The Orca virus belongs to the Zeppelin ransomware family. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, leaving the HOW_TO_RECOVER_DATA.hta text files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
What is known about the Orcavirus?
☝️ A strictly correct description for the Orca would be “a Zeppelin family ransomware-type malicious agent”.
The scheme of renaming is this: .ORCA.victim_ID. In the process of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.ORCA.1D1-617-F3E”.
In each directory containing the encoded files, a HOW_TO_RECOVER_DATA.hta file will be created. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting [email protected] via email. That is how they do it.
Orca summary:
| Name | Orca Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Zeppelin ransomware |
| Extension | .ORCA |
| Ransomware note | HOW_TO_RECOVER_DATA.hta |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Detection | VirTool:Win32/CeeInject.CK, Win32/Filecoder.BlackMatter.K, BScope.Trojan.Denes |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .ORCA extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Orca virus |
The HOW_TO_RECOVER_DATA.hta document accompanying the Orca malware provides the following dispiriting information:
YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED Your ID to decrypt: - Contact us: [email protected] | [email protected] Unfortunately for you, due to a serious vulnerability in IT security, you are vulnerable to attacks! To decrypt files, you need to get a private key. The only copy of the secret key that can be used to decrypt files is on a private server. The server will destroy the key within 72h after the encryption is completed. To save the key for a longer period, you can contact us and provide your ID! In addition, we collect strictly confidential/personal data. This data is also stored on a private server. Your data will be deleted only after payment! If you decide not to pay, we will publish your data to everyone or resellers. So you can expect your data to become publicly available in the near future! It\'s just a business and we only care about making a profit! The only way to get your files back is to contact us for further instructions! To establish a trust relationship, you can send 1 file for test decryption (no more than 5 MB) Do not waste your time searching for other decryption methods - THERE ARE NONE, you will pay more for your time! Every day the price of decryption increases! Do not rename encrypted files. Do not use third-party programs to decrypt files - they can only do harm! After payment, you get a decoder (.exe), you only need to run it, and it will do everything by itself. I only accept Bitcoins! You can learn how to buy them on the Internet.
In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Orca looks like. Each filename has the “.ORCA” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .ORCA files.
How did my computer get infected with Orca ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
There are currently three most popular ways for hackers to have the Orca virus working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer networks.
If you open your inbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, beware of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a ransomware item enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus model2. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer pretending to be something different. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some software. However, what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the update wizard 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 optimal way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.
How to remove the Orca virus?
It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your data, the Orca virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.
Sometimes criminals would decode several of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption tool. As Orca virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software developers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.
Sure thing, if the malefactors do the job of encoding someone’s critical files, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports about hackers just vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.
The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external drive. Surely, that might be insufficient. The most important thing could be that one you were working on when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.
Orca 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 Mmdt, Oopu, Oodt, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Orca are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: documents become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes are created in every directory containing encoded files.
Some lucky victims were able to decrypt the blocked files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decoding code to the wronged 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. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avoid ransomware infiltration?
Orca ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can protect your system from ransomware infiltration taking three easy steps:
- Never open any emails from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the dubious letter with caution. A fake email will always contain a mistake.
- Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable software, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal way is not to use such programs at all.
- And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful shield for your PC.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft3
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft4.
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 system.
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 Orca 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.
FAQ
🤔 Can I somehow access “.ORCA” files?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.ORCA” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
If the “.ORCA” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. 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.
🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Orca virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
No way! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your computer off the actual threats. The ransomware that has infiltrated your PC is must be still active and it scans your system every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Orca virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide malefactors with easy access to your PC in the future.
🤔 What to do if the Orca virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.
If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. You see, the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or brought into your machine. To block this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 What can I do right now?
Some of the encrypted files can be located elsewhere.
- If you exchanged 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 family members. Just ask them to post those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try downloading them again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, mobile, external storage, etc.
USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery utilities5 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate 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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Brendan SmithHow to Remove ORCA Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: ORCA Virus
Description: ORCA Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .ORCA 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.
- 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 Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
