The Zeussec1337 virus falls under the Chaos ransomware family. Malware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, leaving the Bacabangtxt files in each directory with the encrypted files.
What is known about the Zeussec1337virus?
☝️ A strictly correct designation for the Zeussec1337 would be “a Chaos family ransomware-type infection”.
The renaming will be done with assigning your files a random 4-symbol extension. As a part of encryption, a file entitled, for instance, “report.docx” will be renamed to “report.docx.m2hb”. The file “lecture.txt” will turn into “lecture.txt.r4ni”.
In every folder with the encoded files, a Bacabangtxt text document will appear. It is a ransom money memo. Reading it requries editing its name and putting the dot symbol to get “Bacabang.txt”. Therein you can find information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to buy the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can get this tool after contacting zeussec1337@gmail.com by email. That is it.
Zeussec1337 overview:
| Name | Zeussec1337 Virus |
| Ransomware family1 | Chaos ransomware |
| Extension | 4 random symbols |
| Ransomware note | Bacabangtxt |
| Ransom | 100 USD (in Indonesian rupees) |
| Contact | zeussec1337@gmail.com |
| Detection | Ransom:Win32/Royal.MP!MTB, Tedy.100022, Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.TA!MTB |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .random extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Zeussec1337 virus |
The Bacabangtxt document accompanying the Zeussec1337 ransomware states the following:
ZEUSSEC1337 WAS HERE SORRY BRO YO UR IMPORTANT FILES ENCRYPTED :( PAY ME BRO FOR BACK YOUR FILES CONTACT ME BRO :( EMAIL:ZEUSSEC1337@GMAIL.COM TELEGRAM:@ZeusSec1337
In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Zeussec1337 looks like. Each filename has the “.random” extension appended to it.
Zeussec1337 – files encrypted with random symbols in extensions
How did Zeussec1337 ransomware end up on my PC?
There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.
Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for tamperers to have ransomware planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer networks.
If you open your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services companies, postal agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, beware of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a ransomware item enclosed in them. So it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with emails like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse model2. A Trojan is an object that gets into your machine pretending to be something else. For instance, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. Since the update wizard can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the files you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software companies’ official websites.
As for the peer networks like BitTorrent or eMule, the danger 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 directory containing the downloaded items with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is done.
How do I get rid of the Zeussec1337 virus?
It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Zeussec1337 virus will probably deploy the Azorult Spyware on your computer to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Sometimes tamperers would decrypt few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. As Zeussec1337 virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. However, the decoding instruments are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon be available.
Sure thing, if the hackers do the job of encoding victim’s critical data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your data back. It is still risky. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of criminals just disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.
The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external drive. Obviously, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the system restoration.
Zeussec1337 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 Tury, Powd, Bowd, and some others. The two basic differences between them and the Zeussec1337 are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: files become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes are created in every folder containing encoded files.
Some lucky users were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free tools provided by anti-malware experts. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But of course, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to pull the money out of their victims.
How to avert ransomware attack?
Zeussec1337 ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.
You can protect your system from its attack in several easy steps:
- Never open any letters from unknown mailers with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with 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 dubious letter with caution. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
- Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the optimal solution is not to use such software.
- And to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a perfect defense for your personal computer.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft3
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft4.
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 Zeussec1337 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
🤔 Is it possible to open “.random” files?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.random” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.random” files ASAP. How can I do that?
If the “.random” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. In case you haven’t, there is still a chance that you do have a Restore Point from some time ago to roll back the whole system to the moment when it had no virus yet, but already had your files. All other solutions require time.
🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Zeussec1337 virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?
Absolutely not! 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 infected your device is probably still functional and running scans every so often to arrest any new files you might create on your PC after the initial attack. As it has been mentioned above, the Zeussec1337 virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your PC in the future.
🤔 What actions should I take if the Zeussec1337 virus has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.
If that happened, you need to have a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your computer. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 What could help the situation right now?
Some of the encrypted files can be found elsewhere.
- If you sent or received your important files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
- You might have shared images or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to give those pictures back to you.
- If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try downloading them again.
- Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, mobile, flash memory, etc.
HINT: You can use file recovery utilities5 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you eradicate 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 ZEUSSEC1337 Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: ZEUSSEC1337 Virus
Description: ZEUSSEC1337 Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .random 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.
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
- More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
- Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
