The following article is dedicated to AGHO ransomware removal explanation, description of virus modus operandi, damage done to the computer and file decryption possibilities.

_readme.txt contains a threatening message from criminals

AGHO ransomware virus drops text files (_readme.txt) into each folder for a very specific reason. Its primary aim is to extort the victim of the cyber attack by holding his/hers files hostage. The fact is, this scamming scheme is well-thought and created to rush the victim into unthoughtful decisions. For example, the fact that ransom size changes after 3 days urges the user to pay as soon as possible. It is safe to say, that this type of scheme is present in most STOP/DJVU ransomware family infection cases. Cybercriminals also use other techniques to convince the victim that access to his files is reachable by hand (or to be frank, by 980$ in BTC). They urge the user to ‘test’ the decryption service by sending one of the encrypted files (that does not have any valuable information in it) to the hackers so that they could send it back decoded. The sheer thought of seeing the decryption process working puts pressure on the victims, especially if they lost valuable information.

Experts advise against ransom payments

No matter how tempting it seems, you should never contact the criminals behind AGHO ransomware attack or pay the ransom they request. This is due to a couple of reasons that are quite straightforward. It is important to realize, that developers of ransomware-type malware are completely profit-driven. They would not create new types of ransomware if they did not receive a financial benefit from it. By paying the ransom, you are contributing to an ever-growing problem. Secondly, cyber criminals simply cannot be trusted. Our reports show that there is a high percentage of cases when after the initial payment the victim is scammed again. This, again, is due to the aforementioned reason. If the criminals see the opportunity to extort the victim, even more, they will definitely use it. Once again, we recommend against this course of action to prevent yourself from unnecessary financial loss. Ransomware-type viruses are extremely prevalent threat nowadays. If you were infected with this specific virus variant, remove AGHO ransomware as soon as you can. Use the instructions below the article and do not forget to cleanse virus damage using recommended software – RESTORO.

What has been actually done to your files

AGHO ransomware, like other types of this malware, uses a high-end RSA encryption system. To understand what you are dealing with, you need to know a couple of things. The RSA cryptography was created by authorities in the 1980s as a means to safely transmit data. This crypto-algorithm encrypts pieces of information asymmetrically and in every case of encryption, a decryption key is created. This key is needed to get access to the information that is locked. Unfortunately, in STOP/DJVU ransomware infection cases the key is in the hacker’s possession. To decrypt .agho files, you either need to purchase it from the criminals or use data backup to restore them completely. This means that the decryption process is, most likely, impossible, since decoding these files might take an enormous amount of time and resources. So, the only real way to retrieve the data is through a backup (provided that you have one).

Ransomware distribution

Generally, there are a few main pathways that are used to spread ransomware. Illegal software download sites and various peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms are used commonly. For example, downloading a crack, keygen, or other variants of shady software might end up in AGHO ransomware infection. Therefore, one should avoid using untrustworthy download sources like Torrent, eMule, ZippyShare, etc. Always keep in mind, that being exposed to this kind of cyberattack outweighs the potential benefits you might gain from downloading something illegally. The other method that is used by ransomware’ developers is malspam campaigns. This scheme is as old as the internet itself probably, but it still manages to maintain the title of one of the most used methods to distribute malware. In essence, this is a social-engineering scheme in which thousands of deceitful emails are sent to random internet users in the hopes of tricking them into opening a link or file inside of it. These emails might be disguised as various types of offers, special deals, resumes, warnings, etc. Once the user opens the link or file inside of the email, the ransomware tries to breach through his system’s securities.

Avoiding ransomware infection

There are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to avoid headaches while trying to find AGHO file decryption tools. Firstly, never use untrustworthy downloading sources – download only from verified, official websites. Secondly, always pay close attention to your emails before opening them – check the sources. In addition, do not click on any intrusive ads or popups when you are surfing the internet. Most importantly – creating backups regularly should become your habit since this is the most effective way to protect yourself from unexpected data loss. You should keep your software, especially anti-virus software up to date at all times. Outdated programs have flaws that sometimes might be exploited in hacker’s favor.

Detailed instructions to remove AGHO ransomware

If you see any ransomware infection symptoms, you should not wait and take all of the necessary actions to remove it from your system. Since you probably will not be able to decrypt the files manually, there is no sense in keeping them anyways. In addition, keeping your system infected might cause even more damage – some types of ransomware have the capability of downloading and installing additional malware. In order to remove AGHO ransomware, you will need to use trustworthy and robust anti-malware software that is capable of dealing with this kind of task. Also, remember, you can only run your backup after the complete AGHO virus removal. Likewise, after the removal process, check for any additional damage done to your system – SYSTEM MECHANIC ULTIMATE DEFENSE is a perfect tool for that. To remove this ransomware, follow the steps down below: 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 AGHO 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 AGHO 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.

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Decrypt AGHO files

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

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The AGHO 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 AGHO 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 AGHO 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.