Nols Ransomware

One of the most notorious ransomware families, which have been plaguing users worldwide is the STOP Ransomware family. In 2019 dozens of variants of the STOP Ransomware have been released and have claimed a large number of victims.

Propagation and Encryption

Cybersecurity experts believe that the authors of the Nols Ransomware are using spam emails containing corrupted attachments to propagate this file-locking Trojan. It is also likely that they are taking advantage of fake application updates and pirated bogus copies of popular software to spread the Nols Ransomware. This is why it is advised to be very careful when opening attachments by unknown sources and avoid downloading pirated content at all costs. When the Nols Ransomware infiltrates your computer, it will make sure to perform a scan and locate all the data, which will be targeted for encryption. Next, the Nols Ransomware will use an encryption algorithm to lock the marked files. Every file, which has undergone the encryption process of the Nols Ransomware will have its name altered. This ransomware threat appends a ‘.nols’ extension to the end of the filename. For example, a file called ‘two-twenty-seven.jpeg’ will be renamed to ‘two-twenty-seven.jpeg.nols’ after the attack is completed.

The Ransom Note

The Nols Ransomware also will make sure to drop a ransom note, which serves to inform the victims of what has happened to their files and provide them with instructions. The note’s name is ‘_readme.txt,’ and in it, the attackers state that everyone who manages to contact them within 72 hours of the attack will have to pay $490 as a ransom fee. The victims who fail to do so, however, will have to pay twice as much - $980. As most ransomware authors, the creators of the Nols Ransomware demand that the sum is paid in the shape of Bitcoin. The attackers provide two email addresses where they expect users to contact them – ‘gerentosrestore@firemail.cc’ and ‘gorentos@bitmessage.ch.’

It is never worth it trying to do business with cyber crooks. These are not people you can trust, and you can be sure that as soon as they get your money, they will have little to no interest cooperating with you or delivering on their promises. You should make sure to remove the Nols Ransomware from your computer with the help of a legitimate anti-malware application. If you wish, you can attempt to restore some of the lost files using a third-party data-recovery tool, but the results may not be satisfactory.