Ziggy Ransomware

Ziggy

Ziggy is what experts identify as a file-encrypting ransomware virus. And as such, Ziggy encrypts specific files types on the infected machine, which essentially renders those files inaccessible.

The Ziggy ransomware will display a message with instructions

Hence, after a ransomware attack like this, users are left with a whole bunch of totally useless information that isn’t recognized by any software. This is mainly why viruses of this type like .Plam, Ygkz  are considered highly dangerous, if not the most dangerous type of malware out there. And what makes this fact even more severe is that complying with the ransom demands of the hackers won’t necessarily guarantee the successful restoration of the encrypted data.

The hackers behind such malware variants usually try to blackmail their victims into paying rather large sums of money in exchange for a decryption key, which they claim to be the only viable solution to the encryption. However, even if you do receive one such key, there’s no telling whether it will indeed work on your files or not.

For this reason, we have designed a free removal guide which you can make use of just below the current post. And once you’ve safely removed Ziggy from your PC, you will reach the file recovery suggestions we have compiled for you in the second part of the guide. It is, of course, up to you whether to resort to them or just straight up go for the ransom payment. But it won’t cost you anything if you try to regain access to your encrypted data using alternative means first.

The Ziggy ransomware

The Ziggy virus used a complex encryption algorithm to lock users’ files and make them inaccessible. This very same encryption process also allows the Ziggy virus to avoid detection from most antivirus programs.

The Ziggy ransomware encrypted files

As unfair and ridiculous as it is, but it is a fact that most antivirus software doesn’t recognize the encryption process employed by viruses like Ziggy as something malicious. And indeed it is not a malicious act. This is the main trickiness of ransomware and one of the ways that cybercriminals manage to stay one step ahead of the rest of us.

But that doesn’t mean that we’re doomed to be at their mercy and we should just wait around for the next ransomware attack to happen. We aren’t powerless, and, as a matter of fact, we have a very powerful tool at our disposal that can completely disarm any malicious piece of programming of this kind. If users were to make copies of their most valuable data and frequently back it up on externals drives or even on clouds, this would automatically render any ransomware infection harmless. And of course, practicing basic safety measures when browsing the web can go a long way in preventing virus infections such as this one, as well.

The Ziggy file extension

The Ziggy file extension is the ending at the end of all encrypted files you see on your machine. The Ziggy file extension is essentially a suffix that replaces the regular file format. And because of it, no software is able to distinguish the type of file and read it. 

SUMMARY:

Remove Ziggy Ransomware

Some of the steps will likely require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.

Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC at the same time and go to the Processes Tab. Try to determine which processes are dangerous. 

Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy

This scanner is free and will always remain free for our website's users.

This file is not matched with any known malware in the database. You can either do a full real-time scan of the file or skip it to upload a new file. Doing a full scan with 64 antivirus programs can take up to 3-4 minutes per file.

Full ScanUpload New File

Drag and Drop File Here To Scan

Upload File

Analyzing 0 s

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy

This scanner is based on VirusTotal's API. By submitting data to it, you agree to their Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and to the sharing of your sample submission with the security community. Please do not submit files with personal information if you do not want them to be shared.

After you open their folder, end the processes that are infected, then delete their folders. 

Note: If you are sure something is part of the infection – delete it, even if the scanner doesn’t flag it. No anti-virus program can detect all infections.