ZIPP3RS Ransomware 🔐 (.ZIPP3RS File) — Removal Guide

The Zipp3rs virus belongs to the Xorist ransomware family. A harmful program of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, creating the HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt files in each directory containing 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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Zipp3rs virus: what is known so far?

☝️ A scientifically correct description for the Zipp3rs is “a Xorist family ransomware-type malicious agent”.

Zipp3rs appends its own .zipp3rs extension to every file’s name. For instance, an image named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.zipp3rs”. Likewise, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will end up as “table.xlsx.zipp3rs”, and so forth.

In each directory containing the encoded files, a HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt file will be found. It is a ransom money memo. It contains 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. That is pretty much the scheme of the crime.

Zipp3rs abstract:

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Zipp3rs looks like. Each filename has the “.zipp3rs” extension added to it.

An example of encrypted .zipp3rs files.

How did Zipp3rs ransomware end up on my PC?

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

Nowadays, there are three most popular methods for evil-doers to have the Zipp3rs virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer networks.

If you open your inbox 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, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a ransomware file attached to them. So it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with emails like these.

Another thing the hackers might try is a Trojan virus scheme. A Trojan is an object that infiltrates into your PC disguised as something different. Imagine, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some service. However, what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful agent that corrupts your data. As the installation file can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The optimal way is to use the software companies’ official websites.

As for the peer-to-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. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of the Zipp3rs virus?

It is crucial to inform you that besides encrypting your data, the Zipp3rs virus will most likely install Vidar Stealer on your machine 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 cardfile.

Sometimes racketeers would decrypt some of your files to prove that they really have the decryption program. Since Zipp3rs virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. However, the decoding instruments are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Sure thing, if the criminals do the job of encrypting victim’s critical data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports about racketeers just vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The optimal solution against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external drive. Of course, 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 wise to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS is rolled back.

Zipp3rs is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Coty, Foza, Boza, and some others. The two major differences between them and the Zipp3rs are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: files become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ instrument to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avert ransomware injection?

Zipp3rs ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your system from ransomware injection taking 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 even taking part in it?). In case the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the suspicious letter with caution. A hoax letter will always contain mistakes.
• Never use cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often distributed as an element of cracked products, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, untrusted programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy software, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, use GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful shield for your system.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft²

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft³.

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 PC.

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 Zipp3rs 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 finished, 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 “.zipp3rs” files?Are the “.zipp3rs” files accessible?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.zipp3rs” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.zipp3rs” files ASAP. How can I do that?

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

🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Zipp3rs 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 will remove the malware from your PC. The malware that has infiltrated your system is most likely still active and running scans from time to time to arrest any new files you might create on your computer after the attack. As it has already been said, the Zipp3rs ransomware 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 system in the future.

🤔 What actions should I take if the Zipp3rs malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

If that happened, you need to prepare a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or imported into your computer. To block this process – use Safe Mode, which allows only the essential applications to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 And what should I do now?

Many of the blocked 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 might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud drives might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a notebook, mobile, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery utilities⁴ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you can do it only after you remove the virus with an antivirus program.

Also, you can contact the following official 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.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
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