The Napoli virus belongs under the Chaos ransomware family. Harmful software of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the read_it.txt files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
Napoli virus: what is known so far?
βοΈ Napoli is a Chaos family ransomware-type malicious agent.
Napoli adds its extra .napoli extension to every file’s name. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.napoli”. Just like the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.napoli”, and so on.
In every folder that contains the encrypted files, a read_it.txt text file will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information about 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. That is it.
Napoli Summary:
| Name | Napoli Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Chaos ransomware |
| Extension | .napoli |
| Ransomware note | read_it.txt |
| Ransom | β¬120 (in BTC) |
| Detection | Ransom:Win32/Stop Virus Removal, Trojan:Win32/Urelas!pz Virus Removal, Trojan:MSIL/SnakeKeylogger.SPDS!MTB Virus Removal |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .napoli extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Napoli virus |
The read_it.txt document accompanying the Napoli ransomware provides the following discouraging information:
All of your files have been encrypted Your computer was infected with a ransomware virus. Your files have been encrypted and you won\'t be able to decrypt them without our help.What can I do to get my files back?You can buy our special decryption software, this software will allow you to recover all of your data and remove the ransomware from your computer.The price for the software is 120β¬. Payment can be made in Bitcoin only. How do I pay, where do I get Bitcoin? Purchasing Bitcoin varies from country to country, you are best advised to do a quick google search yourself to find out how to buy Bitcoin. Many of our customers have reported these sites to be fast and reliable: Coinmama - hxxps://www.coinmama.com Bitpanda - hxxps://www.bitpanda.com Payment informationAmount: 0.0020 BTC Bitcoin Address: 17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV
In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Napoli looks like. Each filename has the “.napoli” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.napoli” files look.
How did my machine catch Napoli ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Napoli virus settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.
- If you access your inbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a malware file enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
- Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer disguised as something different. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some program. However, what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. Since the installation wizard can have any title and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the stuff you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software companies’ official websites.
- As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger 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. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.
How do I get rid of ransomware?
It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Napoli virus will probably install Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Remove Napoli 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 Napoli 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 “Napoli” 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 Napoli 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 tamperers would decrypt few of your files so you know that they really have the decryption program. As Napoli virus is a relatively recent ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.
Understandably, if the hackers succeed in encrypting someone’s essential files, the hopeless person will most likely fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports of criminals just vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.
The best solution 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. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.
There are other ransomware products, besides Napoli, that work similarly. Examples of those are Hitobito, Cursodfir, Ert, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Napoli are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every directory containing encoded files.
Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decryption code to the victims 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 tamperers’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.
How do I avert ransomware infiltration?
Napoli ransomware has no superpower, neither does any similar malware.
You can armour your system from ransomware infiltration taking several easy steps:
- Never open any emails from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
- Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often distributed as a part of cracked software, most likely under the guise of βpatchβ to prevent the license check. But untrusted programs are very hard to tell from trustworthy ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information on this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal way is not to use such software.
- And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect defense for your personal computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
π€ How can I open “.napoli” files?Are the “.napoli” files accessible?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.napoli” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
π€ I really need to decrypt those β.napoliβ files ASAP. How can I do that?
It’s good if you have fΠ°r-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. The rest of the methods require patience.
π€ You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Napoli virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
Of course not. Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual viruses. The malware that has infiltrated your computer is probably still functional and it scans your system every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has been mentioned above, the Napoli virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your computer in the future.
π€ What should I do if the Napoli virus 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 perform the procedure. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your computer. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
π€ And what should I do now?
Many of the encoded files might still be at your disposal
- If you exchanged your important files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
- Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
- It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, phone, memory stick, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can use file recovery utilities2 to get your lost data back since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the virus with an anti-malware program.
