This article has been created in order to explain what is the .ONI files virus and how to remove it from your computer effectively.
A new ransomware virus, going by the name of ONI ransomware has been detected by security researchers. The ransomware virus is similar to a virus that we have detected late October, 2017, called ONI Locker and originated from what appears to be Russia. Unlike the previous version, that encrypted the whole drive of the computers infected by it, this version of ONI ransomware encrypts only the files, leaving behind the .ONI file suffix after their original one. If your computer has been infected by this variant of ONI ransomware, we strongly suggest that you read this article as it aims to help you remove this virus and shows you several methods which you can use to try and restore your encrypted files.
Threat Summary
| Name | .ONI Ransomware |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | Encrypts the files on your computer and then asks victims to pay ransom to get them back. |
| Symptoms | The files have the .ONI file extension added and are completely renamed to random 0-9 A-Z names. A ransom note, called RESTORE_ONI_FILES.txt starts to appear. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss .ONI Ransomware. |
| 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. |
.ONI Files Virus – Update January 2019
.ONI Files Virus – How Does It Infect
The primary method via which the .ONI file ransomware infects computers is via malicious e-mail attachments. These attachments may be encountered malicious spam e-mails that include them as archives. They often pretend to be seemingly legitimate forms of documents, for example:
- Invoices.
- Receipts.
- Banking documents.
- Warranty of a product.
The e-mails sent are also very cleverly composed and may include multiple different types of messages, stating the importance of those files, for example:
Besides via e-mail, the .ONI virus may land on your computer via other methods as well. One of those methods is believed to be by uploading the virus files and making it seem as if they are legitimate type of files, such as:
- Setups of programs.
- License activators.
- Portable programs.
- Cracks.
- Patches.
- Keygens.
.ONI Files Virus – Activity Report
Once .ONI ransomware has infected your computer, the virus may commence it’s infection activity. The first chain of actions it performs is to drop it’s malicious payload on your computer. It may consist of more than one files being spawned and these processes may have the following locations:
- %AppData%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Roaming%
In addition to this, the ransomware virus also drops it’s ransom note file, called RESTORE_ONI_FILES.txt. The ransom note has the following contents:
Oops! Your files have been encrypted.
Your files are no longer accessible.
You might have been looking for any way to recover your files.
Don’t waste your time, you can’t recovery PC without our decryption service.Our email: enco@cock.email
Your ID (send it to my mail):
{ID HERE}
Attention!
-Only enco@cock.email can decrypt your files
-Trist no one enco@cock.email
-Do not attempt to uninstall the program or run anti-virus tools
Attempts to self-encrypt files will result in loss of your data.
-Decoders of other users are not compatible with your data because each user has a unique encryption key.
Furthermore, ONI ransomware also heavily modifies registries in Windows Registry Editor. For starters, the .ONI ransomware virus interacts with the following Windows files via the registry editor of Windows:
→ “C:\Windows\SysWOW64\rsaenh.dll”
“C:\Windows\Globalization\Sorting\SortDefault.nls”
“C:\Windows\System32”
“%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Caches”
“C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Caches\cversions.1.db”
“C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Caches\{AFBF9F1A-8EE8-4C77-AF34-C647E37CA0D9}.1.ver0x0000000000000004.db”
“C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe”
“%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Caches”
“%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Caches\cversions.1.db”
“%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Caches\{AFBF9F1A-8EE8-4C77-AF34-C647E37CA0D9}.1.ver0x0000000000000004.db”
“C:\Windows\Globalization\Sorting\SortDefault.nls”
“C:\Windows\AppPatch\AppPatch64\sysmain.sdb”
“C:\Windows\System32\en-US\wbadmin.exe.mui”
“C:\Windows\Logs”
“C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsBackup”
“C:\Windows\System32\blbres.dll”
“C:\Windows\System32\en-US\blbres.dll.mui”
“C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsBackup\Wbadmin.3.etl”
“C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsBackup\Wbadmin.2.etl”
ONI ransomware then may perform other activities on the infected machine, such as delete the shadow volume copies in it. To do this, ONI ransomware may run the following Windows Shell commands:
→ /c cmd.exe /c wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP & wbadmin.exe wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP & cmd.exe /c wmic SHADOWCOPY DELETE & WMIC.exe wmic SHADOWCOPY DELETE & cmd.exe /c vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet & vssadmin.exe vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet & cmd.exe /c bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No & bcdedit.exe bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No & cmd.exe /c bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures & bcdedit.exe bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
Once this is done, .ONI files virus may immediately start encrypting your files.
.ONI Files Virus – Encryption Process
In order to encrypt the files on your computer, the .ONI files virus may initially scan for the types of files it wants to encrypt. The files this virus may look for are often used types of files, such as:
- Documents.
- Images.
- Videos.
- Archives.
- Virtual Drives.
Once, the .ONI ransomware virus is able to encrypt the files on your PC, the malware may add the .ONI file extension to the files. After this, the files may start to appear like the following:
Remove ONI Ransomware and Restore .ONI Encrypted Files
If you want to remove .ONI ransomware from your PC, it is recommended that you be very careful. For removal, you can use the manual and automatic removal instructions below. If manual removal does not seem to help or you feel lack of confidence that you will be able to delete this virus in full, we strongly suggest that you remove this virus automatically. For maximum effectiveness, security experts strongly advise using an advanced anti-malware software for the removal process. Such software’s primary goal is to fully scan for and delete all files, related to .ONI ransomware from your computer and in the same time ensure that it stays protected against infections that might occur in the future too.
If you want to restore .ONI encrypted files, you can try and use the file recovery instructions in step “2. Restore files, encrypted by .ONI Ransomware”. They have been created with the main purpose to help you recover as many files as possible, but they are no guarantee that you will be able to restore all the files.
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 .ONI Ransomware Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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
- Guide 1: How to Remove .ONI Ransomware from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of .ONI Ransomware from Mac OS X.
How to Remove .ONI Ransomware from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .ONI Ransomware
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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware.
Ransomware infections and .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware:
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 .ONI Ransomware. 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 .ONI Ransomware. 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware. 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 .ONI Ransomware.
Ransomware infections and .ONI Ransomware 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.
.ONI Ransomware FAQ
What is .ONI Ransomware ransomware and how does it work?
.ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways..ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 ..ONI Ransomware files?
You can't. At this point the ..ONI Ransomware 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 ..ONI Ransomware files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by .ONI Ransomware 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 "..ONI Ransomware" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore ..ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware 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 .ONI Ransomware ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important ..ONI Ransomware files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like .ONI Ransomware 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.
