Do you know what DotZeroCMD Ransomware is?
Our computer security specialists think DotZeroCMD Ransomware could be made as a joke or it might be still in the development stage. The reason we believe this to be true is the malware does not encrypt any data. It only displays a few scary warnings claiming the victim’s files were damaged and asking to pay a ransom in an unspecified cryptocurrency. Thus, if you think you may have encountered this malicious application, you might not have anything to fear as it is doubtful any of your files were encrypted. To make sure you should close all the DotZeroCMD Ransomware’s displayed windows and try to open your documents, photos, and other personal data located on the infected computer. Afterward, we recommend erasing the threat with no hesitation, and if you follow the removal guide available at the end of the main text, you can learn how to deal with it manually. As for other details about the malicious application you should continue reading our article.
At the moment of writing, there is no information on how the infection is spread if it is at all. Most possible channels would be Spam emails and malicious software installers downloaded from unreliable file-sharing sites. Our computer security specialists say DotZeroCMD Ransomware should work from a single executable file carried via mentioned channels. Therefore, to avoid threats alike, it is advisable to stay alert and check all suspicious email attachments with a reputable antimalware tool before opening them. Plus, we recommend keeping away from sites distributing pirated software or other potentially dangerous content. The last precaution we could suggest would be installing a reliable antimalware tool of your choice as such software can stop various malicious applications.
DotZeroCMD Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
If the victim executes the DotZeroCMD Ransomware’s launcher, the malware should immediately open a warning. There are three possible messages one could receive. The first window claims the user’s files were encrypted by a ransomware application and says to decrypt them the user needs to pay a ransom: “13? via with a cryptocurrency!” The second window should again ask for a payment, and it may ask to submit a decryption key the user should supposedly get after paying the ransom. Our computer security specialists say the private decryption key might be available in the threat’s code, for example, in our case, it was “OxjM8tXH.” It is also possible the mentioned key could work on other computers as well, although not that there is any need to try it out because as we said before DotZeroCMD Ransomware only pretends to encrypt files and your data should be safe. The third window the malicious application could display shows nothing more than a skull made from characters on a yellow background. It seems so far, the sample we tested cannot do anything else besides showing the described warnings.
All things considered, it does not look like DotZeroCMD Ransomware is currently capable of harming any files, which is why we advise not to waste any time with it and get rid of it at once if you happen to encounter it. The removal guide available a bit below will show you how it might be possible to delete the threat manually, but if you prefer automatic features more, you should install a reputable antimalware tool and have it deal with the malware for you.
Eliminate DotZeroCMD Ransomware
- Click Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously.
- Pick Task Manager.
- Take a look at the Processes tab.
- Identify a process related to the malicious program.
- Select this process and press the End Task button.
- Click Windows Key+E.
- Navigate to the suggested paths:
%TEMP%
%USERPROFILE%Desktop
%USERPROFILE%Downloads - Find a file that was launched at the time the system got infected.
- Right-click the malicious file and select Delete.
- Leave File Explorer.
- Empty Recycle Bin.
- Restart the computer.
In non-techie terms:
DotZeroCMD Ransomware might look like a serious threat, but our computer security specialists think otherwise. According to them, the malware only claims it encrypted user’s files when in reality it does not. Apparently, the threat could be still in the development stage, in which case, it means it is only a test version, or it might have been made as a joke. Consequently, if you encountered this threat and none of your files were damaged there is nothing left to do but to delete the infection as leaving it be could still be dangerous even if it does not encrypt any data. To find out how to eliminate this malicious application manually you could follow the removal guide available above. On the other hand, if you prefer using automatic tools and think this task might be a bit too challenging you could employ a reputable antimalware tool and use it to erase the threat instead.