BIXI Virus Ransomware (.BIXI Files)

The Bixi virus belongs with the ransomware type of malicious agent. Malware of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the !_INFO.txt text files in every directory with the encrypted files.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer’s work, the proverb “Forewarned is forearmed” describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

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What is known about the Bixi virus?

Bixi will append its specific .bixi extension to every file’s title. For example, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.bixi”. Just like the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.bixi”, and so on.

In every directory with the encoded files, a !_INFO.txt text file will be found. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the Bixi developers. You can obtain this tool after contacting wuguireco@gmail.com, wuguireco@cock.li by email. That is how they do it.

Bixi Summary:

The !_INFO.txt file accompanying the Bixi malware states the following:

ATTENTION! YOUR FILES WERE ENCRYPTED!
Don’t worry, your files are safe, provided that you are willing to pay the ransom.
- Don\'t rename encrypted files.
- Don\'t change encrypted files.
- Don\'t use third party software.
It will damage your files, you will lost any chance to recover it.
The only way to decrypt your files safely is to buy the special decryption software from us.
We can decrypt a couple of files as guarantee. The size of each file must be not more than 2Mb.
No database files for test.
Send pictures, text, doc files.
You can contact us with the following email


wuguireco@gmail.com
wuguireco@cock.li

Send us this ID or this !_INFO.txt in first email

In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Bixi looks like. Each filename has the “.bixi” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .bixi files.

How did my machine catch Bixi ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most popular ways for hackers to have ransomware acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you access your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is unknown to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a viral item attached to them. Thus it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your machine disguised as something different. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. Since the update file can have any title and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software companies’ official websites.
• As for the peer networks 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. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is complete.

How to remove ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Bixi virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your machine to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Bixi 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 Bixi 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 “Bixi” 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 Bixi 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.

Often racketeers would unblock some of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. As Bixi virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the malefactors do the job of encoding someone’s critical files, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports of hackers just disappearing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external drive. Of course, that might be insufficient. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Bixi, that work similarly. For instance, Hlas, Ior, Qilin, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Bixi are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes appear in each directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.

How to avert ransomware infiltration?

Bixi ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your system from its injection taking several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, check all elements of the suspicious letter carefully. A hoax email will surely have mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or unknown software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy software, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful shield for your system.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.bixi” files?Are the “.bixi” files accessible?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.bixi” 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 “.bixi” 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. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Bixi virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real threats. The virus that has infected your device is most likely still functional and launching checks every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has already been said, the Bixi ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your system after some time.

🤔 What to do if the Bixi malware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to prepare a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your system. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Some of the blocked files can be located elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. 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 networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, phone, flash memory, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery programs¹ to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you remove the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2024.