JAVA Virus 🔐 (.JAVA Files) — How to Remove?

The Java virus belongs under the Dharma ransomware family. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the FILES ENCRYPTED.txt files in each folder containing encrypted files.

Java virus: what is known so far?

☝️ A strictly accurate description for the Java is “a Dharma family ransomware-type infection”.

The scheme of renaming is this: id-xxxxx.[contact-email].java. In the process of encryption, a file named, for instance, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.id-1E857D00.[[email protected]].java”.

In every directory that contains the encoded files, a FILES ENCRYPTED.txt text document will appear. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the Java developers. You can get this decoding tool after contacting [email protected] via email. That is how they do it.

Java summary:

The FILES ENCRYPTED.txt file accompanying the Java malware provides the following discouraging information:

all your data has been locked us
You want to return?
write email [email protected]

In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Java looks like. Each filename has the “.java” extension appended to it.

How did my computer get infected with Java ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.

Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for malefactors to have the Java virus acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a malicious item attached to them. So it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with letters like these.

Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is a program that gets into your PC disguised as something legal. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some program. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. Since the update package can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the things you’re downloading. The best thing is to trust the software companies’ 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 Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded files with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How to remove the Java virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your data, the Java virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Sometimes criminals would decrypt few of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. As Java virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the evildoers do the job of encoding victim’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports about ransomware developers just 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 essential files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Of course, that might be insufficient. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also wise to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Java, that work similarly. Examples of those are Coty, Foza, Coza, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Java are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: documents become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes are created in every directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky users were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware experts. Sometimes the criminals mistakenly send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware infection?

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

You can defend yourself from its attack in several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable email with caution. A fake email will always have mistakes.
• Never use cracked or unknown software. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable software, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. You can try to find information about this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft²

Download Removal Tool.

Run the setup file.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

Click on “Clean Now”.

FAQ

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

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.java” files first. Then you will be able to open them.

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

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.

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

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be within your reach

• If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give 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 drives might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, cellphone, flash memory, etc.

HINT: You can employ file recovery utilities⁴ to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after 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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