The Wanacray2023+ virus falls under the Xorist ransomware family. Harmful software of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.
What is Wanacray2023+ virus?
☝️ A strictly accurate description for the Wanacray2023+ is “a Xorist family ransomware malicious agent”.
Wanacray2023+ will add its own .WanaCray2023+ extension to the name of every encoded file. For instance, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.WanaCray2023+”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.WanaCray2023+”, and so on.
In each folder that contains the encoded files, a HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt text file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. That is it.
Wanacray2023+ overview:
| Name | Wanacray2023+ Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Xorist ransomware |
| Extension | .WanaCray2023+ |
| Ransomware note | HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt |
| Detection | MSIL/PSW.Agent.SSQ, Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.PMA!MTB, Win32/Injector.BXDT |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .WanaCray2023+ extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Wanacray2023+ virus |
In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Wanacray2023+ looks like. Each filename has the “.WanaCray2023+” extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .WanaCray2023+ files.
How did Wanacray2023+ ransomware end up on my PC?
There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for hackers to have ransomware settled in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer networks.
If you access your mailbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a malicious item attached to them. Thus it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another thing the hackers might try 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 program. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that encodes your data. Since the update wizard 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 best way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the threat 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. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.
How to remove the Wanacray2023+ virus?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Wanacray2023+ virus will most likely deploy the Azorult Spyware on your PC to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware3 can extract your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Sometimes racketeers would unblock several of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. Since Wanacray2023+ virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a method to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding tools are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.
Sure thing, if the evildoers do the job of encoding someone’s essential files, the desperate person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After getting the money, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports of racketeers just disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.
The best safety measure against 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 not enough. Your most important thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.
Wanacray2023+ 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 Jhdd, Hhjk, Dewd, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Wanacray2023+ are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encoded files.
Some lucky victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the hackers mistakenly send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How сan I avoid ransomware injection?
Wanacray2023+ ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, so as any similar malware.
You can defend your system from its infiltration within three easy steps:
- Never open 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 lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the dubious letter carefully. A fake email will always have a mistake.
- Avoid using cracked or unknown programs. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as an element of cracked products, possibly as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are very hard to tell from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best way is not to use such software.
- And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect defense for your personal computer.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft4
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft5.
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 system for Wanacray2023+ 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 How can I open “.WanaCray2023+” files?Are the “.WanaCray2023+” files accessible?
Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.WanaCray2023+” files first. Then you will be able to open them.
🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?
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. The rest of the methods require patience.
🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Wanacray2023+ virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
No way! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your PC off the actual viruses. The malware that has attacked your computer is most likely still active and it scans your system from time to time to arrest any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been said above, the Wanacray2023+ virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your system after some time.
🤔 What should I do if the Wanacray2023+ ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.
If that happened, you need to have a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or imported into your computer. To stop this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Many of the encoded files might still be at your disposal
- If you sent or received your important files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You may have shared photographs 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 Internet, you can try to do it 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 computer, a laptop, mobile, memory stick, etc.
HINT: You can use data recovery utilities6 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an antivirus program.
Also, you can contact the following governmental 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 WANACRAY2023+ Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: WANACRAY2023+ Virus
Description: WANACRAY2023+ Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .WanaCray2023+ 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.
- You can read more on spyware variants and nature in the respective 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 are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
