CNFFVHV Virus (.cnffvhv Files) — How to remove ransomware?

The Cnffvhv virus belongs to the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, leaving the README.html text files in each directory with the encrypted files.

What is known about the Cnffvhvvirus?

☝️ A scientifically accurate description for the Cnffvhv is “a ransomware malicious agent”.

Cnffvhv adds its extra .cnffvhv extension to the title of every encrypted file. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.cnffvhv”. Just like the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.cnffvhv”, and so on.

In each folder with the encoded files, a README.html text document will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find 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 Cnffvhv developers. That is how they do it.

Cnffvhv abstract:

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

How did my computer get infected with Cnffvhv ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most exploited ways for malefactors to have ransomware working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is unknown to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a viral file enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.

As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded files with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.

How to remove the Cnffvhv virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your data, the Cnffvhv virus will probably install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware² can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Sometimes criminals would unblock few of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Cnffvhv virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Sure thing, if the criminals succeed in encoding victim’s essential data, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about ransomware developers just disappearing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Of course, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Cnffvhv, that work similarly. For instance, Eucy, Ccps, Rtgf, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Cnffvhv are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes appear in every directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the blocked files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware infiltration?

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

You can defend yourself from its injection within three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, check all elements of the suspicious email with caution. A fake letter will always have a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft³

Download Removal Tool.

Run the setup file.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

Click on “Clean Now”.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.cnffvhv” files?Can I somehow access “.cnffvhv” files?

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

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.cnffvhv” files ASAP. How can I do that?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Cnffvhv malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Some of the encrypted data can be found elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try downloading them again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, phone, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs⁵ 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 recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you can do it only after you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

• In the United States: On Guard Online;
• In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
• In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
• In Australia: SCAMwatch;
• In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
• In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
• In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
• In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

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