The Just virus belongs to the Dharma ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, leaving the FILES ENCRYPTED.txt text files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
What is Just virus?
☝️ A strictly correct designation for the Just is “a Dharma family ransomware-type infection”.
The scheme of renaming is this: id-xxxxxx.[contact_email].just. As a part of encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[[email protected]].just”.
In every folder containing the encrypted files, a FILES ENCRYPTED.txt text document 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 a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decrypting software after contacting [email protected] through email. That is how they do it.
Just summary:
| Name | Just Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Dharma ransomware |
| Extension | .just |
| Ransomware note | FILES ENCRYPTED.txt |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Detection | Crytex.Virus.FileInfector.DDS, Win32/Filecoder.OLC, Malware-Cryptor.InstallCore.5 |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .just extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Just virus |
The FILES ENCRYPTED.txt file accompanying the Just malware states the following:
all your data has been locked us You want to return? write email [email protected] or [email protected]
In the picture below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Just looks like. Each filename has the “.just” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.just” files look.
How did Just ransomware end up on my PC?
There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.
Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for tamperers to have the Just virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer networks.
If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is unknown to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a ransomware item attached to them. So it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model2. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your computer disguised as something legal. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some software. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the installation package can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The best way is to trust the software companies’ official websites.
As for the peer networks like torrents 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 reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is complete.
How do I get rid of the Just virus?
It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Just virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware3 can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Sometimes racketeers would unblock several of your files to prove that they do have the decryption program. As Just virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are frequently upgraded, so the solution may soon be available.
Sure thing, if the hackers succeed in encoding someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about malefactors just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.
The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external storage. Surely, that might be insufficient. Your most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
Just 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 Zatp, Bowd, Tcvp, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Just are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in every folder containing encoded files.
Some fortunate users were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the racketeers mistakenly send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But obviously, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avoid ransomware attack?
Just ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can armour yourself from its infiltration in three easy steps:
- Ignore any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (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 expecting, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
- Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked products, possibly under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. But untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information on this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way 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 shield for your system.
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 PC.
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 computer for Just 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 Are the “.just” files accessible?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.just” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
If the “.just” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. 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.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Just malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Absolutely not! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual threats. The ransomware that has infiltrated your device is must be still functional and it scans your system from time to time to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been said above, the Just ransomware comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your computer after some time.
🤔 What actions should I take if the Just malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key.
In such a case, you need to prepare a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or brought into your system. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 What can I do right now?
Some of the blocked data can be found elsewhere.
- If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to post those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try downloading them again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery programs6 to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
Also, you can contact the following governmental 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.
I need your help to share this article.
It is your turn to help other people. I have written this article to help people like you. You can use the buttons below to share this on your favorite social media Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit.
Brendan SmithHow to Remove JUST Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: JUST Virus
Description: JUST Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .just 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 Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
