Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Note! Your computer might be affected by .pumax Files Virus and other threats.
Threats such as .pumax Files Virus may be persistent on your system. They tend to re-appear if not fully deleted. A malware removal tool like SpyHunter will help you to remove malicious programs, saving you the time and the struggle of tracking down numerous malicious files. SpyHunter’s scanner is free but the paid version is needed to remove the malware threats. Read SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created to help explain what is the .pumax file extension ransomware and how you can remove it plus restore the encrypted files.
A new ransomware virus, carrying around the .pumax file extension has been detected by users. The virus is a variant of the STOP ransomware viruses and is very similar to the
.puma files variant, suggesting that they are possibly made by the same people. If you want to know more about the .pumax files virus and how you can remove it from your computer and how you can try and restore files, encrypted by it on your PC, we advise you to read this article thoroughly.
Remove STOP ransomware totally. "STOP" is the name of a cryptovirus. Follow the STOP ransomware removal instructions provided at the end of the article.
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.
.pumax Virus – Update December 2018
There is a decrypter tool released for .puma, .pumax, and .pumas variants of STOP ransomware. The tool was released thanks to the Proof of Concept by AfshinZlfgh and Michael Gillespie’s finishing touches. You can download it via the .puma, .pumax, .pumas Decryption Tool link. The tool requires a pair of an original file and its encrypted version.
.pumax Virus – Distribution Methods
There are more than one infection methods in relation to .pumax files virus. One of those tools is to use the ransomware virus in a malspam attack. Such attack involves sending the malicious file via e-mail and making it a if the virus is a legitimate document of some sort. In the e-mails, the crooks may imitate as if the e-mails come from shipment company and other big companies, like:
FedEx.
PayPal.
eBay.
Amazon.
DHL.
Facebook.
Instagram.
Twitter.
Google.
The outcome of this may be that the victim is tricked that the file is important one and downloads and opens it. Usually the files pose a “must-see” type of documents, like:
Invoices.
Receipts.
Password stolen documents.
Security report or log for the user’s online account for a certain site.
But this is not the only way via which you can become a victim of the .pumax ransomware virus, since this infection can also be spread as a result of being uploaded online and posing as a legitimate program that users aim to download. Such can often turn out to be:
Portable versions of programs.
Software license activators.
Cracks.
Hacktools.
Patches.
Key generators (Keygens).
.pumax Ransomware – Activity
Since the 24th of November, the .pumax variant of STOP ransomware has started infecting computers. The virus is from the ransomware type and it uses the ransom note !readme.txt which it drops upon infection. The ransom note has the following contents:
====================!ATTENTION PLEASE!==================== Your databases, files, photos, documents and other important files are encrypted and have the extension: .pumax The only method of recovering files is to purchase an decrypt software and unique private key. After purchase you will start decrypt software, enter your unique private key and it will decrypt all your data. Only we can give you this key and only we can recover your files. You need to contact us by e-mail [email protected] send us your personal ID and wait for further instructions. For you to be sure, that we can decrypt your files – you can send us a 1-3 any not very big encrypted files and we will send you back it in a original form FREE. Discount 50% avaliable if you contact us first 72 hours. ===================================================== E-mail address to contact us: [email protected] Reserve e-mail address to contact us: [email protected] Your personal id:
Once infected a computer, the .pumax files virus may drop Its malicious files in the following directories of Windows:
%Desktop%
%User’s Folders%
%Temp%
The files that are dropped on the desktop in relation to .pumax ransomware could be the following:
After this is done, the .pumax variant of STOP ransomware may also execute a .bat file which deletes the backups of your computer by entering some or all of the following commands as an administrator in Windows Command Prompt:
The .pumax files virus is the type of ransomware whose main purpose is to get your files to not work, also known as a cryptovirus. To reach it’s goal, the virus uses the AES-256 encryption algorithm for the file enciphering procedure and it combines this cipher with CFB encryption mode. The files are encrypted with a zero IV and one 32 byte key is generated for the files. The maximum encryption size is 0x500000 byte, which is around 5 MB of space, according to ID Ransomware’s blog post.
To encrypt the files on your computer, the .pumax virus scans for the files, based on their file extensions (.jpg, .avi, .bmp, .png, .docx, etc.). The virus aims to encrypt only files that are important and often used, but it stays away from critical Windows files that may damage your operating system. The file type it aims to encrypt could be the following:
Documents.
Images.
Videos.
Archives.
Virtual drives.
Backup files.
Database files.
Presentations.
Photoshop and other files.
The outcome of the encryption is that the files are no longer usable and they have the .pumax file extension that is added to them. The files look like the following after the encryption:
Remove .pumax Ransomware and Try to Restore Encrypted Files
Before starting to perform any form of removal of this virus, we strongly suggest that you backup your files on a flash drive or other external memory carrier, just in case.
For the removal process of the .pumax files virus, we suggest that you follow the removal instructions underneath this article. They have been created with the main purpose to get you to remove the .pumax virus files and objects either by manually hunting for them or by doing it automatically. For maximum effectiveness during the removal, security experts recommend to remove this virus automatically, preferably by downloading an advanced anti-malware program. This is because such tool aims to make sure that all the files and objects related to .pumax files virus are fully removed and the ransomware is erased completely. More so, such software can also protect your computer against threats in the future as well.
If you want to try and restore as many encrypted files as possible, we would suggest that you follow the file recovery methods in the instructions below. They are alternative means by which you could theoretically bring back at least some of your files, but they are no 100% guarantee to recover all the data.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by .pumax Files Virus and other threats. Scan Your PC with SpyHunter SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of threats such as .pumax Files Virus. Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove .pumax Files Virus follow these steps:
1. Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove .pumax Files Virus files and objects
OFFER
Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!
We Recommend To Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7. 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
For Windows XP, Vista and 7 systems:
1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu. 2. Select one of the two options provided below:
– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.
– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.
3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.
4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account
While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.
Step 1: Open up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
2. Find files created by .pumax Files Virus on your PC
Find files created by .pumax Files Virus
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
Step 1:
On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
Step 2:
Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
Step 3:
Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:
Step 1:
Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
Step 2:
After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
Step 3:
After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
IMPORTANT! Before starting the Automatic Removal below, 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.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
3. Scan for malware and unwanted programs with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Scan your PC and Remove .pumax Files Virus with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for .pumax Files Virus and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove .pumax Files Virus. Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
Step 1: Click on the “Download” button to proceed to SpyHunter’s download page.
It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup.
4. Try to Restore files encrypted by .pumax Files Virus
Try to Restore Files Encrypted by .pumax Files Virus
Ransomware infections and .pumax Files Virus aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested several alternative methods that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that these methods may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
Method 1: Scanning your drive’s sectors by using Data Recovery software. Another method for restoring your files is by trying to bring back your files via data recovery software. Here are some suggestions for preferred data recovery software solutions:
Method 2: Trying Kaspersky and EmsiSoft’s decryptors. If the first method does not work, we suggest trying to use decryptors for other ransomware viruses, in case your virus is a variant of them. The two primary developers of decryptors are Kaspersky and EmsiSoft, links to which we have provided below:
To restore your data in case you have backup set up, it is important to check for Volume Shadow Copies, if ransomware has not deleted them, in Windows using the below software:
Method 4: Finding the decryption key while the cryptovirus sends it over a network via a sniffing tool.
Another way to decrypt the files is by using a Network Sniffer to get the encryption key, while files are encrypted on your system. A Network Sniffer is a program and/or device monitoring data traveling over a network, such as its internet traffic and internet packets. If you have a sniffer set before the attack happened you might get information about the decryption key. See how-to instructions below:
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
Ventsislav has been covering the latest malware, software and newest tech developments at SensorsTechForum for 3 years now. He started out as a network administrator. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management and then Network Administration, he found his passion within cybersecrurity and is a strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.
This article has been created to help explain what is the .pumax file extension ransomware and how you can remove it plus restore the encrypted files.
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for .pumax Files Virus and remove them.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.
