The Puspa2 virus belongs to the ransomware type of infection. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, documents, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its extra extension to every file, leaving the XXX_HELLO\’S_READ_ME._txt files in each directory containing encrypted files.

Puspa2 virus: what is known so far?

A scientifically correct denomination for the Puspa2 is “a ransomware-type malicious agent”.

Puspa2 appends its specific .puspa2#mejukeni7sala029 extension to the name of each encrypted file. For instance, a file named “photo.jpg” will be turned into “photo.jpg.puspa2#mejukeni7sala029”. Likewise, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.puspa2#mejukeni7sala029”, and so forth.

In every folder that contains the encrypted files, a XXX_HELLO\’S_READ_ME._txt text document will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other information. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to purchase the decryption tool from the racketeers. You can obtain this decoding tool after contacting [email protected] through email. That is it.

Puspa2 summary:

The XXX_HELLO\’S_READ_ME._txt file accompanying the Puspa2 ransomware states the following:

--> All  your FILES, DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, DATABASES, AND OTHER IMPORTANT DATA are safely encrypted (LOCKED) with reliable algorithms. You cannot access the files right now. But do not worry. You have a chance ! It is easy to recover in a few steps.


>> !! We also downloaded huge amounts of your private data, including financial information, clients\' personal info, network diagrams, passwords, etc.
Make payment Now...
There is only one way to get your files back:

 

1. SEND BITCOIN TO THIS ADDRESS
---------------------------------------------------------------
Payment information Amount:  (  $500 dollars  ONLY  )          


BITCOIN ADDRESS: (  17CqMQFeuB3NTzJ2X28tfRmWaPyPQgvoHV  )   


(  IMPORTANT: check the address carefully. We are not responsible if the payment is made to someone else\'s address. )    


2. AT THE TIME OF PAYMENT TAKE A SCREENSHOTS OF YOUR TRANSACTION HISTORY AND  YOUR BITCOIN ADDRESS


3. SEND YOUR SCREENSHOTS ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS :   (  [email protected]  )
   
   
# So that we can confirm whether you have made the payment or not.


4. IF IT IS CONFIRMED THAT THE PAYMENT CAME FROM YOUR OWN BITCOIN ADDRESS, THEN WE WILL SEND  YOU THE
(decryption software.) (KEY )


5. OPEN SOFTWARE AND WAIT FEW MINUTES  


# THIS SOFTWARE WILL ALLOW YOU TO RECOVER ALL OF YOUR DATA AND REMOVE THE
RANSOMWARE FROM YOUR COMPUTER

 

--> Attention! 

In the image below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Puspa2 looks like. Each filename has the ".puspa2#mejukeni7sala029" extension added to it.
An example of encrypted .puspa2#mejukeni7sala029 files.

How did Puspa2 ransomware end up on my PC?
There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most exploited ways for tamperers to have ransomware working in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer networks.
If you open your mailbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services companies, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose "from" field is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a ransomware file attached to them. Therefore, it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan virus schemeTrojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.' data-wpel-link="internal" target="_self" rel="follow">2. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer pretending to be something else. For example, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. As the installation wizard can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the things you're downloading. The best way is to use the software companies' official websites.
As for the peer-to-peer networks like torrents or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. So you'd better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded files with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is done.


How to remove the Puspa2 virus?
It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Puspa2 virus will most likely install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spywarerespective section of GridinSoft official website.' data-wpel-link="internal" target="_self" rel="follow">3 can derive your logins and passwords from your browser's auto-filling cardfile.

Sometimes tamperers would unblock few of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption tool. As Puspa2 virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware engineers have not yet found a way to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decoding instruments are frequently upgraded, so the solution may soon arrive.
Of course, if the hackers succeed in encrypting someone's essential files, the hopeless person will most likely comply with their demands. However, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you're getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After receiving the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports about hackers simply vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.
The best countermeasure to ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external storage. Obviously, that might be not enough. The most important thing could be that file you were working on when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the OS restoration.
There are other ransomware products, besides Puspa2, that work similarly. Examples of those are Fate, Kcbu, Tcbu, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Puspa2 are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become encoded, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in every folder containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate people were able to decode the blocked files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the racketeers mistakenly send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the injured part to restore the files. But obviously, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals' instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How сan I avoid ransomware injection?
Puspa2 ransomware has no superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can armour your PC from its infiltration taking several easy steps:

• Ignore any letters from unknown mailboxes with strange 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?). If the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the suspicious letter carefully. A fake email will always have mistakes.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojan viruses are often shared as a part of cracked software, most likely as a “patch” to prevent the license check. Understandably, dubious programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy ones, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you need. Try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
• 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 GridinSofthttps://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/' data-wpel-link="internal" target="_self" rel="follow">⁴

There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSofthttps://gridinsoft.com/products' data-wpel-link="internal" target="_self" rel="follow">⁵.

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 Puspa2 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.

FAQ

How can I open ".puspa2#mejukeni7sala029" files?Is it possible to open“.puspa2#mejukeni7sala029” files?

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the ".puspa2#mejukeni7sala029" files first. Then you will be able to open them.

I really need to decrypt those “.puspa2#mejukeni7sala029” files ASAP. How can I do that?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. All other solutions require time.

Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Puspa2 virus?

Of course not. Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware only deals with real threats. The malware that has infiltrated your PC is probably still active and launching checks periodically to encode any new files you might create on your PC after the infection. As it has already been said, the Puspa2 malware does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide hackers with easy access to your computer after some time.

What actions should I take if the Puspa2 ransomware has blocked my PC and I can't get the activation code.

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to prepare a memory stick with a pre-installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. You see, the ransomware starts automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or imported into your machine. To suppress this process - use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run automatically. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.

What can I do right now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to send 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 networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery utilitiesthe top 10 file recovery tools of 2021." data-wpel-link="internal" target="_self" rel="follow">⁶ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the video below, you can see how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but remember: you can do it only after you remove the ransomware itself with an anti-malware 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.

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