2023 Ransomware 🔐 (.2023 File) — Removal Guide

The 2023 virus falls within the Dharma ransomware family. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, creating the README!.txt files in each directory containing encrypted files.

2023 virus: what is known so far?

☝️ 2023 is a Dharma family ransomware infection.

The scheme of renaming is this: id-xxxxx.[contact-email].2023. As a part of encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be changed to “report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[[email protected]].2023”.

In each directory with the encrypted files, a README!.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting [email protected] through email. That is it.

2023 Overview:

The README!.txt file accompanying the 2023 malware provides the following frustrating information:

Your data has been stolen and encrypted!


email us


[email protected] or [email protected] 

In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the 2023 looks like. Each filename has the “.2023” extension added to it.

How did my machine catch 2023 ransomware?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most exploited methods for malefactors to have the 2023 virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer file transfer.

• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something different. For example, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some program. However, what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that compromises your data. As the update package can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software companies’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is finished.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the 2023 virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

How do I avoid ransomware injection?

2023 ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your PC from its attack taking three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, check all elements of the questionable letter with caution. A fake email will surely have mistakes.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often shared as an element of cracked products, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable ones, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Can I somehow access “.2023” files?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.2023” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?

If the “.2023” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. All other solutions require time.

🤔 What to do if the 2023 virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Many of the encoded files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files as well.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, cellphone, flash memory, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs² to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you kill the virus with an antivirus program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.