This article has been created with the purpose to help explain what is the 2.0 version of Xiaoba ransomware virus and how to remove it from your computer plus how you can restore .XIAOBA files.
A new variant of the Xiaoba ransomware virus has been detected by security researcher Rony. The ransomware infection’s primary purpose is to encrypt the files of importance on the PC’s infected by it and then add the .XIAOBA suffix to them plus drop a “File Recovery Guide” decryption instructions. Their goal is to get the victim to pay a hefty ransom of 0.5 BitCoin in order to get their important files to open again. If your computer system has been victimized by XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware, we advise that you read this article as it will help you to remove this malware from your computer and try restoring your files.
Threat Summary
| Name | XIAOBA 2.0 |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | New variant of Xiaoba ransomware. Encrypts files and then asks for 0.5 BTC to be paid as ransom to see your files working again. |
| Symptoms | The XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware ads the .XIAOBA extension to the encrypted files and drops a “File Recovery Guide”. |
| 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 XIAOBA 2.0. |
| 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. |
XIAOBA 2.0 Ransoware – Infection Methods
The main infection that is conducted by this infection has been reported to be related to the main malicious dropper of Xiaoba, which has the following characteristics according to VirusTotal upload:
→ SHA-256”b9f76d3201fea0b0df3e10782deb9b8d377f50a46eb7e01e17372acb5b54ed5e
Name:Uninstaller 30.0
Size:418.5 KB
The name “Uninstaller” suggests that this virus may have come embedded in a legitimate program that users have downloaded, thinking it is a program that they will install and use often. Such programs can be anything, ranging from a helper program that asists with the uninstallation of different programs that are hard to delete to media player and any other type of software, that only seems to be legitimate at first glance. Either way, it is strongly reccomended not to open, download or install programs you cannot guarantee are legitimate.
XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware – More Information
Once XIAOBA 2.0 has already infected your computer, the malware will drop it’s payload files and check if it has previously infected your computer. If so, XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware may self-delete to prevent itself from encrypting your files. But if the virus has infected your PC for the first time, it begins by dropping it’s payload files on your computer. Among those files, which are likely located somewhere on your system drive, is the ransom note file of XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware. It is named HELP_SOS.hta and has the following ransom instructions:
File Recovery Gunde
You may have noticed that your file could not be opened and some software is not working properly.
This is not wrong. Your file content still exists, but it is encrypted using “XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware”.
The contents of your files are not lost and can be restored to their normal state by decryption.
The only way to decrypt a file is to get our ”RSA 4096 decryption key” and decrypt it using the key.
Please enter 0.5 bitcoin into this address: lDveXPhdwz69ttF822keJT2uxl onaDrzyb
Please contact E-Mail after completing the transaction: xiaoba_666@163.com
Send the file that needs to be decrypted to complete the decryption work
Using any other software that claims to recover your files may result in file corruption or destruction.
You can decrypt a file for free to ensure that the software can recover all your files.
In addition to simply showing that yur files are compromised the malware likely makes sure you can no longer recover them. This may happen by executing the following Windows Command Prompt commands in the background:
→ 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
In addition to this, the ransomware virus may also create Windows Registry entries in the sub-keys that are resposnible for running programs on Windows log-in. For all Windows versions, these 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
XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware – Encryption Process
Once the XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware has infected your computer, the virus does not waste time in encrypting your data. The malware may scan for often used files and detect them based on their file extensions. For XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware those types of files are likely the following:
→ .3gp, .7z, .apk, .avi, .bmp, .cdr, .cer, .chm, .conf, .css, .csv, .dat, .db, .dbf, .djvu, .dbx,
.docm, ,doc, .epub, .docx .fb2, .flv, .gif, .gz, .iso .ibooks,.jpeg, .jpg, .key, .mdb .md2, .mdf,
.mht, .mobi .mhtm, .mkv, .mov, .mp3, .mp4, .mpg .mpeg, .pict, .pdf, .pps, .pkg, .png, .ppt .pptx,
.ppsx, .psd, .rar, .rtf, .scr, .swf, .sav, .tiff, .tif, .tbl, .torrent, .txt, .vsd, .wmv, .xls, .xlsx,
.xps, .xml, .ckp, .zip, .java, .py, .asm, .c, .cpp, .cs, .js, .php, .dacpac, .rbw, .rb, .mrg, .dcx,
.db3, .sql, .sqlite3, .sqlite, .sqlitedb, .psd, .psp, .pdb, .dxf, .dwg, .drw, .casb, .ccp, .cal, .cmx,
.cr2.
Once the virus detects that those files are present outside Windows system folders, they are immediately encrypted with what researchers believe to be RSA-4096 encryption algorithm, although this specific cipher is highly unstable. After encryption has finished, XIAOBA ransoware leaves the files looking like the image below shows:
Remove XIAOBA 2.0 Ransomware and Restore .XIAOBA Files
If you want to make sure that this version of .XIAOBA ransomware is permanently gone from your computer system, we advise that you follow the removal instructions below. They have been created to help you isolate and remove all files, related and belonging to XIOBA 2.0 from your PC. Be advised that for maximum effectiveness, secuirity researchers do advise users to download and install an anti-malware software, which will automatically scan for and remove all malicious files, related to XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware from their computers.
If you want to restore files, encrypted by this version of XIAOBA ransomware, you can try the alternative methods for file recovery in step “2. Restore files, encrypted by XIAOBA 2.0” underneath. They have been created to help recover as many files as possible without paying ransom, but be advised that they are not a 100% solution to your problem.
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 XIAOBA 2.0 Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove XIAOBA 2.0
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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0.
Ransomware infections and XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0:
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 XIAOBA 2.0. 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 XIAOBA 2.0. 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0. 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 XIAOBA 2.0.
Ransomware infections and XIAOBA 2.0 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.
XIAOBA 2.0 FAQ
What is XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware and how does it work?
XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 .XIAOBA 2.0 files?
You can't. At this point the .XIAOBA 2.0 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 .XIAOBA 2.0 files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by XIAOBA 2.0 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 ".XIAOBA 2.0" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 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 XIAOBA 2.0 ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .XIAOBA 2.0 files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like XIAOBA 2.0 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.