Unique (.unique) ransomware virus

Ransom Note for Victims:

How to Remove Bomani@Dr. CoM Virus and Decrypt Infected Files?

1. Hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time to open Windows Task Manager:

Press “Win + R ” keys together to open the Run screen;

Type control panel in the Run window and click OK button;

In Control Panel, click Uninstall a program under Programs;

Look for malicious app related with ransomware; Right-click on the malicious program and click Uninstall.

1. Hit Windows + R keys at the same time to open Run window and input a regedit and click OK:

3. When the search is completed, right click the folders related with ransomare and click Delete button:

Please Read This Before You Remove Registry Files

PLEASE Be Carefully, Do Not Delete Healthy Registry Entries, Or Your Computer May Be Damaged.

Download SpyHunter For Windows (Free Trial)

Free Remover allows you, subject to a 48-hour waiting period, one remediation and removal for results found. Read our EULA, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy . See more Free SpyHunter Remover details.

– Double-click SpyHunter-Installer.exe to install it:

– Then run a scan to find out all malicious items and then fix all security problems.

Step 4. Search For Legitimate Files Decryption Tools.

Here is the page you can get decrypotion tools: https://www.emsisoft.com/ransomware-decryption-tools/

2. Search Decryption Keys on The No More Ransom Project.

Here is the link: https://www.nomoreransom.org/en/decryption-tools.html

What is 259 ransomware?

This virus is dubbed ransomware because it is fraudulently extorting money from victims

This message states that it is possible to decrypt files only with the help of tools that only developers have. The victims who were led to this deception were threatened with deception because the developers bred victims for money. The only way out of the situation is to remove the virus.

Norton (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) The link may not work correctly if your country is currently under sanctions.

How to Recover Files Encrypted by 259 ransomware

If you want to recover files encrypted by ransomware you can either try to decrypt them or use methods of file recovery.
Ways to decrypt the files:

Other ways to recover encrypted files:

Программа-вымогатель ZOZL является частью семейства программ-вымогателей Phobos. Вирус ZOZL шифрует часто используемые личные файлы, добавляя расширение . ЗОЗЛ им помечать недоступные файлы.

Когда процесс шифрования заканчивается, этот вирус создает текстовые файлы (info.hta и info.txt) и отображает заметку от мошенников:

Как удалить программу-вымогатель ZOZL

Если у вас есть рабочие резервные копии ваших зашифрованных файлов или вы не собираетесь пытаться восстанавливать потерянные файлы, просканируйте свой компьютер с помощью одной или нескольких антивирусных и антивирусных программ или полностью переустановите операционную систему.

SpyHunter — это мощное решение для защиты от вредоносных программ, которое защищает вас от вредоносных программ, шпионских программ, программ-вымогателей и других типов интернет-угроз. SpyHunter доступен для устройств Windows и macOS.

Нортон (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) Ссылка может работать некорректно, если ваша страна в настоящее время находится под санкциями.

Как восстановить файлы, зашифрованные программой-вымогателем ZOZL

Если вы хотите восстановить файлы, зашифрованные программой-вымогателем, вы можете попытаться их расшифровать или использовать методы восстановления файлов.
Способы расшифровать файлы:

Другие способы восстановления зашифрованных файлов:

Where Ransomware usually hides

What to do if “All your files have been encrypted” has already contaminated your PC

In case you have already got the terrible ransom-requiring message, you can only hope for the best. In fact, there is no 100% sure method of removing this virus, and saving your files. Of course, you may want to explore several options, however, not a single one of them will promise you virus removal and file decryption. Still, we recommend that you try the Removal Guide below first and then think about other possible solutions to this serious issue.

“All your files have been encrypted” Virus Removal

Here is what you need to do in order to remove a Ransomware virus from you computer.

I – Reveal Hidden files and folders and utilize the task manager

II – Boot to Safe Mode

III – Identify the threat

IV – Decrypt your files

V – Use Recuva to restore files deleted by the virus

What kind of malware is Unique?

Screenshot of files encrypted by this ransomware:

Unique ransom note overview

Additionally, victims are offered to send up to five encrypted files for free decryption. Those files cannot be larger than five megabytes and contain valuable information. Also, they are warned not to rename files or try to decrypt them with third-party software because they may permanently damage files.

More details about ransomware

Victims cannot decrypt files encrypted by the ransomware without tools purchased from the attackers unless a third-party decryption tool is available online. It is also possible to avoid paying for data recovery when victims have a copy of their files (a data backup stored on a remote server or unplugged storage device).

Paying the attackers for data decryption is not recommended. Pretty often, victims do not receive a decryption tool even if they pay for it. Another important detail about ransomware is that it can encrypt files on computers connected to a local network or encrypt more files on already infected computers. Thus, it should be eliminated immediately.

Ransomware in general

The purpose of ransomware is to encrypt files. Additionally, it modifies filenames (in most cases) and provides a ransom note. The main differences between ransomware attacks are the prices of decryption tools and algorithms used to encrypt files. It is rarely possible to decrypt files without the interference of attackers.

More ransomware examples are MMXXII, Netlock, and Arazite.

How did ransomware infect my computer?

Keep the operating system and installed programs up to date. Use tools provided by the official developers to update and activate the software. Never use third-party tools for that. Also, be careful with opening attachments and links in irrelevant emails sent from unknown, suspicious addresses.

Download files and programs from official websites and stores. Do not use other sources (examples mentioned in the previous section). If your computer is already infected with Unique, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this ransomware.

Screenshot of Unique’s «info.hta» file:

Text in this ransom note:

Screenshot of Unique’s «info.txt» file:

Unique ransomware removal

https://youtube.com/watch?v=cMZ4apzfKjQ%3Frel%3D0%26fs%3D1%26wmode%3Dtransparent

Reporting ransomware to authorities

If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we recommend reporting this incident to authorities. By providing information to law enforcement agencies you will help track cybercrime and potentially assist in the prosecution of the attackers. Here’s a list of authorities where you should report a ransomware attack. For the complete list of local cybersecurity centers and information on why you should report ransomware attacks, read this article.

List of local authorities where ransomware attacks should be reported (choose one depending on your residence address):

Isolating the infected device

Some ransomware-type infections are designed to encrypt files within external storage devices, infect them, and even spread throughout the entire local network. For this reason, it is very important to isolate the infected device (computer) as soon as possible.

Step 1: Disconnect from the internet.

Navigate to the «Control Panel», click the search bar in the upper-right corner of the screen, enter «Network and Sharing Center» and select search result:

Click the «Change adapter settings» option in the upper-left corner of the window:

Right-click on each connection point and select «Disable». Once disabled, the system will no longer be connected to the internet. To re-enable the connection points, simply right-click again and select «Enable».

Step 2: Unplug all storage devices.

As mentioned above, ransomware might encrypt data and infiltrate all storage devices that are connected to the computer. For this reason, all external storage devices (flash drives, portable hard drives, etc.) should be disconnected immediately, however, we strongly advise you to eject each device before disconnecting to prevent data corruption:

Navigate to «My Computer», right-click on each connected device, and select «Eject»:

Step 3: Log-out of cloud storage accounts.

Some ransomware-type might be able to hijack software that handles data stored within «the Cloud». Therefore, the data could be corrupted/encrypted. For this reason, you should log-out of all cloud storage accounts within browsers and other related software. You should also consider temporarily uninstalling the cloud-management software until the infection is completely removed.

Identify the ransomware infection

To properly handle an infection, one must first identify it. Some ransomware infections use ransom-demand messages as an introduction (see the WALDO ransomware text file below).

Another way to identify a ransomware infection is to check the file extension, which is appended to each encrypted file. Ransomware infections are often named by the extensions they append (see files encrypted by Qewe ransomware below).

This method is only effective, however, when the appended extension is unique — many ransomware infections append a generic extension (for example, «.encrypted», «.enc», «.crypted», «.locked», etc.). In these cases, identifying ransomware by its appended extension becomes impossible.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to identify a ransomware infection is to use the ID Ransomware website. This service supports most existing ransomware infections. Victims simply upload a ransom message and/or one encrypted file (we advise you to upload both if possible).

If your data happens to be encrypted by ransomware that is not supported by ID Ransomware, you can always try searching the internet by using certain keywords (for example, a ransom message title, file extension, provided contact emails, crypto wallet addresses, etc.).

Search for ransomware decryption tools

Encryption algorithms used by most ransomware-type infections are extremely sophisticated and, if the encryption is performed properly, only the developer is capable of restoring data. This is because decryption requires a specific key, which is generated during the encryption. Restoring data without the key is impossible. In most cases, cybercriminals store keys on a remote server, rather than using the infected machine as a host. Dharma (CrySis), Phobos, and other families of high-end ransomware infections are virtually flawless, and thus restoring data encrypted without the developers’ involvement is simply impossible. Despite this, there are dozens of ransomware-type infections that are poorly developed and contain a number of flaws (for example, the use of identical encryption/decryption keys for each victim, keys stored locally, etc.). Therefore, always check for available decryption tools for any ransomware that infiltrates your computer.

Finding the correct decryption tool on the internet can be very frustrating. For this reason, we recommend that you use the No More Ransom Project and this is where identifying the ransomware infection is useful. The No More Ransom Project website contains a «Decryption Tools» section with a search bar. Enter the name of the identified ransomware, and all available decryptors (if there are any) will be listed.

Restore files with data recovery tools

Depending on the situation (quality of ransomware infection, type of encryption algorithm used, etc.), restoring data with certain third-party tools might be possible. Therefore, we advise you to use the Recuva tool developed by CCleaner. This tool supports over a thousand data types (graphics, video, audio, documents, etc.) and it is very intuitive (little knowledge is necessary to recover data). In addition, the recovery feature is completely free.

Step 1: Perform a scan.

Wait for Recuva to complete the scan. The scanning duration depends on the volume of files (both in quantity and size) that you are scanning (for example, several hundred gigabytes could take over an hour to scan). Therefore, be patient during the scanning process. We also advise against modifying or deleting existing files, since this might interfere with the scan. If you add additional data (for example, downloading files/content) while scanning, this will prolong the process:

Step 2: Recover data.

Once the process is complete, select the folders/files you wish to restore and simply click «Recover». Note that some free space on your storage drive is necessary to restore data:

Create data backups

Proper file management and creating backups is essential for data security. Therefore, always be very careful and think ahead.

Data backups: One of the most reliable backup methods is to use an external storage device and keep it unplugged. Copy your data to an external hard drive, flash (thumb) drive, SSD, HDD, or any other storage device, unplug it and store it in a dry place away from the sun and extreme temperatures. This method is, however, quite inefficient, since data backups and updates need to be made regularly. You can also use a cloud service or remote server. Here, an internet connection is required and there is always the chance of a security breach, although it’s a really rare occasion.

The service is built using HTML5 technologies and allows you to upload files up to 300 MB via drag and drop into the web browser or up to 10 GB via the OneDrive desktop application. With OneDrive, you can download entire folders as a single ZIP file with up to 10,000 files, although it can’t exceed 15 GB per single download.

OneDrive comes with 5 GB of free storage out of the box, with an additional 100 GB, 1 TB, and 6 TB storage options available for a subscription-based fee. You can get one of these storage plans by either purchasing additional storage separately or with Office 365 subscription.

Creating a data backup:

The backup process is the same for all file types and folders. Here’s how you can back up your files using Microsoft OneDrive

Step 1: Choose the files/folders you want to backup.

Click the OneDrive cloud icon to open the OneDrive menu. While in this menu, you can customize your file backup settings.

Click Help & Settings and then select Settings from the drop-down menu.

Go to the Backup tab and click Manage backup.

In this menu, you can choose to backup the Desktop and all of the files on it, and Documents and Pictures folders, again, with all of the files in them. Click Start backup.

Now, when you add a file or folder in the Desktop and Documents and Pictures folders, they will be automatically backed up on OneDrive.

To add folders and files, not in the locations shown above, you have to add them manually.

Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of the folder/file you want to backup. Select the item, right-click it, and click Copy.

Then, navigate to OneDrive, right-click anywhere in the window and click Paste. Alternatively, you can just drag and drop a file into OneDrive. OneDrive will automatically create a backup of the folder/file.

All of the files added to the OneDrive folder are backed up in the cloud automatically. The green circle with the checkmark in it indicates that the file is available both locally and on OneDrive and that the file version is the same on both. The blue cloud icon indicates that the file has not been synced and is available only on OneDrive. The sync icon indicates that the file is currently syncing.

To access files only located on OneDrive online, go to the Help & Settings drop-down menu and select View online.

Step 2: Restore corrupted files.

OneDrive makes sure that the files stay in sync, so the version of the file on the computer is the same version on the cloud. However, if ransomware has encrypted your files, you can take advantage of OneDrive’s Version history feature that will allow you to restore the file versions prior to encryption.

Microsoft 365 has a ransomware detection feature that notifies you when your OneDrive files have been attacked and guide you through the process of restoring your files. It must be noted, however, that if you don’t have a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, you only get one detection and file recovery for free.

1. If you’re signed in with a personal account, click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Options and select Restore your OneDrive.

If you’re signed in with a work or school account,  click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Restore your OneDrive.

2. On the Restore your OneDrive page, select a date from the drop-down list. Note that if you’re restoring your files after automatic ransomware detection, a restore date will be selected for you.

3. After configuring all of the file restoration options, click Restore to undo all the activities you selected.

The best way to avoid damage from ransomware infections is to maintain regular up-to-date backups.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How was my computer hacked and how did hackers encrypt my files?

How to open «.unique» files?

It is impossible to open «.unique» files while they are encrypted. Victims can open files after they are decrypted.

Where should I look for free decryption tools for Unique ransomware?

In case of a ransomware attack you should check the No More Ransom project website (more information above).

I can pay you a lot of money, can you decrypt files for me?

Unfortunately, only the attackers can decrypt files (unless ransomware is flawed). We do not provide a decryption service. Third parties claiming they can decrypt files for money are scammers or act as a man-in-the-middle.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Unique ransomware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner will remove ransomware from the operating system. Unfortunately, files will remain encrypted. Security software cannot decrypt files. It is important to remove ransomware because it can cause more damage while active.