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.
What Does .cobra Virus Ransomware Do?
Ransomware in general is a malicious software that is designed to block access to your computer or files until a ransom is paid.
Ransomware viruses can also damage your system, corrupt data and delete files, resulting in the permanent loss of important files.
How Does .cobra Virus Infect?
Via several ways..cobra Virus Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing emails, 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.
Another way you may become a victim of .cobra Virus 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 ..cobra Virus files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the ..cobra Virus files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted using a specific decryption key for the particular algorithm.
What to Do If a Decryptor Does Not Work?
Do not panic, and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your ..cobra Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore "..cobra Virus" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore ..cobra Virus files.
These methods are in no way 100% guaranteed that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How To Get Rid of .cobra Virus Virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti-malware program.
It will scan for and locate .cobra Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..cobra Virus files.
Can I 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.
Can You Stop Ransomware from Encrypting Your Files?
Yes, you can prevent ransomware. The best way to do this is to ensure your computer system is updated with the latest security patches, use a reputable anti-malware program and firewall, backup your important files frequently, and avoid clicking on malicious links or downloading unknown files.
Can .cobra Virus Ransomware Steal Your Data?
Yes, in most cases ransomware will steal your information. It is a form of malware that steals data from a user's computer, encrypts it, and then demands a ransom in order to decrypt it.
In many cases, the malware authors or attackers will threaten to delete the data or publish it online unless the ransom is paid.
Can Ransomware Infect WiFi?
Yes, ransomware can infect WiFi networks, as malicious actors can use it to gain control of the network, steal confidential data, and lock out users. If a ransomware attack is successful, it could lead to a loss of service and/or data, and in some cases, financial losses.
Should I Pay Ransomware?
No, you should not pay ransomware extortionists. Paying them only encourages criminals and does not guarantee that the files or data will be restored. The better approach is to have a secure backup of important data and be vigilant about security in the first place.
What Happens If I Don't Pay Ransom?
If you don't pay the ransom, the hackers may still have access to your computer, data, or files and may continue to threaten to expose or delete them, or even use them to commit cybercrimes. In some cases, they may even continue to demand additional ransom payments.
Can a Ransomware Attack Be Detected?
Yes, ransomware can be detected. Anti-malware software and other advanced security tools can detect ransomware and alert the user when it is present on a machine.
It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest security measures and to keep security software updated to ensure ransomware can be detected and prevented.
Do Ransomware Criminals Get Caught?
Yes, ransomware criminals do get caught. Law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, Interpol and others have been successful in tracking down and prosecuting ransomware criminals in the US and other countries. As ransomware threats continue to increase, so does the enforcement activity.
About the .cobra Virus Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this .cobra Virus how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific malware and restore your encrypted files.
How did we conduct the research on this ransomware?
Our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, and as such, we receive daily updates on the latest malware and ransomware definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the .cobra Virus ransomware threat is backed with VirusTotal and the NoMoreRansom project.
To better understand the ransomware threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
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.
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