The Ior virus belongs under the Dharma ransomware family. A harmful program of such sort encrypts all the data on your PC (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file.
What is known about the Ior virus?
☝️ Ior is a Dharma family ransomware-type infection.
The scheme of renaming is this: .ior. During the encryption, a file named, for instance, “report.docx” will be altered to “report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[jasalivan@420blaze.it].ior”.
The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting jasalivan@420blaze.it through email. That is how they do it.
Ior Summary:
| Name | Ior Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Dharma ransomware |
| Extension | .ior |
| Contact | jasalivan@420blaze.it |
| Detection | Trojan:Win32/Tnega!MSR Removal, Win32:Adware-DNA [Adw] Virus Removal, Win32:Secat [Trj] Virus Removal |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .ior extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Ior virus |
The note accompanying the Ior ransomware states the following:
All your files have been encrypted! All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail jasalivan@420blaze.it Write this ID in the title of your message - In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to theese e-mails:jasalivan@420blaze.it You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the decryption tool that will decrypt all your files. Free decryption as guarantee Before paying you can send us up to 1 file for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 1Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.) How to obtain Bitcoins The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click \'Buy bitcoins\', and select the seller by payment method and price. *** Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here: *** Attention! Do not rename encrypted files. Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss. Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.
In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Ior looks like. Each filename has the “.ior” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .ior files.
How did my machine catch Ior ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
There are currently three most popular methods for malefactors to have ransomware 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 just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a viral item enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
- Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your machine pretending to be something different. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that encodes your data. As the installation file can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
- As for the peer networks like BitTorrent or eMule, the danger 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. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects 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 Ior virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your machine to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Remove Ior 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 Ior 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 “Ior” 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 Ior 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 unblock few of your files to prove that they really have the decryption tool. As Ior virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.
Sure thing, if the tamperers succeed in encrypting victim’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports of racketeers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.
The best countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be not enough. Your most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all went down. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
Ior is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Qilin, Pomoch, Netforcez, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Ior are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions altered, ransom notes are created in every directory containing encoded files.
Some lucky victims were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption key 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 bandits’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avert ransomware attack?
Ior ransomware has no endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can armour your system from its attack within three easy steps:
- Never open any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (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 fake letter will surely contain a mistake.
- Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful defense for your PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 Is it possible to open “.ior” files?
There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.ior” 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. 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.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Ior malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your system off the actual viruses. The ransomware that has infiltrated your system is must be still functional and running scans every so often to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has already been said, the Ior malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide malefactors with easy access to your system in the future.
🤔 What actions should I take if the Ior malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.
If that happened, you need to have a flash memory drive with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or brought into your computer. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Many of the encoded files might still be within your reach
- If you exchanged your important files via email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those images back to you.
- If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try doing it again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, mobile, external storage, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use data 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 learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
