The release of LLOO ransomware virus by cybercriminals affiliated to STOP/DJVU ransomware group has become a major cause for concern to all computer users across the globe. Based on their reputation as a network of cybercriminals encrypting files of random computer users with the aim of extorting ransom from them, variants of this ransomware strain should be avoided at all costs. From preliminary reports gotten so far, the virus will be embedded alongside cloned software contents or email attachments, and would become triggered once opened by the unsuspecting users in their computers.

What’s explained in the ransom note

Such unexpected development often comes as a rude shock to victims, but reality would dawn on them when it becomes obvious they can’t have access to their files anymore. Moreover, the ransom note created by the virus will provide futher explanation of what has happened to the computer-stored files. The cybercriminals would also drop two email addresses, namely: support@bestyourmail.ch and supportsys@airmail.cc. The purpose of releasing the two emails is to provide a means through which the victim could reach out to them. If the victim decides to send them an email, they would respond with their terms and conditions for payment of ransom. Although they would put the ransom fee at $980 but will equally state that half of the amount i.e. $490 would be acceptable provided the victim is able to pay it within a maximum of 72 hours or 3 days after being notified to do so. Once the stipulated timeframe expires and the victim wasn’t able to pay, they will revert to $980 as a fixed ransom fee. To complicate the situation even further, they would demand that ransom must be paid by buying cryptocurrency that is worth the amount and transferring same to a wallet address that they would provide. The obvious reason they insist on using anonymous payment platforms such as cryptocurrency is to protect their identity and avoid being tracked and arrested by law enforcement agents. To assure the victim of their capability in ensuring their files are restored, they may request for excerpts of the encrypted files to be emailed to them for sample decryption. However, they will equally add that the result won’t be returned if they believe the content could be of value to the victim. Regardless of the pressure the victim might be facing, the FBI and other top security organizations have unanimously advocated that victims shouldn’t cooperate with cybercriminals and neither should they pay ransom. There reasons for saying so are listed below:

There is no guarantee that encrypted files would be recovered even after ransom paymentPaying ransom is an endorsement to cybercrimes because the perpetrators would find it profitable.More funds in control of cybercriminals would make it possible for them to increase their capacity, thereby putting more people at risk.Victims that pay ransom are often targeting again in the future.

More details regarding the attack

Although the rogues behind these STOP/DJVU ransomware virus series target computer users globally, there are selected countries they exempted. The countries are situated in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. They include Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Armenia, Tajikistan, Kazachstan and Uzbekistan. The first thing the virus does after infecting a computer is to determine its geo-location. This is done by accessing https[:]//api.2ip.ua/geo.json and afterwards it would send the details to geo.json where it would be processed and details like zip code, IP address, city, country, and longitude/latitude extracted. If the information indicates that the location is in any of the aforementioned countries, it would automatically abort its operation, but if it’s in the contrary, it would proceed to the next stage. Aside the threat posed by the LLOO ransomware virus, the victim would also be at risk of other harmful Trojans, especially VIDAR and AZORULT. These Remote Access Trojans, otherwise known as RATs are used by the cybercriminals in passively obtaining sensitive information that may include banking details, software login credentials, diverse passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, browsing history etc. Having access to such sensitive information would enable the cybercriminals to commit crimes against the owner. To avert such dangers, it is advisable to remove LLOO ransomware virus as soon as it is discovered in a computer. The recommended safe way to do this is to set up the computer in Safe Mode with Networking option to hibernate other functions and open up the system for thorough scanning using a genuine antivirus software with proven efficacy. You may also consider the use of RESTORO software (download link) to salvage some of the damaged files wherever possible.

Ransomware Summary

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE Files encrypted by this ransomware can be recognized from new extensions appended to their original full names. See the screenshot below to better understand the principle of file-marking.

How to ensure that STOP/DJVU ransomware does not infect your computer

There are two major ways through which cybercriminals distribute ransomware include online torrent platforms and email attachments. In the former, they would clone popular software contents and embed them with malware before uploading same to online torrent platforms. When any computer user who does not want to obtain such software legally (maybe because they don’t want to pay the fees attached to them) downloads them from these dubious sites, they end up triggering a ransomware attack. From our record, we have observed that cybercriminals typically target software contents that are in high demand so they can use it as bait to get as many victims as possible. Listed below, in no particular order, are some of the popular software copies often cloned by cybercriminals:

AutoCad;Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/Premiere Pro;Cubase;Corel Draw;League of Legends;Tenorshare 4ukey;VMware Workstation;Internet Download Manager.

The other method used by cybercriminals in distributing ransomware is email attachments. In this method, they would embed malware on attachments created on files like XLS, PDF or DOCX among other similar ones. They make use of such files because they enable macro functions like embedding and triggering of malware. You should be on the lookout and avoid opening emails or attachments that have spoofed address or its purpose can’t be explained at first glance. Victims of STOP/DJVU ransomware are also advised to stay away from any online website that claims to offer decryption services. Experience so far has shown that they’re mostly fraudulent. However, only two brands (DiskTuna and Emsisoft) have proven to be effective with measurable successes.

Remove LLOO Ransomware Virus & Restore Files

The importance of initiating LLOO ransomware removal can’t be overemphasized, and the recommended way to do so is by putting the system on Safe Mode with Networking option before making use of genuine antivirus. The following steps should be taken as well once you’ve ascertained that the computer is now virus-free:

Modify all passwords that were previously used on the compromised computer.Get in touch with the local police and explain the situation to them.Look for any available backup device to restore lost files.Learn everything you could on the possible ways of repairing files damaged by STOP/DJVU ransomware.Lastly, it is best to stay safe by avoiding any online activity that could expose your computer to virus infection.

To repair virus-damaged Windows OS components, you may want to download RESTORO (see its review here) after you remove LLOO virus using a robust antivirus tool. OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.

Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking

Before you try to remove LLOO Ransomware Virus virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, if you prefer a video version of the tutorial, check our guide How to Start Windows in Safe Mode on Youtube. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users Now, you can search for and remove LLOO Ransomware Virus files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable security program such as INTEGO Antivirus. For virus damage repair, consider using RESTORO.

Method 2. Use System Restore

In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future.

Alternative software recommendations

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.

System Mechanic Ultimate Defense If you’re looking for an all-in-one system maintenance suite that has 7 core components providing powerful real-time protection, on-demand malware removal, system optimization, data recovery, password manager, online privacy protection and secure driver wiping technology. Therefore, due to its wide-range of capabilities, System Mechanic Ultimate Defense deserves Geek’s Advice approval. Get it now for 50% off. You may also be interested in its full review.

Disclaimer. This site includes affiliate links. We may earn a small commission by recommending certain products, at no additional cost for you. We only choose quality software and services to recommend.

Decrypt LLOO files

Fix and open large LLOO files easily:

It is reported that STOP/DJVU ransomware versions encrypt only the beginning 150 KB of each file to ensure that the virus manages to affect all files on the system. In some cases, the malicious program might skip some files at all. That said, we recommend testing this method on several big (>1GB) files first.

STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide

STOP/DJVU ransomware versions are grouped into old and new variants. LLOO Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like BPTO, ISWR, ISZA, BPSM, ZOUU, MBTF, ZNSM (find full list here). This means full data decryption is now possible only if you have been affected by offline encryption key. To decrypt your files, you will have to download Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP DJVU, a tool created and maintained by a genius security researcher Michael Gillespie. Note! Please do not spam the security researcher with questions whether he can recover your files encrypted with online key - it is not possible. In order to test the tool and see if it can decrypt LLOO files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The LLOO decryption tool might display several different messages after failed attempt to restore your files. You might receive one of the following messages: Error: Unable to decrypt file with ID: [example ID] This message typically means that there is no corresponding decryption key in the decryptor’s database. No key for New Variant online ID: [example ID]Notice: this ID appears to be an online ID, decryption is impossible This message informs that your files were encrypted with online key, meaning no one else has the same encryption/decryption key pair, therefore data recovery without paying the criminals is impossible. Result: No key for new variant offline ID: [example ID]This ID appears to be an offline ID. Decryption may be possible in the future. If you were informed that an offline key was used, but files could not be restored, it means that the offline decryption key isn’t available yet. However, receiving this message is extremely good news, meaning that it might be possible to restore your LLOO extension files in the future. It can take a few months until the decryption key gets found and uploaded to the decryptor. We recommend you to follow updates regarding the decryptable DJVU versions here. We strongly recommend backing up your encrypted data and waiting.

Victims of LLOO Ransomware Virus should report the Internet crime incident to the official government fraud and scam website according to their country:

In the United States, go to the On Guard Online website.In Australia, go to the SCAMwatch website.In Germany, go to the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik website.In Ireland, go to the An Garda Síochána website.In New Zealand, go to the Consumer Affairs Scams website.In the United Kingdom, go to the Action Fraud website.In Canada, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.In India, go to Indian National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.In France, go to the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information.

If you can’t find an authority corresponding to your location on this list, we recommend using any search engine to look up “[your country name] report cyber crime”. This should lead you to the right authority website. We also recommend staying away from third-party crime report services that are often paid. It costs nothing to report Internet crime to official authorities. Another recommendation is to contact your country’s or region’s federal police or communications authority.