The .NEWS files virus is a ransomware from the Crysis/Dharma family. It is extremely dangerous ransomware due to the fact that it encrypts personal files located on the local drives as well as shared network directories. The primary goal of Dharma .NEWS ransomware is to extort a hefty ransom fee from infected users. The extortion happens via a ransom note file and a lockscreen instance.
Security experts strongly advise all victims against paying the demanded ransom to hackers. Otherwise, cyber criminals will be encouraged to continue developing vicious ransomware infections like .NEWS files virus and harassing online users. Keep up with this ransomware removal guide and find out how to clean malicious files from infected PC as well as how to potentially recover .NEWS files.
Threat Summary
| Name | .NEWS Virus |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | A ransomware dsigned to corrupt valuable files and extort a ransom free for their decryption. |
| Symptoms | Important files cannot be opened due to changes of their code. They are all renamed with .NEWS extension. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .NEWS 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. |
A new release of the Dharma ransomware family has been detected encrypting data files with the .NEWS extension. This new ransomware, alternatively known as the .NEWS virus, is probably spread by using the same well-known distribution strategies. They can include various phishing strategies that rely on the sending of email messages and hosting web sites that imitate well-known companies, people or services. Their aim will be to convince the recipients into interacting with the included scripts or files. The sites and emails might come from a domain name that sounds very similar to the legitimate ones.
The malicious files can be either documents (across all popular file types) or dangerous setup bundles of popular applications which are often downloaded by web users. Alternatively they will be uploaded to file-sharing networks where popular legitimate and pirate is frequently distributed. The virus code can also be integrated in browser hijackers which are dangerous extensions made for the most popular web browsers. Once made they are spread to the respective repositories using fake user reviews and developer credentials. To make these plugins appear as more lucrative an elaborate description and promises of multiple feature additions will be posted.
As soon as the .NEWS virus is deployed on a given system a sequence of dangerous activities will be run depending on the built-in code or the hacker instructions. In almost all cases this will include some kind of a data harvesting process — it is programmed to search for information that is related to the victims (personal data) and the machines that they are using. It can be used to construct an unique identifier and to look for any running security applications — any found anti-virus engines, firewalls and related processes will be stopped or deleted.
The .NEWS virus can also be used to modify system settings and configuration files. This can lead to dangerous consequences for the users which can include data loss, unexpected errors and issues that are related to the use of common services and applications. There are two main types of changes which are most frequently quoted by the security analysts:
- Persistent Infection — The .NEWS ransomware engine can be installed in a way which will automatically start it as soon as the computer is booted.
- Windows Registry Changes — The virus engine can edit out existing strings which are found within the Registry. This can cause data loss, errors when accessing operations and user installed applications.
When everything has finished running the .NEWS virus will proceed with the actual encryption phase. Following the well-known procedures of previous samples the engine will encrypt files based on a built-in list of target file type extensions — usually this will include commonly used user data such as documents, multimedia files, backups, archives and system restore points. To mask the affected files the ransomware will add the .NEWS extension to them. As well as a ransom note the virus will institute a lockscreen instance which will blackmail the victims into paying the hackers a decryption fee.
Remove .NEWS Virus Files and Restore Data
The ransomware associated with .NEWS extension is a threat with highly complex code that plagues not only your files but your whole system. So you should clean and secure your infected system before you could use it regularly again. Below you could find a step-by-step removal guide that may be helpful in attempting to remove this ransomware.
Choose the manual removal approach if you have previous experience with malware files. If you don’t feel comfortable with the manual steps select the automatic section from the guide. Steps there enable you to check the infected system for ransomware files and remove them with a few mouse clicks.
In order to keep your system safe from ransomware and other types of malware in future, you should consider the installation of a reliable anti-malware program.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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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.
How to Remove .NEWS Virus from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .NEWS Virus
Step 2: Uninstall .NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS 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 .NEWS 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: Scan for .NEWS Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .NEWS Virus.
Ransomware infections and .NEWS 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 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 .NEWS Virus from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS Virus.
Ransomware infections and .NEWS 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 top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
.NEWS Virus FAQ
What is .NEWS Virus ransomware and how does it work?
.NEWS 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 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 .NEWS Virus ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways..NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS 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 ..NEWS Virus files?
You can't. At this point the ..NEWS Virus 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 ..NEWS Virus files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by .NEWS Virus 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 "..NEWS Virus" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore ..NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS Virus 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 .NEWS Virus ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..NEWS Virus files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like .NEWS Virus 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.
