DEFI Ransomware (wewillrestoreyou@cyberfear.com)

The Defi virus belongs under the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, creating the +README-WARNING+.txt files in every folder which contains 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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Defi virus: what is known so far?

The pattern of renaming is the following: .defi1328. After the encryption, a file entitled, for example, “report.docx” will be altered to “report.docx.[1D02AF5A].[wewillrestoreyou@cyberfear.com].defi1328”.

In every folder with the encrypted files, a +README-WARNING+.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this tool after contacting wewillrestoreyou@cyberfear.com, wewillrestoreyou@onionmail.org through email. That is how they do it.

Defi Summary:

The +README-WARNING+.txt file accompanying the Defi ransomware states the following:

::: Greetings :::

Little FAQ:

.1.
Q: Whats Happen?
A: Your files have been encrypted. The file structure was not damaged, we did everything possible so that this could not happen.

.2.
Q: How to recover files?
A: If you wish to decrypt your files you will need to pay us.

.3.
Q: What about guarantees?
A: Its just a business. We absolutely do not care about you and your deals, except getting benefits. If we do not do our work and liabilities - nobody will cooperate with us. Its not in our interests.
To check the ability of returning files, you can send to us any 2 files with SIMPLE extensions(jpg,xls,doc, etc... not databases!) and low sizes(max 1 mb), we will decrypt them and send back to you. That is our guarantee.

.4.
Q: How to contact with you?
A: You can write us to our mailboxes: wewillrestoreyou@cyberfear.com or wewillrestoreyou@onionmail.org

.5.
Q: How will the decryption process proceed after payment?
A: After payment we will send to you our scanner-decoder program and detailed instructions for use. With this program you will be able to decrypt all your encrypted files.

.6.
Q: If I don t want to pay bad people like you?
A: If you will not cooperate with our service - for us, its does not matter. But you will lose your time and data, cause only we have the private key. In practice - time is much more valuable than money.

:::BEWARE:::
DON\'T try to change encrypted files by yourself!
If you will try to use any third party software for restoring your data or antivirus solutions - please make a backup for all encrypted files!
Any changes in encrypted files may entail damage of the private key and, as result, the loss all data.

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Defi looks like. Each filename has the “.defi1328” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .defi1328 files.

How did Defi ransomware end up on my PC?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Defi virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you access your mailbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware file attached to them. Thus it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your computer disguised as something else. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some program. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. Since the installation file can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the stuff 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 Web. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded files with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your data, the Defi virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Defi 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 Defi 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 “Defi” 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 Defi 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 racketeers would decrypt some of your files so you know that they really have the decryption program. Since Defi virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the criminals do the job of encrypting someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will most likely fulfill their demands. However, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports of malefactors just vanishing 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 disk or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all went down. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.

Defi is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. Examples of those are King, Tyson, Bixi, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Defi are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in each folder containing encoded 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 key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware injection?

Defi ransomware has no superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can protect your system from ransomware injection taking three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to 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 email carefully. A hoax letter will always have mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as an element of cracked software, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try to find information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect defense for your PC.

FAQ

🤔 Is it possible to open “.defi1328” files?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.defi1328” files are decrypted.

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. In case you haven’t, there is still a chance that you do have a Restore Point from some time ago to roll back the whole system to the moment when it had no virus yet, but already had your files. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Defi malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

Of course not. The encrypted files are not harmful, so they won’t be deleted.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual threats. The virus that has infiltrated your computer is must be still functional and it scans your system every so often to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has been said above, the Defi ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your computer after some time.

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

In such a case, you need to have a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your PC. To suppress this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the blocked files can be located elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to give those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try downloading them again.
• Your messengers, social media 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, cellphone, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery programs¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you kill the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. Here’s the list of Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2024.