XZNSHIRKICRY Virus Ransomware (.LOCKED Files)

The Xznshirkicry virus belongs under the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, text files, excel sheets, audio files, videos, etc) and adds its extra extension to every file, creating the read_me.txt text files in each folder 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 Xznshirkicry virus?

The renaming will be done by this scheme: .locked[contact-email]idxxxxx. As a part of the encryption, a file entitled, for example, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.locked[payransom1@gmailcom]id17666”.

In every directory with the encoded files, a read_me.txt file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. 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 racketeers. You can get this decoding tool after contacting [email protected] via email. That is the scheme of the crime.

Xznshirkicry Summary:

The read_me.txt file accompanying the Xznshirkicry ransomware provides the following dispiriting information:

Внимание!
Ваша ОС заражена вирусом XznShirkiCry, а все ваши файлы были зашифрованы.
Для того чтобы расшифровать ваши файлы, необходимо заплатить выкуп 5$ на BitCoin-кошелек. После этого написать на нашу электронную почту.
BitCoin-кошелек:17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV
Электронная почта:[email protected]
Важно! Зашифрованы файлы:
Не удалять
Не изменять расширение файлов
В случаи если вы удалите наш вирус или ваш антивирус его удалит, то расшифровка станет невозможна!!!
Ваш ID:17666. Данный ID понадобится для расшифровки.
English:
Attention!

Your OS is infected with the XznShirkiCry virus, and all your files have been encrypted.

To decrypt your files, you need to pay a $5 ransom to a BitCoin wallet.
After that, write to our email address.

BitCoin Wallet:17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV

e-mail:[email protected]
 
Important! Encrypted files:

Do not delete

Do not change the file extension

If you delete our virus or your antivirus deletes it, then decryption will be impossible!!!

Your ID:17666. You will need this ID for decryption.

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

An example of encrypted .locked files.

How did my machine catch Xznshirkicry ransomware?

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

Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for tamperers to have ransomware working in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection, and peer-to-peer networks.

• If you access your mailbox and see emails that look like familiar notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a malware file enclosed in them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus scheme. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates your computer pretending to be something else. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some service. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful program that corrupts your data. Since the update package can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source 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 BitTorrent or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. We suggest that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.

How to remove ransomware?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Xznshirkicry virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your machine to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That spyware can extract your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Xznshirkicry 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 Xznshirkicry 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 “Xznshirkicry” 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 Xznshirkicry 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.

Often tamperers would decode a few of your files to prove that they have the decryption tool. As the Xznshirkicry virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware developers have not yet found a way to undo its work. However, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly upgraded, so an effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the criminals succeed in encrypting the victim’s essential files, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. However, paying racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may send the wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports about hackers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The optimal countermeasure to ransomware is to have a system restore point or copies of your critical files in the cloud storage or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be not enough. The most important thing could be the one you were working on when it all started. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.

Xznshirkicry 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 Wanttocry, Dxen, Swift, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Xznshirkicry are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become encrypted, their extensions changed, and ransom notes appear in every folder containing encrypted files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware infection?

Xznshirkicry ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, nor as any similar malware.

You can protect your PC from ransomware infiltration in several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, check all elements of the questionable email with caution. A hoax email will surely contain a mistake.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often spread as a part of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. But untrusted programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy software because trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try to find information on this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best way is not to use such software.
• And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect armor for your personal computer.

FAQ

🤔 Is it possible to open “.locked” files?

There’s no way to do it unless the files “.locked” files are decrypted.

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

It’s good if you have fаr-sightedly saved copies of these important files elsewhere. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

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

Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real viruses. The malware that has infiltrated your device is probably still active and running scans periodically to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has already been said, the Xznshirkicry malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your PC in the future.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Xznshirkicry virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation key?

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to have a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encrypts any new files created or brought into your system. To suppress this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to send 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 networks pages, and cloud drives 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 employ data recovery utilities¹ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, removing the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery but remember: you can do it only after you kill the virus with an antivirus program.

1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2024.