How to remove Fgnh ransomware

Fgnh ransomware is a generic file-encrypting malware infection, yet another ransomware from the Djvu/STOP malware family. The cybercrime gang operating these ransomware infections releases new versions every couple of days, with likely hundreds already released. Because it encrypts personal files, it’s considered to be a very serious infection. Unfortunately, encrypted files can only be decrypted using a special decryptor but the only working one is in the hands of cybercriminals behind this malware.

 

 

Fgnh ransomware comes from the same malware family as Ckae, Eucy, Qqqr, Ccps, and many others. There are hundreds of ransomware in this Djvu/STOP ransomware family. They are all more or less identical, though the extensions added to encrypted files are different. The extensions not only allow you to identify encrypted files but also to determine which ransomware version you’re dealing with. If your files have .fgnh added to them, your computer is infected with Fgnh ransomware. An encrypted text.txt file, for example, would become text.txt.fgnh. All your personal files, including images, photos, videos, and documents will become encrypted. Unless you use a decryptor on those files, you will not be able to open any of them. But acquiring the decryptor will be difficult because the only people who have it are the cybercriminals operating this ransomware. The process of obtaining a decryptor from them is explained in the ransom note dropped by the ransomware.

To distract you from what’s going on, the ransomware will show you a fake Windows update window. And when file encryption is complete, the ransomware will drop a _readme.txt ransom note in folders that contain encrypted files. The note is identical to the ones dropped by other versions of this ransomware family. Nonetheless, it does contain information for users who want to buy a decryptor. According to the note, the regular price is $980 but it’s supposedly possible to get a 50% if you contact the ransomware operators within the first 72 hours. But before you rush into paying, there are certain risks you need to be aware of. Most importantly, there are no guarantees that when you pay, the cybercriminals will send you a decryptor. Keep in mind that you are dealing with criminals and there are no guarantees that they will keep their end of the deal. They can easily just take your money and not send a decryptor. It has happened to many users in the past, with many different ransomware strains. Furthermore, the ransom payments made by victims go towards other criminal activities. The reality is that as long as victims pay the ransom, the ransomware business will continue to thrive.

If you have copies of your files in a backup, you can access them as soon as you remove Fgnh ransomware from your computer. We strongly recommend that you use anti-malware software to delete Fgnh ransomware. If you try to manually remove it, you may cause additional damage. And keep in mind that if you connect to your backup while the ransomware is still present, your backed-up files would become encrypted as well.

If you do not have a backup, your only option is to wait for a free decryptor to be released. It’s not available at the moment and whether it will be released in the future is debatable but it’s the only option. Developing a working decryptor for cybercriminals will be difficult because Fgnh ransomware uses online encryption keys to encrypt files. That means the keys are unique to each victim, and unless those keys are all released, it will be difficult to release a decryptor that will work for all victims. There is a free Djvu/STOP ransomware decryptor released by Emsisoft that you can try, though it’s unlikely to work. Back up your encrypted files and occasionally check reliable sources like NoMoreRansom for a free Fgnh ransomware decryptor.

Ransomware distribution methods

To distribute their malicious software, cybercriminals use a variety of different methods. Those methods include malicious email attachments, torrents, advertisements, etc. Generally, those with good online habits have a much smaller chance of picking up a malware infection than those who use torrents, open unsolicited email attachments, click on random ads, etc.

Email attachments are one of the most common ways malicious actors distribute malware. Malicious actors use email addresses obtained from hacker forums and spam them with emails that contain malicious attachments. These emails are usually poorly written and thus, not very convincing. They are supposed to appear like official correspondence from a legitimate company but the grammar mistakes and overall presentation give it away immediately. It goes without saying that if a legitimate company were to send you an email, there would be no grammar/spelling mistakes as that would look unprofessional. But for whatever reason, malicious emails are often full of mistakes. Furthermore, such emails also address users with generic terms like User, Member, Customer, etc., when a legitimate email would address users by name. Take note of the emails from various companies/services that land in your inbox, you’re likely always addressed by name. In some cases, malware distributors may have access to certain personal information that would allow them to make their malware distribution campaigns much more sophisticated and thus, convincing. To avoid opening any malicious email attachments, we strongly recommend scanning all unsolicited email attachments with anti-virus software or VirusTotal before opening them.

Torrents are also a great way to distribute malware. Because torrent sites are poorly regulated, it’s not difficult for malicious actors to include malware in torrents for popular content. In particular, malware can often be found in torrents to popular movies, TV series, video games, software, etc. Using torrents to download copyrighted content for free is not only stealing, but it’s also dangerous for the computer/data.

Fgnh ransomware removal

Keep in mind that ransomware is a very complex malware infection so you should not try to delete Fgnh ransomware manually. You could accidentally cause additional damage unless you know exactly what you’re doing. And if you do not fully get rid of the ransomware, it may be able to recover. If you access your backup while ransomware is still present, your backed-up files would become encrypted. Instead, you should use anti-malware software. Once the ransomware is gone, you can safely access your back to start recovering files.