DX31 Ransomware (.DX31 File) Removal

The Dx31 virus belongs to the Phobos ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all the data on your PC (images, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, creating the info.txt text files in each folder which contains the encrypted files.

Dx31 virus: what is known so far?

☝️ Dx31 is a Phobos family ransomware virus.

The pattern of renaming is this: id[victim_id].[contact-email].dx31. In the course of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.id[9ECFA84E-3449].[[email protected]].dx31”.

In every directory with the encoded files, a info.txt file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can get this decryptor after contacting [email protected] through email. That is how they do it.

Dx31 Summary:

The info.txt file coming in package with the Dx31 ransomware states the following:

!!!All of your files are encrypted!!!
To decrypt them send e-mail to this address: [email protected].
If we don\'t answer in 24h., send e-mail to this address: [email protected]

In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Dx31 looks like. Each filename has the “.dx31” extension appended to it.

How did my computer get infected with Dx31 ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for malefactors to have the Dx31 virus settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer file transfer.

• If you open your inbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a harmful file enclosed in 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 file scheme. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC pretending to be something legal. For example, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some program. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful program that encodes your data. As 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 way is to use the software developers’ 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 websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded files with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Dx31 virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your machine to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

How to avert ransomware infection?

Dx31 ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can armour your system from its infiltration within several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A fake letter will always contain a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often shared as an element of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable ones, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such software.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Is it possible to open “.dx31” files?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.dx31” files are decrypted.

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. 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. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 What should I do if the Dx31 virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to send those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social networks 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.

USEFUL TIP: You can use file recovery utilities² to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the virus with an antivirus 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.