NOOSE (.NOOSE) Ransomware Virus Removal & File Decryption

The Noose virus belongs to the ransomware type of infection. A harmful program of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, documents, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its extension to every file, leaving the OPEN_ME.txt files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

Noose Virus

Noose will append its own .NOOSE extension to the title of every encrypted file. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be renamed to “photo.jpg.NOOSE”. Likewise, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.NOOSE”, and so on.

In every directory with the encrypted files, a OPEN_ME.txt file will be found. 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 instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting malignant@tuta.io via email. That is pretty much the scheme of the crime.

The OPEN_ME.txt file accompanying the Noose malware provides the following dispiriting information:

----------National Office of Security Enforcement [N.O.O.S.E] Report----------

*Introduction:
National Office of Security Enforcement [N.O.O.S.E]
You were infected by a ransomware made by N.O.O.S.E
No need to Google us, we only exist when we want to.

*What happened?
You are infected with the NOOSE ransomware. This version does have an antidot.
Your unique ID is: NOOSEVariant2ID3754865400

*I want my data back:
To get your data back, you need our decryption software. Which only N.O.O.S.E have.
Our software is worth 1540 USD.

*About the decryption software:
To decrypt your files and data you\'ll need a private key. Without it, you can\'t have anything back.
Our software uses your safely stored private key to decrypt your precious data.
No other softwares can decrypt your data without the private key.

*Payment currency:
We only accept Monero XMR as a payment method.

*Payment information:
Price: 9.7 XMR
Monero address: 476cVjnoiK2Ghv17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV5cYTKSd7CuF4LZJ76ZcDDt1WZZvpdZDuzbgPBPVs3yBBJ32

*After the payment:
-Send us a mail to malignant@tuta.io in the correct following format:
           -Subject: [Your country name] Device/user name (Example: [USA] John Doe)
           -My unique ID: [Your unique ID].
           -Transaction ID: [Transaction ID] and an attached screenshot of the payment.

*Verification and confirmation:
Once we verify and confirm your payment, we recognize your device and send you the decryption software.

*Important notes:
-We might give you a discount if you contact us within 24 hours.
-Due to our busy emails, we may take up to 24 hours to respond.
-All of our clients got their data back after the payment.
-Failure to write in the correct form will get your mail ignored.
-Any attempt to fake a transaction ID or screenshot will lead to a permanent loss of data.

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

That is how encrypted “.NOOSE” files look.

How did my machine catch Noose ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

There are currently three most exploited ways for malefactors to have the Noose virus planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a ransomware 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 scheme. A Trojan is an object that gets into your machine pretending to be something else. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the installation wizard can have any title 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 use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-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 resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How to remove ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Noose virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your computer to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Noose 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 Noose 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 “Noose” 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 Noose 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 decode few of your files to prove that they really have the decryption tool. Since Noose virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. However, the decoding instruments are frequently updated, so the solution may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the hackers do the job of encoding someone’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about malefactors simply vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external storage. Surely, that might be insufficient. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Noose, that work similarly. Examples of those are Zeroguard, Xrp, Cdcc, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Noose are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: documents become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decryption key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But of course, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ tool to pull the money out of their victims.

How to avert ransomware attack?

Noose ransomware has no superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can armour yourself from its attack within three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the dubious letter with caution. A hoax email will always have a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often shared as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” to prevent the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful shield for your PC.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ data recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.

1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.