This blog post has been created with the main purpose of explaining what is the .obfuscated files ransomware and show how to remove it from your computer effectively.
New ransomware virus, using the .obfuscated file extension which it appends to the encrypted files has been detected by security researchers. The virus aims to encrypt the files on the computers attacked by it and then set the .obfuscated file extension. The ransomware also adds a ransom note aiming to extort victims to pay ransom in order to get their files to work once again. If your computer has been infected by the .obfuscated ransomware we would suggest that you read the article underneath thoroughly.
Threat Summary
| Name | BigBobRoss |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | Aims to encrypt the files on the compromised computer and then ask victims to pay ransom in order to get them restored. |
| Symptoms | Files have the .obfuscated file extension added to them. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
Download
Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss BigBobRoss. |
| 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. |
.obfuscated Files Virus – Update March 2019
A decryption tool for the .obfuscated Files Virus got released by EMSIsoft, that you can download from the link provided here – Emsisoft Decrypter for BigBobRoss. You will need a ransom note from this ransomware in order to use the decrypter.
.obfuscated Files Virus – Distribution Methods
The primary method of distribution that is used by this ransomware has been reported to be conducted via software bundling, which uses e-mails to spam potential victims and infect them via the e-mail attachments, like the example image below shows.
In addition to e-mail, another distribution way is conducted via the ransomware virus being directly downloaded from the victim from a website for free software. Most viruses often use different executables, like cracks, key generators, license activators and other forms of installers the users may be looking to download and run. The most demand for such programs is usually game and software cracks, patches and portable versions of programs as well.
.obfuscated Ransomware – Analysis
As it’s name suggests the ransomware uses obfuscation techniques in order to hide the infection from any antivirus and other protection software. The outcome of this is that the .obfuscated ransomware may conduct its activities in a concealed manner.
The first activity of this malware strain is to copy itself on the victim’s computer. This may happen by either extracting or downloading the virus files onto the PC of the victim. The files may exist under different file names and are generally located in the following Windows directories:
- %AppData%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Roaming%
- %Temp%
Once this is done, the ransomware may display it’s ransom note file on the victims’ computers, which is called Read Me.txt and has the following message:
Hello, dear friend!
=================================================
1- [All your files have been ENCRYPTED!]Your files are NOT damaged! Your files are modified only.
The only way to decrypt your files is to receive the decryption program.
your files can not be decrypted without the special program we made it for your computer.=================================================
2- [ HOW TO RETURN FILES? ]To receive the decryption program Write to our email “BigBobRoss@computer4u.com”
and tell us your unique ID=================================================
3- [ FREE DECRYPTION! ]Free decryption as guarantee.
We guarantee the receipt of the decryption program after payment.
To believe, you can give us 1 file that must be less than 1MB and we decrypt it for free.
File should not be important to you! databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.=================================================
4- [ Instruction ]the easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. you have to register, click “buy bitcoins”
and select the seller by payment method and price.https://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins
=================================================
CAUTION!
please do not change the name of files or file extension if your files are important to you!
Your unique ID : [redacted 8 uppercase hex]
In addition to this, the .obfuscated files virus may also attack Windows Registry Editor and in the Run and RunOnce keys add registry entries with data that will set the malicious file or files of this virus to run automatically on Windows boot. The sub-keys have the following locations:
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
In addition to this, the ransomware virus may also delete the shadow volume copies of the infected machine, which are made with the main purpose to minimize the chance of victims to restore their files via Windows Backup and recovery. The commands could be among the ones listed below:
→ sc stop VVS
sc stop wscsvc
sc stop WinDefend
sc stop wuauserv
sc stop BITS
sc stop ERSvc
sc stop WerSvc
cmd.exe /C bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No
cmd.exe /C bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe” /C vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
.obfuscated Ransowmare – Encryption Process
In order to encrypted the files on victim PC’s the .obfuscated files virus may conduct a scan on the computers of users. The scan skips important Windows and system directories and may encrypt files from the following types;
- Documents.
- Videos.
- Images.
- Audio files.
- Archive files.
- Template files.
- Virtual Drive files.
As soon as the files infected by this ransomware virus are encrypted, the .obfuscation file extension is added to them and they may start to appear like the following:
Remove .obfuscated Files Virus and Try Restoring Files
If you wish to remove the .obfuscated file ransomware from your computer, we would reccomend that you follow the instructions that are underneath this article. They have been created with the main idea of helping you delete this ransomware the way you prefer. If manual removal does not seem to work, experts strongly advise you to automatically remove all of the .obfuscated virus files on your computer by using an anti-malware program. This software will perform scans for malware and make sure that all of the malicious files are gone and your computer stays protected against future infections as well.
If you are trying to restore .obfuscated files, we will have you know that at this point there is no direct solution, but you can try the alternative methods for file restoration we have listed in the accordion below. They have been created to help restore as many encrypted files by this ransomware as possible.
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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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.
About the BigBobRoss Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss 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.
References
1. How to Recognize Spam Emails with Ransomware
2. How Does Ransomware Encryption Work?
3. How to Decrypt Ransomware Files
4. Ransomware Getting Greedier and Bigger, Attacks Increase by 40%
5. 1 in 5 Americans Victim of Ransomware
How to Remove BigBobRoss from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove BigBobRoss
1. Hold Windows Key + R.
2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.
3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".
4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.
5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.
Step 2: Uninstall BigBobRoss 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:
1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.
2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.
3. This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press "Uninstall"
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.
2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.
3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.
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 BigBobRoss with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.
2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.
4. 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.
Video Guide for Automatic and Fast Removal
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by BigBobRoss.
Ransomware infections and BigBobRoss 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
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.
Step 6: How to Restore Files Encrypted by Ransomware (Video Guide)
Get rid of BigBobRoss from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall BigBobRoss 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:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to BigBobRoss:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to BigBobRoss. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash
”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference.
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to BigBobRoss. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- 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 BigBobRoss 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:
1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as BigBobRoss. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
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 BigBobRoss.
Ransomware infections and BigBobRoss 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.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
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.
BigBobRoss FAQ
What is BigBobRoss ransomware and how does it work?
BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss 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 .BigBobRoss files?
You can't. At this point the .BigBobRoss 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 .BigBobRoss files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by BigBobRoss 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 ".BigBobRoss" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss 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 BigBobRoss ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .BigBobRoss files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like BigBobRoss 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.
