The Fopra virus belongs under the Phobos ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the info.txt text files in each directory with the encrypted files.
Fopra virus: what is known so far?
☝️ A strictly accurate denomination for the Fopra would be “a Phobos family ransomware-type infection”.
The pattern of renaming is the following: id[xxxxxx].[contact_email].fopra. As a part of encryption, a file entitled, for example, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.id[9ECFA84E-3388].[[email protected]].fopra”.
In each directory that contains the encoded files, a info.txt file will be found. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the Fopra developers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting [email protected] through email. That is basically the scheme of the malefaction.
Fopra outline:
| Name | Fopra Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Phobos ransomware |
| Extension | .fopra |
| Ransomware note | info.txt |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Detection | Win32.Virlock.Gen.2, Ulise.133670, Trojan:Win32/CryptInject.CD!MTB |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .fopra extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Fopra virus |
The info.txt document accompanying the Fopra malware provides the following frustrating information:
!! All your files are encrypted !!! To decrypt them, send an email to this address: [email protected] To increase the likelihood of receiving a response to your request, also duplicate your letters to the following e-mails: [email protected] or [email protected] For quick and convenient feedback, write to the online operator in the Wire messenger: @zexor (The username of the Wire account must be exactly the same as above, be vigilant any accounts that differ even by one letter are fakes.) Attention! To get guaranteed assistance in decrypting your files, please contact only the contacts indicated in this note, otherwise, we are not responsible for the decryption!
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Fopra looks like. Each filename has the “.fopra” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .fopra files.
How did Fopra ransomware end up on my PC?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
There are currently three most exploited methods for malefactors to have the Fopra virus working in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.
If you access your mailbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a malware item enclosed in 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 horse scheme2. A Trojan is a program 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 unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. Since the installation package can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrent trackers or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never know 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 items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.
How to remove the Fopra virus?
It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Fopra virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware3 can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Often tamperers would unblock several of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. Since Fopra virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption instruments are frequently updated, so the solution may soon be available.
Understandably, if the evildoers do the job of encrypting someone’s critical data, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. However, paying to criminals gives no guarantee 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 malefactors simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.
The optimal solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external storage. Surely, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.
There are other ransomware products, besides Fopra, that work similarly. For instance, Qqmt, Qqjj, Vvyu, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Fopra are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: files become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encoded files.
Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But of course, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How сan I avoid ransomware attack?
Fopra ransomware has no endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can protect your computer from ransomware attack taking several easy steps:
- Never open any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (how can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email carefully. A hoax letter will always contain mistakes.
- Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal solution is not to use such programs at all.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect defense for your PC.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft4
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft5.
Download Removal Tool.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
Run the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your computer.
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your PC for Fopra infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has completed, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
FAQ
🤔 Is it possible to open “.fopra” files?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.fopra” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
If the “.fopra” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. All other solutions require time.
🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Fopra virus?
Absolutely not! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your PC off the actual viruses. The malware that has attacked your system is most likely still active and launching checks every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Fopra ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your PC after some time.
🤔 What to do if the Fopra virus 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 previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your machine. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Many of the blocked files might still be within your reach
- If you exchanged your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to send those images back to you.
- If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud storage might have all those files as well.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a portable device, mobile, external storage, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs6 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before 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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Brendan SmithHow to Remove FOPRA Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: FOPRA Virus
Description: FOPRA Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .fopra extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
User Review
( votes)References
- My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
- You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
- You can read more on spyware variants and nature in the respective section of GridinSoft official website.
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
- More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
- Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
