[TOPCORP@USA.COM].TOP Ransomware Removal Guide

The Top virus belongs to the Phobos ransomware family. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the info.txt files in each directory which contains the 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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What is known about the Top virus?

☝️ Top is a Phobos family ransomware-type malicious agent.

The renaming will be done by the following pattern: .[topcorp@usa.com].top. As a part of encryption, a file named, for example, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.id[9ECFA84E-3449].[topcorp@usa.com].top”.

In every folder that contains the encoded files, a info.txt text document will be created. It is a ransom money note. It contains information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the Top developers. You can obtain this decryptor after contacting topcorp24@mail.com, topcorp@usa.com through email. That is it.

Top Summary:

The info.txt document accompanying the Top malware provides the following dispiriting information:

All your files have been encrypted!
All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail topcorp@usa.com
Write this ID in the title of your message -
In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to this e-mail:topcorp24@mail.com
You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the tool that will decrypt all your files.
Free decryption as guarantee
Before paying you can send us up to 5 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 4Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)
How to obtain Bitcoins
The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click \'Buy bitcoins\', and select the seller by payment method and price.
hxxps://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins
Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here:
hxxp://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/
Attention!
Do not rename encrypted files.
Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Top looks like. Each filename has the “.[topcorp@usa.com].top” extension appended to it.

That is how encrypted “.[topcorp@usa.com].top” files look.

How did Top ransomware end up on my PC?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most popular ways for malefactors to have the Top virus working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer networks.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a harmful item enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus model. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your PC pretending to be something else. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that encrypts your data. As the installation wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the things you’re downloading. The optimal way is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks 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 folder containing the downloaded items 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 Top virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Top 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 Top 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 “Top” 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 Top 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 racketeers would unblock some of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption tool. Since Top virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decryption instruments are constantly upgraded, so the solution may soon be available.

Of course, if the evildoers succeed in encoding victim’s essential files, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. However, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still risky. After getting the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about hackers simply vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best countermeasure to ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external storage. Surely, that might be not enough. Your most important thing could be that one you were working upon when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the system is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Top, that work similarly. Examples of those are Freeworld, Wzoq, Wzqw, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Top are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate users were able to decode the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the racketeers accidentally send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware infection?

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

You can defend your system from its infiltration taking three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailboxes 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 likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious letter with caution. A hoax email will surely have mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often spreaded as a part of cracked products, possibly under the guise of “patch” to prevent the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal solution is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a powerful armor for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Are the “.[topcorp@usa.com].top” files accessible?

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.[topcorp@usa.com].top” 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 “.[topcorp@usa.com].top” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Top virus?

Of course not. 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 virus that has infected your device is most likely still active and it scans your system from time to time to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has already been said, the Top virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide malefactors with easy access to your system after some time.

🤔 What to do if the Top virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a previously 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 imported into your system. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital applications to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Some of the encrypted files can be located elsewhere.

• If you sent or received your important files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, mobile, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use file recovery utilities² to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.