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

The Tutu virus falls under the Dharma ransomware family. Malware of such sort encrypts all the data on your computer (photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the README!.txt text files in each folder with 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 Tutu virus?

☝️ Tutu is a Dharma family ransomware infection.

The renaming will be done by this pattern: id-xxxxx.[contact-email].tutu. After the encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be turned into “report.docx.id-9ECFA84E.[tutu@download_file].tutu”.

In each folder with the encoded files, a README!.txt text document will be found. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decryptor after contacting tutu@download_file through email. That is how they do it.

Tutu Overview:

The README!.txt document accompanying the Tutu ransomware provides the following dispiriting information:

Your data has been stolen and encrypted!

email us

tutu@onionmail.org

In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Tutu looks like. Each filename has the “.tutu” extension appended to it.

That is how encrypted “.tutu” files look.

How did my machine catch Tutu ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited ways for hackers to have the Tutu virus acting in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer networks.

• If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a harmful item enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan file model. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your computer disguised as something legal. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some program. However, what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that corrupts your data. Since the installation file can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrent trackers or eMule, the threat 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. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Tutu virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Tutu 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 Tutu 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 “Tutu” 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 Tutu 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 few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption program. As Tutu virus is a relatively new ransomware, security software engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently upgraded, so the solution may soon be available.

Sure thing, if the criminals do the job of encrypting victim’s essential data, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. However, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about ransomware developers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that file you were working upon when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the system is rolled back.

Tutu 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 Isak, Tisak, Chocvm, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Tutu are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become blocked, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in each folder containing encoded files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the blocked files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decryption key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware attack?

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

You can defend yourself from ransomware infiltration in several easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without participating in it?). In case the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter carefully. A fake email will surely have a mistake.
• Never use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spreaded as a part of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” to prevent the license check. But untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy ones, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful armor for your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Are the “.tutu” files accessible?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.tutu” files you will not be able to access them.

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

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. 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 Tutu virus?

Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual threats. The virus that has attacked your device is probably still functional and it scans your system periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has already been said, the Tutu virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide hackers with easy access to your system in the future.

🤔 What to do if the Tutu malware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.

In such a case, you need to have a flash memory drive with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your machine. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be within your reach

• If you sent or received your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud storage might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ data recovery programs² to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the virus with an antivirus program.

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