The Avanzi virus belongs to the Dharma ransomware family. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the info.txt files in each folder with the encrypted files.
Avanzi virus: what is known so far?
☝️ Avanzi is a Dharma family ransomware-type malicious agent.
The renaming will be executed according to the following pattern: id-xxxxx.[contact-email].avan. In the course of encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be turned into ” report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[avanziahelp@cock.li].avan”.
In every directory containing the encoded files, a info.txt text document will be found. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decoding tool after contacting avanziahelp@cock.li via email. That is it.
Avanzi Overview:
| Name | Avanzi Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Dharma ransomware |
| Extension | .avan |
| Ransomware note | info.txt |
| Contact | avanziahelp@cock.li |
| Detection | Trojan:MSIL/AgentTesla.AQF!MTB, Trojan:Win32/Vundo!A, Ransom.BlackHunt |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .avan extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Avanzi virus |
The info.txt document coming in package with the Avanzi ransomware provides the following dispiriting information:
All your data has been locked us You want to return? write email avanziahelp@cock.li or avanzirest@tuta.io
In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Avanzi looks like. Each filename has the “.avan” extension appended to it.
An example of encrypted .avan files.
How did Avanzi ransomware end up on my PC?
There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for criminals to have ransomware settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer networks.
- If you access your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a harmful item attached to them. Thus it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
- Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your machine disguised as something else. For example, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some service. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful program that corrupts your data. Since the installation wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The best 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 Internet. You can never know what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded files with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.
How do I get rid of ransomware?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Avanzi virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Remove Avanzi with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware
We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common Ransomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Avanzi as well as other malware hiding on your computer.
To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:
1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.
2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.
3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.
4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.
Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.
5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.
6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.
8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.
Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.
Trojan Killer for “Avanzi” removal on locked PC
In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.
There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.
Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.
Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:
1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.
2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.
3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.
4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.
Step 2: Update Signature Databases:
5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.
6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.
Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:
7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.
8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.
9. Insert the USB flash drive.
10. Run tk.exe
11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.
Step 4: Remove Found Threats:
12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.
13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.
14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.
Step 5: Restart Your Computer:
15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.
16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.
Congratulations on effectively removing Avanzi and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.
Sometimes criminals would decrypt some of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption program. Since the Avanzi virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decoding instruments are constantly upgraded, so the solution may soon arrive.
Sure thing, if the malefactors do the job of encoding someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may deliver the wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about hackers just vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.
The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have a system restore point or copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Of course, that might be not enough. Your most crucial thing could be the one you were working on when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.
Avanzi is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Ban, 3000usdaa, Karsovrop, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Avanzi are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, and ransom notes appear in each directory containing encoded files.
Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the blocked files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a criminal’s tool to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avert ransomware injection?
Avanzi ransomware doesn’t have endless power, and neither does any similar malware.
You can defend yourself from its injection in three easy steps:
- Ignore any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A fake email will always contain a mistake.
- Never use cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often shared as an element of cracked software, possibly under the guise of a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are very hard to tell from reliable software, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be the perfect armor for your system.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 Is it possible to open “.avan” files?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.avan” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
If the “.avan” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Avanzi malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
No way! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove the threats from your PC. The virus that has attacked your computer is probably still functional and running scans periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Avanzi malware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your PC in the future.
🤔 What should I do if the Avanzi ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key?
If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your PC. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 What can I do right now?
Some of the encrypted data can be located elsewhere.
- If you exchanged 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 pictures back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
- Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.
HINT: You can use file recovery utilities2 to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove AVANZI Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: AVANZI Virus
Description: AVANZI Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .avan extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
