Coza Virus

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*Coza is a variant of Stop/DJVU. Source of claim SH can remove it.

Coza

Coza is malware that encrypts certain file types through the method of encryption. After doing so, Coza places a threatening message on the screen of the infected computer and asks for a money payment in order to provide a decryption key for the encrypted files.

Coza
The Coza ransomware will leave a _readme.txt file with instructions

If you have already been asked to pay a fixed amount of money to get your encrypted files back, then you have surely become one of the numerous victims of Coza. This threat is a ransomware cryptovirus, the focus of which is to encrypt the files stored on a computer and to demand a ransom payment from the victims. The hackers behind Coza, Boza, Boty typically promise that in exchange for the money they will provide a decryption key that can reverse the applied encryption and recover the files to their previous state. Yet, if you are not fond of the idea that you have to pay some cyber criminals to regain access to your information, this article and the removal guide attached to it may help you to remove the ransomware and avoid the ransom payment.

The Coza virus

The Coza virus is malicious software of the ransomware type, essentially used to encrypt user files. Aside from blocking access to some important data, the Coza virus also asks for ransom payment from its victims for providing them with the only file-decryption key.

Coza Virus
The Coza virus will encrypt your files

The most common method for spreading Ransomware is by infected e-mails that can come both in your Inbox and in the Spam folder. In most cases, the harmful payload may be disguised as an email attachment or a link that redirects to a ransomware-infected page. You should be very cautious though, though, because if you have already been infected with Coza, you should know that these threats often do not come on their own. A Trojan horse virus is normally used to assist the ransomware, which makes the infection process even more stealthy. This being said, when you want to deal with Coza, make sure that you detect and remove both, the ransomware and the Trojan that helped it reach your system. 

The Coza file encryption

The Coza file encryption is a process that converts regular user files into unreadable bits of data that cannot be accessed without a decryption key. Obtaining the Coza file decryption key, however, requires the payment of a ransom and is not guaranteed even after all the ransom demands are fulfilled.

You have several different options when you know that your PC has been compromised by such a horrible virus. One of these options is to fulfill the demands of the hackers and to pay the ransom they want. Most security specialists, including our “How to remove” team, however, do not recommend this action, not only because the hackers will only be motivated to blackmail you for more money but also because making the payment will not guarantee that you will receive the decryption key and will be able to restore your data. The crooks may disappear as soon as they get the money or they may simply send you a key that doesn’t work and ask you to pay again for a new one.

Therefore, what we advise you is to seek advice from a professional before you decide to give any money to some cybercriminals. Another choice is to remove the virus and try to have the encrypted files recovered with the help of the instructions in the removal guide below.

SUMMARY:

NameCoza
TypeRansomware
Danger LevelHigh (Ransomware is by far the worst threat you can encounter)
Data Recovery ToolNot Available
Detection Tool

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*Coza is a variant of Stop/DJVU. Source of claim SH can remove it.

Remove Coza Ransomware


Step1

The eradication of ransomware may be difficult, thus, you should take all precaution to guarantee that you are successful in this challenge. As a start, unplug all external storage devices and USB drives that are connected to the infected computer. Disconnecting your computer from the Internet is also advisable, as this will prevent the Ransomware from obtaining instructions from the servers it communicates with.

It is also a good idea to save this page as a bookmark in your browser. This will allow you to quickly return to it in the event that your system has to be restarted. Another way to keep this Coza removal guide handy is to open it on another device and follow them from there.

In order to ensure that the uninstallation process is carried out in the least disruptive manner possible, the subsequent action that we recommend you do is to restart your computer in Safe Mode. To restart in Safe Mode, click on this link and then follow the instructions that appear on the screen. Once the computer has restarted, you should come back to this page and move to the next step.

Step2

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

*Coza is a variant of Stop/DJVU. Source of claim SH can remove it.

On the computer that has been infected, you will need to hit Ctrl, Shift, and ESC all at the same time to launch the Task Manager. In the Processes tab, arrange the running processes by the amount of memory and CPU they are using, then look for processes with odd names.

malware-start-taskbar

Right-click on any process that seems fishy, then go to the context menu and choose Open File Location from there. This will open the folder containing the process’s files. To determine whether this folder includes any malicious files, just drag its contents down into the scanner located below:

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    If there is any possibility that the folder contains harmful content, you must first terminate the process that is currently running by selecting End Process from the context menu that appears when you right-click on the process in question. After that, you should get rid of any files that might be potentially harmful to your computer.

    Next, hold the Win key and the R key, and then paste the following command in the Run box that pops up on the screen:

    notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts

    When you hit the Enter button, a Notepad window displaying the Hosts files should appear. Make a note of any IP addresses that do not seem to be trustworthy, and are added in the text under “Localhost“. Let us know in the comments if you spot anything that seems suspicious to you. We are going to look into it, and if we find anything suspicious, we will let you know.

    hosts_opt (1)

    The System Configuration window is the next place you should search for any remnants of Coza that may have been left behind. To access it, go to the Start menu, locate the Windows Search area, enter “msconfig“, and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Once the window for configuring the system has shown, choose the “startup” tab to see the items that are set to load at boot time.

    Turn off any elements in the startup list that you believe may be associated with the infection by removing their checkmark. After that, you may close the window by clicking the “OK” button. However, make sure that none of the other startup items are turned off. If there is anything about which you are unsure, it is best to do research on it on the internet.

    msconfig_opt
    Step4

    *Coza is a variant of Stop/DJVU. Source of claim SH can remove it.

    It is very common for malicious software to add its components inside the registry so that it may remain on a computer for an extended period of time. This allows the malware to avoid being removed completely and re-install after a system reboot. For this reason, you need to search your Registry Editor for files associated with Coza and delete them all. In order to launch the Registry Editor, you need to go to the Windows search box, enter regedit, and then press the Enter key.

    You may search for files that are associated with the infection by opening a Find window (pressing the CTRL and F keys on your keyboard together). Then, in the Find box, type the name of the threat and then click the Find Next button.

    Attention! Those who aren’t familiar with malware removal may have a difficult time removing files associated with ransomware from the registry. Any wrong deletions from the registry carry with them the potential for major problems with the system’s overall performance and stability. That’s why a malware removal application is an ideal solution for non-technical individuals who believe that their computer is still at risk and that there is still some trace of Coza-related files on their system. This kind of software may also be used to protect the system from any future virus attacks.

    It is possible that other ransomware files are stored in the following places on your computer; thus, you should also take the time to manually search these locations. To access them, you need just to type each one’s name in the Windows Search bar and then hit the Enter key.

    1. %AppData%
    2. %LocalAppData%
    3. %ProgramData%
    4. %WinDir%
    5. %Temp%

    It is important to conduct a thorough search of the folders listed above, but you should not delete any files unless you are certain that doing so would eliminate the security risk. If you want to remove all the temporary files on your computer, enter the Temp folder, select all the files, and then hit the Delete key on your keyboard.

    Step5

    How to Decrypt Coza files

    The decryption of data that has been encrypted by ransomware is not a simple operation, and even for professionals, there may be certain circumstances that are particularly challenging to manage. There are a number of reasons for this, one of which is that the decryption methods used by ransomware may vary from version to version. Because of this, it is of the utmost significance to identify the specific variant of ransomware that you are dealing with. Check the file extensions that are associated with the encrypted files if you are unsure about the variant of ransomware that has struck your system.

    Before any data recovery can take place, however, a sophisticated anti-virus application, such as the one that can be found on our page, has to be utilized. You should not start looking for solutions to recover files until the system has been scanned for malware and the results have been clean.

    Next Djvu Ransomware

    STOP Djvu is a variant of ransomware, that is notorious for encrypting a wide variety of data formats and then demanding payment from its victims. Those who have been attacked by this danger should search for the source of the problem. .Coza is a suffix that is often appended to files that have been encrypted by this new threat, and this suffix may be used to determine the specific variant of ransomware that was used. After you have determined this, and after you have ensured that your computer is free of any and all signs of the virus, you may want to give decryptors like the one at the link below a go, to see if you are able to retrieve your data with their assistance.

    https://www.emsisoft.com/ransomware-decryption-tools/stop-djvu

    Please make sure you’ve familiarized yourself with the terms of the license agreement and any other instructions that come with the STOPDjvu executable file that you download from the URL listed above before commencing the decryption process. It is important to keep in mind that the effectiveness of this program to decode your data is not guaranteed, especially if the files have been encrypted using an unknown offline key or an online encryption method.

    You will need a robust anti-virus program on hand in the event that the manual techniques provided in this article are insufficient to remove Coza effectively. Using our totally free online virus scanner, you can do a manual scan on any file that gives you cause for concern. If questions arise during any of the steps in this guide, let us know in the comments and a member of our team will get back to you.

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    About the author

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    Lidia Howler

    Lidia is a web content creator with years of experience in the cyber-security sector. She helps readers with articles on malware removal and online security. Her strive for simplicity and well-researched information provides users with easy-to-follow It-related tips and step-by-step tutorials.

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