Xm02Bot Ransomware (.XAM Files) Virus Removal

The Xam virus falls within the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and adds its extension to every file, creating the unlock.txt files in every directory 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 Xam virus?

Xam adds its specific .Xam extension to the title of each encrypted file. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.Xam”. In the same manner, the Excel table named “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.Xam”, and so on.

In each folder that contains the encoded files, a unlock.txt text file will appear. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this tool after contacting @Xm02Bot (Telegram) through email. That is pretty much the scheme of the crime.

Xam Summary:

The unlock.txt document coming in package with the Xam malware states the following:

 Don't worry, you can Unlock your files.


All your files like documents, photos, databases, and other important are encrypted


You must follow these steps To decrypt your files :
1) Send 100 USDT in this address TSvLRDHxLVnnRBujwTouDR4Z6syjaH3PPN (trc20)
2) After sending 100 usdt, just contact me in my telegram bot. This is my telegram bot username @Xm02Bot
3) After confirming we will give you a decrypter to unlock your all files.


Don't beg without sending money.

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Xam looks like. Each filename has the “.Xam” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .Xam files.

How did my computer get infected with Xam ransomware?

There are many possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for criminals to have ransomware settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration, and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose addresser is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware file 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 of some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that compromises your data. As the installation package can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resources of the files you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent or eMule, the threat 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. We suggest that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded files with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Xam virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Xam 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 Xam 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 “Xam” 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 Xam 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 tamperers would unblock several of your files to prove that they do have the decryption tool. As Xam virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware tools are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.

Understandably, if the tamperers succeed in encrypting the victim’s critical data, the hopeless person will probably fulfill their demands. However, paying a ransom gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After getting the money, the racketeers may deliver the wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about hackers just disappearing after getting the money without even writing back.

The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud disk or at least on external storage. That might be insufficient. Your most crucial thing could be that file you were working on when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the system is rolled back.

Xam 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 Qeza, Qepi, Qehu, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Xam are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encrypted, their extensions altered, and ransom notes are created in every folder containing encoded files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decode the blocked files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware developers. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding key to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary failure allows the user to restore the files. But obviously, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ technology to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avoid ransomware infection?

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

You can armour your computer from ransomware infiltration within three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown mailers 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 even taking part in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable email with caution. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as an element of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from reliable ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try to find information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution 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 perfect armor for your personal computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.Xam” files?Can I somehow access “.Xam” files?

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

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

If the “.Xam” 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. All other solutions require time.

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Xam malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?

No way! The encrypted files are not harmful, so they won’t be deleted.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with actual threats. The malware that has infected your computer is most likely still active and launching checks every so often to encode any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has already been said, the Xam malware 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 PC after some time.

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

If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory drive with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or imported into your machine. To suppress this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you exchanged your critical files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to send those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try downloading them again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files as well.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a notebook, cellphone, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can employ data recovery programs¹ to get your lost data back since ransomware encodes the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the video below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate the virus with an antivirus program.

1. Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2024.