Furthermore, the ransomware creates and saves a copy of _readme.txt ransom note in every affected folder. This file is intended to explain to the victim what has happened and why all data was encrypted, besides, what is the solution to the current situation. To put things simply, the note briefly explains that the only solution is to pay a ransom for cybercriminals in exchange for FATP file decryption tool.

The ransom-demanding note explains pricing of the decryption tools

The ransom note assures the computer user that not all is lost, and files can be decrypted, however, the only proposed solution is paying a ransom to cybercriminals. The note explains that the victim should contact the threat actors within 72 hours to secure a lower ransom price ($490). The _readme.txt note contains two email addresses that belong to the criminals: support@fishmail.top and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. Additionally, the note explains that whoever reaches out after 3 full days won’t get a discount, and has to pay a full ransom amount, which is $980. Anyone who contacts the criminals will get a guide how to purchase Bitcoin worth the amount in dollars and transfer it to the criminals’ virtual wallet. The attackers only accept cryptocurrency because all other transaction methods could leave their identities exposed, so the law enforcement agencies would be able to track them down. On top of that, the note recommends sending one encrypted file to the attackers. They promise to decrypt the sample file and send it back to the victim. This is done in order to prove that data can actually be decrypted using the tool that they recommend buying. However, FBI, NCSC and cybersecurity experts worldwide do not recommend paying ransoms to cybercriminals. First of all, paying is wrongful as it encourages the cybercriminals to continue their activities; second, it doesn’t guarantee data recovery. On top of that, victims of the described ransomware variant should check their computers for additional malware that is known to travel alongside STOP/DJVU variants, including VIDAR, AZORULT and RedLine Stealer. We recommend you to scan your computer with a trusted AV solution such as INTEGO Antivirus and then download RESTORO to repair virus damage to Windows OS files. Finally, do not forget to change all passwords for accounts you accessed via the compromised computer.

Ransomware Summary

Typical ransomware distribution methods you should be wary of

In order to avoid ransomware attacks, we strongly recommend computer users to learn a bit about ransomware distribution methods listed below. 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. Malicious online downloads. Computer users should never search for cracks or pirated versions of popular computer software. Cybercriminals know that there is a high demand for cracked versions of premium software, therefore they go as far as setting up rogue crack sites that push malicious downloads daily under different software names. Instead of trying to cut corners, visit the official software developer’s site or a confirmed partner’s/affiliate’s site for a great deal to get a genuine copy of the program or game you need. Most of the so-called “cracked” free versions are straightforward malware samples. Malicious email attachments. Cybercriminals often use email spam to distribute malware samples to as many potential targets as possible. They try to sound trustworthy by impersonating legitimate companies or even target’s colleagues and usually ask the recipient to open attached files because of some “urgent” matter. They often pretend there is a missing payment, or order awaiting to be shipped, order summary or similar matter, and asks the victim to open attached document to get more information. However, if the target does as instructed, malware can infect the computer immediately. For this reason, computer users are advised to remain vigilant when checking their email and ignore or delete messages from unsolicited senders or someone that weren’t supposed to contact you at the specific time regarding the matter described in the email. Deceptive online ads. Cybercriminals often use deceptive ads to force computer users to install something they do not want. For example, you might encounter deceptive ads online that state you need to update specific software or that your computer is compromised with a specific number of viruses. In reality, these ads are meant to scare the user and convince one to install a rogue software update that contains spyware or malware as a bonus. After all, it is important to keep your computer protected at all times. For this reason, it is advisable to install a reliable antivirus with real-time protection feature. This way, malware could be stopped even if you do not recognise the danger behind a specific file or a website online.

Remove FATP ransomware virus and recover your files

Now that the attack already took place, the best solution is to ensure the malware gets deleted from your computer so that it couldn’t inflict any more damage to your files or privacy. Therefore, we recommend you to remove FATP ransomware virus remains using INTEGO Antivirus. Additionally, you may want to scan your computer with a tool that can repair virus damage to Windows OS files without the need to reinstall the operating system – RESTORO (secure download link). Make sure you also change all of your passwords after deleting the malware from the system. 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 FATP 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 FATP 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 FATP files

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

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The FATP 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 FATP 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 FATP 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.