Kiop Virus

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

Kiop

Kiop is a malicious piece of software that operates like a ransomware cryptovirus. Kiop encrypts user data and keeps it unavailable until the victims agree to pay a ransom.

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

Viruses based on ransomware are unbelievably dangerous. They encrypt the files that are stored on the infected computer and then ask you to pay ransom in order to get them decrypted. Kiop, for instance, is a new representative of the ransomware family and has specialized in detecting the files that hold great value to the victims and secretly encoding them one by one with complex cryptography. After it encrypts the files, this malware then leaves a notification on your screen that informs you that you have to pay money as a ransom to access your data before a given time limit.

The removal guide below provides an alternative to the ransom payment and focuses on how to remove Kiop instead of how to pay the demanded money. That’s why if you are looking for a way to avoid the ransom payment, stick around and read the information that follows.

The Kiop virus

The Kiop virus is a harmful piece of malware designed to encode user data and to extort money from its victims through blackmail. The attack of the Kiop virus goes in secret as visible symptoms are typically not detected.

The process of infection usually begins with capturing this virus. Especially frightening is the fact that Kiop is often accompanied by a Trojan horse that is in charge of finding a way to exploit a vulnerability on your computer in order to deliver the ransomware. The absence of an antivirus tool is usually a significant vulnerability that acts in favor of the two versions of malware.

Once inside your device, Kiop or other representatives such as Kifr, Kiwm, Kitz begins to search for files that you have recently used, create a list of them and then encrypts them. Usually, this process is quite stealthy and there are normally no visible symptoms that can indicate that something wrong is happening in the background of the system. Most of the victims usually do not notice the file encryption process and come to know about the infection after a screen notification appears on their screen. This notification usually specifies a ransom payment deadline, as well as some additional disturbing warnings.

The Kiop file extension

The Kiop file extension is a sequence of letters and symbols that get attached to the end of your encrypted files. The Kiop file extension normally does not look like any known file format and, therefore, cannot be recognized by any software.

Kiop File

If you are wondering whether paying the ransom will save your files you should know that such action is highly unwanted because it could hardly help. The cyber criminals will only become richer by receiving your payment but your control over the blocked files may never be restored, as the hackers may never send you a decryption key.

For this reason, many security experts recommend that you try to solve the ransomware problem without agreeing with the demands of those who threaten you.  One of the alternative ways is to follow the instructions in our Removal Guide which should help you remove Kiop and have a clean computer at the end. Another option is to use a professional removal tool to remove the virus and then restore your files from personal backups. Of course, you can always contact a specialist if you need assistance. Keep in mind though, that nobody can guarantee that after you delete the ransomware everything will be back to normal. You might need further professional help, so be ready to seek further solutions.

SUMMARY:

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

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

Remove Kiop Ransomware


Step1

Ransomware removal may be challenging, so you should take every measure to ensure success. Begin by unplugging any USB drives and external storage devices that may be attached. To prevent Ransomware from receiving instructions from its servers, unplug your computer from the internet.

It’s also a good idea to save this page as a bookmark in your browser, so you can immediately return to it if your system has to be restarted or follow the removal instructions from another device.

The next step we suggest you do is to restart your computer in Safe Mode in order to guarantee that the removal procedure goes as smoothly as possible. Click on this link and follow the on-screen directions to restart in Safe Mode. After that, return to this page when the computer has restarted.

Step2

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

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

In order to open the Task Manager on the infected computer, press Ctrl+Shift+ESC at the same time. Look for processes with strange names in the Processes tab by sorting them by memory and CPU consumption.

malware-start-taskbar

Open the file location folder of any suspicious-looking process by right-clicking the process and choosing Open File Location from the context menu. Drag and drop the contents of this folder in the scanner below to see whether it contains any malware.

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    If there is any danger in the folder, you must first stop the presently running process by choosing End Process from the Processes’ right-click menu. Afterwards, delete any files that may be dangerous to your computer.

    Step3

    Next, press and hold the Win key and R and paste the following command in the Run window that appears on the screen:

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

    You should see the Hosts files open in a Notepad when you press Enter. Take note of any IP addresses that do not seem to be trustworthy in the text under “Localhost” and let us know in the comments if you see anything troubling. We’ll check it and get back to you in case there is a danger.  

    hosts_opt (1)

    The next place you should look for traces of Kiop is the System Configuration window. To open it, type “msconfig” into the Windows Search field in the Start menu and press Enter. Once the System Configuration window has shown, click the “startup” tab to see the startup items. Deactivate any startup items that you feel are connected to the malware. You may then close the window by clicking “OK”. This will also save your changes. Be careful, though, and don’t disable anything else. If you are not sure about a particular item, take your time to research it online.

    msconfig_opt
    Step4

    It’s common for malicious software to hide its components in the registry so that it may stay on a computer for a lengthy period of time. As a result, you must thoroughly examine your Registry Editor for Kiop-related files and remove them. Once the ransomware traces in your computer’s registry are removed, you’ll be more able to cope with Kiop effectively. To open the Registry Editor, type regedit in the Windows search bar and hit Enter.

    You may open a Find window by hitting CTRL and F at the same time, and then search for files related with the malware. To locate files associated to Kiop, type the threat’s name in the Find box and press Find Next.

    Attention! Removing ransomware-related files from the registry might be challenging for those who aren’t tech-savvy. Any registry deletions also pose a serious risk to the system’s general stability and performance. That’s why, a malware removal program is the best option for non-technical users who feel their machine is still in danger and there is still some trace of Kiop-related files. Such software may also be used to defend the machine against future virus attacks.

    The following locations on your computer may include more ransomware files, that’s why you should take the time to check them as well. Simply type the name of each in the Windows Search bar and press Enter to access them.

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

    The directories in question should be extensively reviewed, but files should only be removed if you are positive they are connected to the threat. When you open the Temp folder, select all the files and press Del on your keyboard to delete all temporary files on your computer.

    Step5

    How to Decrypt Kiop files

    The decryption of ransomware-encrypted data isn’t an easy task, and, even for experts, there may be some difficult cases to handle. One of the reasons is that ransomware decryption algorithms might differ from one version to another. Therefore, it is very important to figure out exactly which variant of ransomware you are dealing with. When uncertain about the ransomware variant that has attacked you, check the file extensions attached to the encrypted files.

    An advanced anti-virus tool (such as the one on this website) must be used before any data recovery can begin. Only after the malware scan on the system has shown a clear result can you begin to look for file recovery methods.

    New Djvu Ransomware

    STOP Djvu is a ransomware variant that is known for encrypting various types of data and demanding ransom from its victims. People who have been attacked by this threat should look for the .Kiop suffix that is often attached to the files that have been encrypted to know the exact variant of the ransomware. After you figure this out, and ensure that your computer is clean of all traces of the infection, you may  give decryptors like the one at the link below a try and see if you can recover your data with its help. 

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

    Before beginning the decryption procedure, please read the license agreement and any accompanying instructions related to the STOPDjvu executable file that you download from the URL above. Bear in mind that, if your data has been encrypted using an unknown offline key or an online encryption, this application may not be as effective at decoding it. 

    If the manual instructions in this article aren’t sufficient to get rid of Kiop successfully, you’ll need a powerful anti-virus application at hand. A manual scan of any file you’re worried about is also possible via the use of our free online virus scanner.


    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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