What actually happens during a ransomware attack is that the malware encrypts all files, creates ransom-demanding notes, deletes Volume Shadow Copies, it may also disable a set of various active processes so that it could encrypt associated files successfully. The aim of the malicious software is to make data that is important for the computer user inaccessible, and then demand ransom. The crooks promise to provide BTTU file decryption tool as soon as the victim pays the ransom. This is nothing else but pure extortion.

Threatening message left in _readme.txt note

The message provided in the _readme.txt ransom note explains that various data types were encrypted, and in order to regain access to them, the victim has to pay a ransom for the release of decryption tool and private key. The note specifies that those who contact the criminals within 72 hours starting from the infection timestamp will be eligible for a 50% discount and will be asked to pay $490, and those who do not squeeze in the given timeframe will be asked to pay the full amount ($980). The ransom note also specifies that if the victim wants to test the decryption service, one can send one encrypted file to the attackers via email and also include the Personal ID provided in the _readme.txt file. In addition, the criminals will later specify that they only accept payments made in cryptocurrency, as this gives them anonymity. In their email reply, they will specify how the victim can purchase cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin) equal the amount in dollars and how to transfer it to the attackers. Keep in mind that you should stick to the recommendations of cybersecurity experts and law enforcement agencies such as FBI and refuse to pay a ransom. The latter has released official recommendations for ransomware victims that suggest paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee data recovery, besides, it fuels the ransomware cycle, which means that the more money the criminals collect, the bigger attacks they can organize in the future. Unfortunately, not every detail about the ransomware attack is explained in the ransom note. The attackers conceal the fact that the malware didn’t arrive alone, but dragged some information-stealing Trojans (VIDAR, AZORULT, RedLine) alongside it. These Stealers can grab sensitive data including passwords, cookies, browsing history, offline cryptocurrency wallets and other data that can be later used to blackmail the computer user. Therefore, each computer user who has unfortunately fallen victim to the described malware attack should rush to remove BTTU ransomware virus right now. The provided guide at the end of this article explains how this procedure can be completed securely. If you’re interested in our software recommendations, we advise using INTEGO Antivirus for malware removal and computer protection, and also you can download RESTORO (secure download link) to identify and repair some damaged Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

How to avoid ransomware attacks?

Ransomware, like other varieties of malware, is commonly distributed through illegal online downloads, phishing emails containing attachments, fake software update ads, or drive-by-downloads. We will go through each of these and shortly explain how you can prevent these types of attacks. Award-winning antivirus solution for your PC. Robust security software that provides robust 24/7 real-time protection, Web Shield that stops online threats/malicious downloads, and Prevention engine that wards off Zero-Day threats. Keep your PC safe and protected against ransomware, Trojans, viruses, spyware and other forms of dangerous programs.

Illegal online downloads. Cybercriminals behind STOP/DJVU variants like BTTU ransomware virus mainly use rogue websites to spread malicious code in disguise of cracked software installers. In the reality, the downloaded file is simply an executable in a password-protected archive that acts like a malware loader. Users should only choose legitimate sources to download software from in order to access genuine and secure versions. Phishing emails. Computer users should be very careful about things they click or files they open, especially if these are sent by an unsolicited party via email. Cybercriminals often pretend to be someone they’re not, so they might try to act like they’re writing on behalf of a certain company, online shop or parcel delivery business. Such phishing emails are typically complimented with malicious attachments that contain harmful code. Our advice is to carefully inspect each email and look for warning signs such as urgent tone, generic greeting line or suspicious sender’s email address. If you’re convinced to download the attachments, scan them with antivirus before opening them. Fake software update ads. Computer users should learn to identify fake online ads aggressively advertising software update tools or potentially unwanted software. These ads usually pop-up in new window or browser tab when browsing low reputation websites, such as torrent listings or movie streaming websites that provide content quite illegally. These ads usually claim that the user’s computer is at risk due to missing updates or viruses found on the system, and urges to download advertised files. Whenever such ad pops up, we recommend to close it and instead check for software updates on legitimate and official website. If you do click and download something from such ad or a fake security alerts, such event can be described as authorized drive-by-download without realisation of the consequences. Unauthorized Drive-by-downloads. Drive-by-download attacks are based on unintentional download of malicious code, and usually happen without user’s knowledge or interaction. Such attacks usually target software, operating system or app vulnerabilities to deliver malware. It is important to enable automatic software and operating system updates to prevent cybercriminals from using vulnerability exploits.

Most importantly, it is important to keep your computer protected with a robust antivirus at all times.

Remove BTTU Ransomware Virus and Restore Your Files

The general advice for victims of the described malware is to remove BTTU ransomware virus without a delay. Running an automatic computer virus removal software is advisable, but this task needs to be done after booting the computer into Safe Mode with Networking. Our team’s top pick is INTEGO Antivirus, which we have extensively reviewed here. Additionally, you can try to download RESTORO for virus damage repair on Windows OS files. Afterward, do not forget to change your passwords used on the compromised computer due to the potential information theft inflicted by Trojans that accompany this ransomware. 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 BTTU 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 BTTU 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 BTTU files

Fix and open large BTTU 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. BTTU 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 BTTU files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The BTTU 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 BTTU 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 BTTU 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.