DumbStackz Ransomware (whosdumb_stackz@proton.me) Removal

The DumbStackz virus belongs under the Chaos ransomware family. Harmful software of this type encrypts all the data on your PC (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, creating the read_it.txt files in every folder 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 DumbStackz virus?

DumbStackz adds its own .DumbStackz extension to the title of each encrypted file. For instance, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.DumbStackz”. Just like the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.DumbStackz”, and so forth.

In each folder containing the encoded files, a read_it.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can get this decryptor after contacting whosdumb_stackz@proton.me via email. That is it.

Dumbstackz Summary:

The read_it.txt document coming in package with the DumbStackz ransomware states the following:

Sheet well your files are locked. Lmao, well, sorry to say you won't be able to get them back without paying a fee. Unless you don't care about your files, I would encourage you to pay. The fee will cost you 0.001 bitcoin. Making this sh*t affordable. Sorry to cause you stress. Now, if you want to make this quick and simple, let\'s cut to the chase.


Step 1: Buy the bitcoin. Unless you own Bitcoin, you will obviously need to buy it. Well, where the f*ck do I buy bitcoin?? You may be asking yourself that question. Luckily, there are many places to buy bitcoin. Such as apps like Coinbase, Crypto.com, Changelly Kraken, etc. There are also crypto ATMs  to find one near you, go to coinflip.tech and enter a zip code. Or find others.


Step 2: Create a Bitcoin wallet. If you are on a mobile device, I recommend downloading Cake Wallet or Trust Wallet. They are wallets that hold many different crypto currencies. Such as Bitcoin. And if you are using a Windows computer, you can use the Wassabi wallet. It is a great and fast wallet to set up. From there, you can send the address you are sending the 0.001 bitcoin to, which is below this line. Or scan the QR code that is shown in my wallpaper. (My Bitcoin Address): 17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV


Step 3. Once you have sent the bitcoin successfully and it confirms through the blockchain, don\'t hesitate to contact me. I will provide you with the password to recover all of your files. It is another piece of software, so please disable virus and threat protection to allow it to decrypt successfully. Contact Me Once Paid: whosdumb_stackz@proton.me (This is an email, so you will need to write to me by email.)

 

Your files will be automatically deleted after 2 days from when this ransomware was installed. Do not try after 2 days because you will just be losing your money for nothing. Attempting to reset the computer will also delete all of your files, which you can try if you want.


PAY EXACTLY 0.001 BITCOIN OR YOUR FILES WILL NOT BE RELEASED TO YOU. IF ONE OF MY WORKERS IS THE ONE WHO GAVE YOU THIS RANSOMWARE, THEY WILL WAIT FOR THE PAYMENT TO GO THROUGH, AND THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE DECRYPTER. DO NOT TRY NEGOTIATING, OR ME OR MY WORKERS WILL BLOCK YOU. THE AMOUNT WILL NEED TO BE 0.001 BITCOIN, EVEN WITH THE FEES. MAKE SURE TO GET SOME EXTRA BITCOIN FOR EASY PAYMENT.


Again, if you have any issues or concerns, please contact me at whosdumb_stackz@proton.me (This is an email, so you will need to write to me by email.)


Bitcoin Address Again: 17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV

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

That is how encrypted “.DumbStackz” files look.

How did DumbStackz ransomware end up on my PC?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for criminals to have the DumbStackz virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• 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 mailer is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a malware file attached to them. Thus it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your machine pretending to be something different. For example, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some program. However, what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. Since the update wizard can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The best thing is to trust 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 Internet. You can never guess 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 antivirus as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

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

Remove Dumbstackz 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 Dumbstackz 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 “Dumbstackz” 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 Dumbstackz 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 decrypt several of your files to prove that they do have the decryption program. As Dumbstackz virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures developers have not yet found a method to undo its work. However, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Sure thing, if the tamperers do the job of encoding someone’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still risky. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors simply vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Surely, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the system restoration.

Dumbstackz 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 Fbiras, Atck, Rincrypt, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Dumbstackz are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: documents become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encoded files.

Some fortunate people were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the criminals mistakenly send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware infiltration?

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

You can armour your system from its attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A fake letter will always contain a mistake.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as a part of cracked products, possibly under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can 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 objects you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect armor for your system.

FAQ

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

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

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your critical files through 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 send those images 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 drives might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can use file recovery programs² to get your lost data back since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2024.