This article provides information about a ransomware dubbed OXAR as well as step-by-step removal and data recovery guide.
OXAR ransomware has a new version that appends the extension .FUCK to all encrypted files. It is known that OXAR is a HiddenTear based threat which in turn means that even with several modifications the code of this new iteration could be easily cracked by security experts. Another trait of this ransomware is a ransom note file called 1 What happens with my files.txt that blackmails victims into transferring ransom to hackers’ wallet. Keep reading and learn how to remove OXAR ransomware and restore .FUCK files.
Threat Summary
| Name | OXAR |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | OXAR ransomware virus encrypts files on your PC and drops a ransom note that demands payment for the decryption of .FUCK files. |
| Symptoms | This ransomware encrypts important files and then renames them with the extension .FUCK. The access to encrypted files is restricted. A ransom payment is demanded. |
| 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
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss OXAR. |
| 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. |
OXAR Ransomware – Distribution
Several methods could be used for the distribution of OXAR’s payload. Mainly it may be spread in email spam campaigns in the form of attached files. In order to seem legit and make you more prone to open the attached files, such emails may impersonate representatives of well-known companies or even governmental institutions. The attached malicious files usually come as documents, archives, images and other commonly used file formats. The text message may be trying to convince you that you need to download and open the attached file as soon as possible. For the sake of your security, you could use a free online file extractor each time you download new file on your PC. Tools of this kind could quickly identify whether a file contains malicious elements or not by scanning its code for particular traits. Thus it could help you to avoid opening malicious files that plague your device.
Ransomware may infiltrate computer systems with the help of corrupted web pages as well. Bad actors could inject the malicious code into the source code of target web pages or and set them to download it directly on the devices of tricked users. They could also create copies of some pages and modify their components so they can download and automatically the ransomware after a user visits the corrupted page. As regards the malicious URLs of these web pages, they could be posted on social media channels, send in emails and spread via instant messaging services. Potentially unwanted programs that alter browser settings and cause numerous redirects to sites of unknown origin are often used for ransomware distribution as well.
OXAR Ransomware – More About the Infection
The infection begins once OXAR’s payload is running on the system. The threat aims to modify some essential system settings in order to plague it and achieve persistence. It is highly possible that OXAR will add malicious values under the registry sub-keys Run and RunOnce which will ensure its automatic execution on each Windows system start.
OXAR crypto virus may also be designed to scan the system for particular details so it can then send them to its command and control server. Once the threat establishes a connection with its server, it may drop additional malicious files on the compromised host. If you want to prevent malicious intenders from stealing sensitive data of yours, you should remove all ransomware files and objects from the PC immediately after infection.
At the end OXAR crypto virus drops a ransom note file to blackmail victims into paying a ransom for a decryption solution that can decrypt .FUCK files. The message could be found in a file named 1 What happens with my files.txt. Below you could see what it reads:
What Happened to My Computer?
Your important files are encrypted.
Many of your documents, photos, videos, databases and other files are no longer accessible because they have been encrypted. Maybe you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but do not waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service.Can I Recover My Files?
Sure. We guarantee that you can recover all your files safely and easily. But you have not so enough time.
But if you want to decrypt all your files, you need to pay.How Do I Pay?
Payment is accepted in Bitcoin only.
Please check the current price of Bitcoin and buy some bitcoins.
And send the correct amount to the address specified in this window.We strongly recommend you to not remove this software, and disable your anti-virus for a while, until you pay and the payment gets processed. If your anti-virus gets updated and removes this software automatically, it will not be able to recover your files even if you pay!
Once the payment is sent, send us an e-mail to the specified address specifying your “Client ID”, you will be sent your decryption key in return. How to buy Bitcoins?Step 1 : Create a portfolio on the Blockchain website at the address : https://blockchain.info/fr/wallet/#/signup
Step 2 : Sign in to your account you just created and purchase the amount shown : https://blockchain.info/wallet/#/buy-sell
Step 3 : Send the amount to the indicated Bitcoin address, once this is done send us an email with your “Client ID” you can retreive this in the file “instruction.txt” or “Whats Appens With My File.s.txt” in order to ask us the key of decryption of your data.Contact us at : spaghetih@protonmail.com
Send 20$ to Bitcoin at 1MFA4PEuDoe2UCKgabrwm8P4KztASKtiuv if you want decrypt your files !
Your Client ID is : [id]
No matter what hackers state, be advised to avoid ransom payment and remove the threat as soon as possible. Almost all ransomware viruses that are based on HuddenTear have been decrypted by security experts. So, the code of this new OXAR strain is expected to be cracked soon after the analyses of its samples are done. Expect us to update this article with the decryptor once it is released. Meanwhile, you could try to restore some of your .FUCK files with the help of the alternative data recovery solutions mentioned in the guide that follows.
OXAR Ransomware – Data Encryption
The encryption is applied to all types of files listed in the code of OXAR ransomware. The threat is likely to use strong cipher algorithm or combination of a few in order to modify the original code of target files and render them completely inaccessible. As OXAR is a HiddenTear based ransomware it is believed that all files that have one of the following extensions get encrypted after infection:
→.txt, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .odt, .jpg, .png, .csv, .sql, .mdb, .hwp, .pdf, .php, .asp, .aspx, .html, .xml, and .psd
Once files are corrupted they all receive the specific extension .FUCK that stands at the end of their names. You cannot open .FUCK files until a proper decryption solution that reverts their code is applied. But before you rush into ransom payment be advised to check out the alternative data recovery solutions listed in the guide below. By paying the ransom you only risk to lose your money and still have your .FUCK corrupted. There is no guarantee that bad actors will provide a working solution as often the ransomware code gets broken and doesn’t generate an efficient decryption key.
Remove OXAR Ransomware and Restore Files
The step-by-step removal guide below provides both manual and automatic approaches. Beware that the removal of OXAR crypto virus is not an easy task. It is a severe threat that plagues the whole system. Security researchers recommend the help of advanced anti-malware tool for maximum efficiency.
After you fulfill the removal process make sure to check the “Restore Files” step available in our guide below. But before that be advised to back up all encrypted files to an external drive and prevent their irreversible loss.
Gergana Ivanova
Highly motivated writer with 5+ years of experience writing for ransomware, malware, adware, PUPs, and other cybersecurity-related issues. As a writer, I strive to create content that is based on thorough technical research. I find joy in the process of creating articles that are easy to understand, informative, and useful. Follow me on Twitter (@IRGergana) for the latest in the field of computer, mobile, and online security.
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Step 1: Scan for OXAR with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Ransomware Automatic Removal - Video Guide
Step 2: Uninstall OXAR 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 OXAR 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 OXAR 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 OXAR
Step 5: Try to Restore Files Encrypted by OXAR.
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 OXAR 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.
OXAR-FAQ
What is OXAR Ransomware?
OXAR 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 OXAR 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 OXAR Infect?
Via several ways.OXAR 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 OXAR 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 .OXAR files?
You can't without a decryptor. At this point, the .OXAR 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 .OXAR files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
Can I Restore ".OXAR" Files?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .OXAR 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 OXAR 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 OXAR ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .OXAR 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 OXAR 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 OXAR Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this OXAR 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 OXAR 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.
- Make sure that real people are behind the site and not fake names and profiles.
- Verify Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter personal profiles.