Frag is here! Ransomware Removal Guide

The Frag virus falls under the ransomware type of infection. Harmful software of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, leaving the README.txt files in every directory 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 Frag virus?

Frag will add its own .frag extension to every file’s name. For example, a file named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.frag”. In the same manner, the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.frag”, and so on.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a README.txt text file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. That is how they do it.

Frag Overview:

The README.txt document coming in package with the Frag ransomware provides the following frustrating information:

Frag is here!


If you are a regular employee, manager or system administrator, do not delete/ignore this note or try to hide the fact that your network has been compromised from your senior management. This letter is the only way for you to contact us and resolve this incident safely and with minimal loss.


We discovered a number of vulnerabilities in your network that we were able to exploit to download your data, encrypt the contents of your servers, and delete any backups we could reach. To find out the full details, get emergency help and regain access to your systems,


All you need is:


1. Tor browser (here is a download link: hxxps://www.torproject.org/download/
2. Use this link to enter the chat room – -
3. Enter a code ( - ) to sign in.
4. Now we can help you.
We recommend that you notify your upper management so that they can appoint a responsible person to handle negotiations. Once we receive a chat message from you, this will mean that we are authorised to pass on information regarding the incident, as well as disclose the details inside the chat. From then on, we have 2 weeks to resolve this privately.


We look forward to receiving your messages.

In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Frag looks like. Each filename has the “.frag” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .frag files.

How did my machine catch Frag ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most exploited methods for malefactors to have the Frag virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware item enclosed in them. Thus it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your machine disguised as something legal. For example, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some software. But what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that encodes your data. Since the installation wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the things you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to trust the software companies’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrent trackers 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 reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How to remove ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Frag virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Frag 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 Frag 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 “Frag” 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 Frag 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 criminals would decrypt few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. As Frag virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are frequently upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.

Understandably, if the evildoers do the job of encrypting victim’s critical data, the hopeless person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still risky. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports about criminals just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be not enough. The most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

Frag 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 Revrac, Ztax, Annoy, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Frag are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in each directory containing encrypted files.

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

How to avert ransomware injection?

Frag ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can defend your system from its attack taking three easy steps:

• Never open any emails from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (how can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A hoax letter will surely contain mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect shield for your personal computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

If the “.frag” 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.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Frag virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

No way! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete the malware from your system. The ransomware that has infiltrated your device is most likely still active and running scans periodically to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Frag malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your PC in the future.

🤔 What to do if the Frag malware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to prepare a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your system. To suppress this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications 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 encrypted files can be located 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 family members. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, mobile, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ data recovery utilities¹ 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 won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

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