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

The Nigra virus belongs with the ransomware type of malicious agent. A harmful program of this type encrypts all the data on your PC (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the README_WARNING.txt files in every directory containing 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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Nigra virus: what is known so far?

The renaming will be executed according to the following scheme: .nigra. In the course of encryption, a file named, for instance, “report.docx.[victim_ID].[contact_email].nigra” will be turned into “report.docx.[baf1c5b249].[c2y@startmail.com].nigra”.

In every directory that contains the encrypted files, a README_WARNING.txt text file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decrypting software after contacting c2y@startmail.com through email. That is how they do it.

Nigra Summary:

The README_WARNING.txt document coming in package with the Nigra malware provides the following frustrating information:

:: Greetings :::


Little FAQ:


.1.


Q: Whats Happen?


): Your files have been encrypted for NIGRA. The file structure was not damaged, we did everything possible so that this could not happen.


.2.

Q: How to recover files?


): If you wish to decrypt your files you will need to pay us


you can send a three small files for testing,\'excel ,word,txt,jpg\' something.


As a guarantee of our decryption ability.


.3.

 

Q: How to contact with you?


): You can write us to our 3 mailboxes: c2y@startmail.com and malluma@beeble.com or restaurera@rbox.co


If we do not reply within 24 hours, it means that the mailbox has been blocked, please contact our backup mailbox.


(please in subject line write your ID: -)


:::WARNING STATEMENT:::


DON\'T try to change encrypted files by yourself!


We have never posted any decrypted videos on youtube, any SNS, please don\'t trust those crooks who post so-called decrypted videos


choose to trust them, unless you have a lot of money!


If you need decryption, please contact us via our email, we will only get in touch with you via email.


The private key for decryption only exists in our hands, and only we can help decrypt files in this world !!

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

An example of encrypted .nigra files.

How did Nigra ransomware end up on my PC?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for hackers to have the Nigra virus acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer networks.

• If you access your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, 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 malware item enclosed in them. Thus it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your machine disguised as something legal. For instance, you download an installer of some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unpacked reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. Since the installation file 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 optimal thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks like torrents or eMule, the threat 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 resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded files with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Nigra virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your machine to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Nigra 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 Nigra 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 “Nigra” 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 Nigra 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 criminals would decrypt some of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption program. As Nigra virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are frequently upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Sure thing, if the tamperers succeed in encoding someone’s critical files, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data 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 racketeers simply vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.

The optimal solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be insufficient. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working on when it all went down. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Nigra, that work similarly. Examples of those are Pepecry, Hazard, Hyj, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Nigra are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: files become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes are created in each directory containing encoded files.

Some lucky users were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ technology to pull the money out of their victims.

How to avert ransomware infiltration?

Nigra ransomware has no superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your PC from ransomware attack taking several easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable email carefully. A hoax email will always have a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or unknown software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as an element of cracked products, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution is not to use such software.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect armor for your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. 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 Nigra malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

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

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual viruses. The virus that has infected your computer is probably still active and running scans every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been said above, the Nigra virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your PC in the future.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Nigra virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.

In such a case, you need to prepare a memory stick with a previously 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 imported into your PC. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the blocked files might still be within your reach

• If you sent or received your critical files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to send those images 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 storage might have all those files as well.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, mobile, memory stick, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery programs¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. Here’s the list of Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.