01Flip EXPOSED: .01flip Files, RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT, and 01Flip@proton.me
Written by: Lapain Epuran
Published on:
You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The snapshot should still be 2.png. The installer copy should still be 3.exe. The vacation shot should still be vacation.jpg. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf.
Instead every familiar type is still sitting in the name, then a long unique ID, then a 0 or a 1, then .01flip. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip. A small text file named RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT is already in the same folder, as if it has always belonged there.
That is the trap, not a glitch.
This page is for the hour those names appear. It is not a miracle key. It is a map of the trap, so the note does not become your incident plan.
Encrypted files after 01Flip. The .01flip names and RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT are the tell.
Overview
01Flip is a real ransomware strain, not a joke locker and not a Windows pop-up. It was used in a limited, targeted Asia-Pacific campaign in the summer of 2025. It hits Windows and Linux. It is written in Rust. It encrypts files with AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048, then talks like a recovery desk. The note is a storefront. The lock is the product.
If you are staring at names that end in .01flip and a text file called RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT, you are in a ransom incident, not a broken disk. The folder is the evidence. The note is a checkout. Stay with the folder, not with the script.
The first tell is the rename. This strain does not just hang one extra ending on the file. It builds a double-ish label: original name, then a unique ID, then a 0 or a 1, then .01flip. In the sample used for this page, 1.jpg became 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip.
You can still see the old photo name. You cannot open the photo. There is 0% chance Photos can rebuild a JPEG because you picked a viewer.
The second tell is the order. 01Flip drops RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT into available directories first. Then it starts locking files. The flyer is already waiting when the names break. That is not a courtesy. That is so the first English you can still read is their pitch.
The body of that sample is short on purpose. It opens == IMPORTANT ==. Then: Your files have been encrypted. Do not attempt to recover them yourself, as this may cause irreversible damage. Then: Once we receive payment, we will immediately provide the decryption key to restore your data.
Then: Every hour of delay increases the risk of permanent data loss. Then Email, with 01Flip@proton.me under it. Then Session, with a friend-request line, and a dash where an ID should be. Then Cipher, with another dash. That is the whole costume.
The Session ID is blank. The Cipher ID is blank. This page will not invent them. A missing chat handle is not a puzzle you solve by guessing a friend request. A dash is not a coupon. The flyer already named the inbox it wants: 01Flip@proton.me.
That is the whole pitch. A locked folder of .01flip names. A RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT file that talks like a recovery brief. AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048 as the lock. A targeted Asia-Pacific campaign in 2025, not a random joke screen.
Windows and Linux in the same family. A double extortion claim. A prior ask around 1 BTC. One Proton Mail inbox. Two messenger slots left empty. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is no reason to mail that inbox today because a text file told you to. A 1 BTC ask is still a ransom, not a $ repair invoice you can dispute.
The .01flip name is the first warning
Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. This one uses .01flip, and it makes you read a longer string first. The extra cruelty is how complete the listing looks. You still see 1.jpg inside 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip. You still see a unique ID. You still see a 0 or a 1. You still see .01flip. The familiar words are still in the folder. The files are not familiar anymore.
Do not treat that readable stem as a fix. Do not strip .01flip off the end and expect Photos or a Linux image viewer to open the file. Do not delete the unique ID because it looks ugly. Do not change the 0 to a 1, or the 1 to a 0, as if that were a decrypt switch.
The name is a label. The lock is in the content. Editing the label can make a later trusted tool have a harder time matching the file to what it was.
The extra ending also does advertising. Anyone who sees 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip next to RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT can pretend they already have your case. A later fake helper will quote .01flip back to you as if that were expertise. The extension is public. It is sitting in the folder. Quoting it proves nothing except that they can read a listing.
Leave the locked copies as they are until you have a clean machine and a plan that does not start in a criminal inbox. The unique ID in the documented sample is 6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222. Copy it the way you would copy a serial off a stolen laptop. It is how a responder matches this infection. It is not a code you redeem by mailing 01Flip@proton.me.
RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT is a sales floor, not a help file
The ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like paperwork. RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT wants the first click after the panic. RECOVER. YOUR. FILE. A .TXT ending Windows already trusts, and a Linux editor will open just as fast. The filename is built to look like the only adult in the room.
Double-clicking it opens Notepad. On Linux it opens whatever editor is bound to text. That is why a panicked first click feels like opening the help page. It is not help. It is the demand, written so it looks official enough to follow. Paperwork is easier to obey than a threat.
Keep the file on disk. Then close it. Do not treat it as a set of steps you should follow. Do not tidy the filename. Do not shorten it to “the recover note” when you write the incident down. Copy RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT exactly. That string is how a responder matches this locker. It is not a coupon you redeem by mailing 01Flip@proton.me.
The note landing first is part of the squeeze. You are supposed to read the flyer while the lock is still finishing, or while you are still hoping the next folder is clean. It will not be clean. The same RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT copy shows up in available directories so you cannot miss it. Finding five copies is not five incidents. It is one incident with a loud flyer.
== IMPORTANT == is a shout, not a lab report
The first line of the sample is not a diagnosis. It is a headline. == IMPORTANT == does the same job a fake breaking-news banner does on a supplement page. It names the disaster in capital letters so the rest of the flyer feels like the only adult in the room. You are supposed to stop thinking and start obeying.
The shout is also a brand. Later search ads will quote it. Later “helpers” will paste IMPORTANT so they sound close to your folder. Anyone can copy a headline. Copying those capitals does not mean they can reverse a file that ends in .01flip. It means they read the same note you did, or they read a screenshot of it.
The next sentences do the same job in calmer English. Your files have been encrypted. Do not attempt to recover them yourself. That line is not kindness. It is a fence. It wants you away from trusted responders and into their inbox. A warning against “manual recovery” is still a sales line when the people who wrote it are the people who locked the disk.
“Once we receive payment, we will immediately provide the decryption key” is a promise from the same shop. Immediate is a feeling, not a contract. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is no reason to test that promise with 1 BTC, or with any other $ figure a later helper invents.
Every hour of delay is a fuse they printed, not a clock you should feed
The sample says every hour of delay increases the risk of permanent data loss. That is a fuse. It is not a lab timer sitting on your desk. It is meant to make waiting feel expensive. Waiting is how you think. Thinking is what they do not want.
A printed hour is not proof they will destroy keys on that hour. It is not proof they already copied your private files. It is a sentence that makes a Proton Mail thread feel like the only adult move. It is not. The adult move is a clean machine and a plan that does not start with their inbox.
Do not treat that hour line as a 100% deadline you can beat by mailing 01Flip@proton.me faster. Do not treat it as a discount if you write in the first hour. Speed is the product. Panic is the aisle. The lock is already on the files. A faster email does not reverse AES-128-CBC.
01Flip@proton.me is checkout, not support
The only filled contact in the published sample is 01Flip@proton.me. That is not Proton Mail support. That is not a help desk. That is the inbox printed by the people who locked the files, or by whoever is standing in that doorway today.
Mailing that address is the product. The note gives you almost nothing else to do. Session is blank. Cipher is blank. The empty messenger slots make the one filled line feel inevitable. That is the costume. One calm email address is still a ransom inbox when it sits under a file-lock threat.
Do not write 01Flip@proton.me to “confirm they are real.” Do not send a sample file. Do not send a screenshot of 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip. Do not ask what 1 BTC is in $ today. Do not ask them to fill the Session ID they left blank. A reply from that inbox is not proof they can decrypt. It is proof the storefront is staffed.
If a later message quotes RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT and offers a “real” Session handle, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. The published sample left those IDs blank. This page will not finish them. You should not finish them either.
The blank Session and Cipher IDs are not puzzles
The sample names Session and tells you to copy a friend request. Then it prints a dash. It names Cipher. Then it prints another dash. Those dashes are the published contacts. They are not missing pages from a longer brochure.
This page will not invent a Session ID. This page will not invent a Cipher ID. A blank messenger slot is not a riddle. It is not a coupon. It is not an invitation to hunt a handle on a forum and add it “so the note looks complete.”
A later helper will add those missing pieces because missing pieces are easy to sell. They will show a Session QR. They will show a Cipher handle. They will say the original crew always uses this ID. Treat those add-ons as a second shop. The identifiers for this locker stay the ones on disk: .01flip, RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT, 01Flip@proton.me, and the unique ID in the filename.
Do not send a Session friend request to a string you guessed. Do not install a messenger because a ransom note named it. Do not paste a dash into a search bar and hope a profile appears. A dash is evidence that the slot was empty. Leave it empty.
Windows and Linux both get hit
01Flip is cross-platform. The same family has Windows builds and Linux builds. A folder that looks like Explorer in a screenshot can still be the same strain as a Linux host that now lists the same .01flip ending. Do not assume a Linux server is safe because the first panicked photo came from a Windows desktop.
That matters in a real network. This strain is known to spread through connected devices. One locked workstation is not a closed case if file shares, Linux boxes, and mapped drives sit on the same path. The unique ID in the name is a victim mark, not a wall between operating systems.
If you have mixed hosts, treat both as in-scope. The documented Windows-style name 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip can appear next to the same pattern on Linux. The note filename stays RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT. The inbox stays 01Flip@proton.me. The blank Session and Cipher slots stay blank. Do not invent a Linux-only contact to finish a flyer that never printed one.
Rust is how they ship both. It is not a quality badge. It is not a reason the lock is too modern to recover. It is a language choice that lets one crew compile for more than one operating system. The incident is still ransomware. The plan is still not their inbox.
AES-128-CBC plus RSA-2048 is the lock, not a key in your hand
The strain encrypts with AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048. Those names are real algorithms. They are also costume when they sit in a ransom story. AES-128-CBC locks file bytes. RSA-2048 wraps the key so you cannot just run a cracker you found in an ad. Naming the math is not the same thing as handing you the private key.
A later helper will recite AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048 as if that were a decryptor. Reciting a textbook is not a key. There is 0% chance a random AES unlocker undoes a per-victim RSA wrap because the note used the right acronyms. The acronyms are public. Quoting them proves nothing except that they can read.
Do not upload a locked file to a stranger AES service. Do not run a cracked RSA decryptor from a forum. Those are extra malware paths. The original lock is already enough. A second Trojan does not make 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip into 1.jpg again.
Double extortion is a second squeeze, not a reason to pay
This crew has used double extortion. That means the lock is not the only threat. They have also threatened to leak private data if demands are not met. A leak claim is a second product. It is meant to make clean copies feel useless, and to make reporting feel dangerous.
A leak claim is not proof your files are already on a blog. It is not a court filing. It is not a reason to send 1 BTC before anyone has even proved a decryptor exists. Paying does not give you a receipt you can show a regulator. Paying does not unsay a leak. Paying funds the same shop.
Do not hunt a leak site the note never printed. The published sample does not name a blog, a TOR portal, or a victim company. This page will not invent those either, and it will not name companies as victims that the note never named. Stay with what is on disk: .01flip, RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT, 01Flip@proton.me, blank Session, blank Cipher.
If a later helper shows a leak screenshot with your logo pasted in, that is easy theater. Anyone can mock a blog. Treat an unnamed leak page as a second sales pitch. The double extortion claim is already in the campaign. You do not need a forged gallery to know the threat is ransom plus pressure.
1 BTC is a prior price tag, not a repair
This family has previously asked for about 1 BTC. That number is large enough to feel like a finished invoice and still small enough, in attacker math, to feel cheaper than rebuilding a company. It is a price tag. It is not a key. A Bitcoin send is still a ransom even when the flyer never printed the coin total in the short note you have on disk.
The published RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT sample does not print 1 BTC in the body. It just says payment. The 1 BTC figure is a prior ask tied to this campaign, not a coupon you should match. Do not send 1 BTC because a later helper says that is the usual 01Flip rate. Do not send a smaller $ test to 01Flip@proton.me to see if they answer.
1 BTC is a five-figure $ problem at ordinary market rates, and the rate moves. That is not a reason to hurry into an exchange. That is a reason to treat the ask as a ransom and stop. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Coin does not change that sentence.
Do not type a Bitcoin address a stranger recites into an exchange wallet checker. The short note did not even print a wallet. If someone fills that blank for you, they are finishing the flyer. Finishing the flyer is the second shop.
A Zimbra path is one alleged door, not the only door
One reported path into this campaign was a compromised Zimbra mail server. That is an alleged door, not a branded victim list. This page will not invent company names. A mail server is a useful door because it already talks to the rest of a network. It is not the only way ransomware arrives.
The rest of the usual aisle still applies. Phishing. A malicious attachment. A loader that was already on the box. A share that was already mapped. 01Flip is also known to move across connected devices once it is inside. The first locked desktop may not be the first machine they touched.
Do not assume you are safe because you do not run Zimbra. The identifiers are the files and the note, not the first door. If the names end in .01flip and the flyer is RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT, you are in this strain storefront even if the original entry was a different hole.
01Flip is a locker name, not a recovery desk
The brand on the inbox is 01Flip. The brand on the extension is .01flip. That overlap is how the family got the name. It is not a software vendor. It is not a data-recovery lab. It is not a Proton Mail feature. It is a locker with a matching mailbox.
Later search ads will sell 01Flip decryptor, 01Flip recovery, and remove .01flip files. Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT. They will quote 01Flip@proton.me. They will mention AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048. They will mention 1 BTC. They will mention Session even though the published ID was a dash.
Quoting the brand is not a key. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one, treat any site that says we already have the 01Flip key as a second sales pitch. A real public decryptor does not need you to mail 01Flip@proton.me first.
How The Ransomware Works
1. The note lands first so the flyer is waiting
A lot of lockers encrypt first and drop the note after. This one flips that order. It writes RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT into available directories, then it starts locking files. You are supposed to meet the sales page at the same moment the photos break, or a moment before.
That order is pressure. It makes the text file feel like the official next step while you are still hoping the next folder is untouched. The next folder gets the same text file. The same IMPORTANT shout. The same Proton Mail line. The same blank Session dash. The same blank Cipher dash.
Keep one clean copy of RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT as evidence. You do not need to open every copy. You do not need to compare them in mail to 01Flip@proton.me. Multiple copies are a loudspeaker, not a second incident.
2. The lock keeps the old name, then stamps a unique ID
The rename is built so you recognize the loss. Original filename. Unique ID. 0 or 1. Then .01flip. That is why 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip still contains 1.jpg. The unique ID in that documented sample is 6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222. The flag in that sample is 0.
Other files on the same box can show a 1 instead of a 0. That 0 or 1 is part of their label. It is not a decrypt mode. Do not flip it. Do not sort files into 0 piles and 1 piles as if one pile were recoverable. The lock is in the bytes either way.
Windows may call the type a 01FLIP File and offer a useless choose an app box. Linux may just refuse to open it. An app cannot talk locked bytes back into a JPEG. There is 0% chance a viewer fix turns 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip back into a photo.
Do not bulk-rename the pile. Do not run an extension fixer. The original name is already sitting at the front of the string. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost. You do need the string left alone so a later trusted tool can still match it.
3. AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048 keep the key off your disk
File bytes are locked with AES-128-CBC. The key for that work is wrapped with RSA-2048. That pairing is why a local unlocker is a dead end. You can rename the file 100 times. You cannot unwrap their RSA layer from the filename.
This is the part of the costume that is also engineering. The math is real. The private key is not on your desktop. It is not in RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT. It is not in the unique ID. The unique ID identifies the case to them. It does not decrypt the case for you.
There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. That sentence is the whole technical conclusion that matters for a victim sitting at the folder. Everything after it is pressure: the hour line, the leak claim, the Proton Mail inbox, the blank messengers someone will try to fill.
4. The Proton Mail inbox is the door they want
01Flip@proton.me is the only filled contact in the published sample. The note builds a hallway with one lit door. Session is named, then left empty. Cipher is named, then left empty. Email is named, then filled. You are supposed to walk toward the light.
A Proton Mail address looks calmer than a random web form. Calm is the costume. An inbox that sits under your files have been encrypted is still a ransom inbox. Writing it is how they start a thread they control.
Do not send just the unique ID so they can look you up. Do not send 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip as a test. Do not ask for their Session because the slot was blank. The blank was published. Leave it published.
5. Blank Session and Cipher slots are unfinished, not invitations
Naming two messengers and then printing dashes does two jobs. It makes the crew look like they have extra channels. It also leaves a hole a later scammer can fill. Both jobs help the market. Neither job helps you.
If your copy of the note also shows dashes, that matches the published sample. Copy the dashes as dashes. If your copy shows filled IDs, treat those strings as artifacts on your disk, still not as places you should write. This page will not invent IDs to complete the public sample, and you should not invent them either.
Do not send a friend request into Session because the note mentioned the app. Do not create a Cipher account so you are ready. Installing their preferred chat is how a second conversation starts. The first conversation they want is already the Proton Mail line. Skip both.
6. Double extortion is the second product
Locking files is the first product. Threatening to leak private data is the second. This campaign has used both. The short note in the sample leans on encryption and speed. The wider campaign leans on leak pressure too. You can be hit by both even if the text file in the folder is short.
A decryptor you never receive does not un-leak a file. A leak that never happens is not a prize you buy with 1 BTC. The second squeeze is meant to make you feel that copies stored elsewhere are already worthless. Feeling is not evidence. Evidence is the folder in front of you.
Do not negotiate no leak as a separate checkout. Do not pay a second $ figure to keep it off a blog. Do not let a later helper split the incident into file recovery and reputation recovery. That is two aisles in the same shop.
7. The lock is built to travel across a network
01Flip is known to spread through networks and infect connected devices. That is why a single Explorer window is not the whole case. Windows desktops, Linux hosts, and shares sitting on the same path can all end up with the same .01flip stamp.
A mapped drive that still looks healthy at 11:13 can be in the queue at 11:14. An external disk that was plugged in is in-scope. A Linux file server that nobody uses for photos is in-scope if it holds the company shares. This is a real campaign against mixed estates, not a toy locker for one home folder.
Do not keep browsing shares to see how far it went from the same live session you already know is hostile. Look from a clean device, with people who can take the network apart without feeding the locker more paths. The unique ID will still be there when the dust settles.
8. A prior 1 BTC ask keeps you from thinking
A printed coin total, even one from an earlier 01Flip demand, is meant to feel like a finished quote. 1 BTC. No negotiation theater in the short note. No sliding $ scale on the page you have. Just payment, then a key, then the hour fuse. That is enough for a lot of people to open an exchange tab.
Do not open that tab. Do not pre-stage Bitcoin so you are ready if counsel says pay. Staging coin is how coin leaves. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Being ready to pay is not a recovery plan. It is their recovery plan.
If a later mail from 01Flip@proton.me names a different amount, that is still the same shop. If a later mail names a wallet the original note never printed, that is still the same shop. Matching 1 BTC because it was a prior ask is not due diligence. It is checkout.
9. Third parties will sell a 01Flip conversation
After a ransomware incident, search results fill up with companies that say they can decrypt 01Flip or all .01flip files. Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT so they sound close to the case.
They will mention AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048. They will mention 1 BTC. They will mention 01Flip@proton.me. They will mention Session as if they already added the missing friend.
A demo that unlocks one file is not proof they can unlock the vacation photo. Anyone can open one junk file they control. Anyone can send you a Proton Mail screenshot that makes an inbox appear. An inbox is not Photos opening 1.jpg again. If a later message skips 01Flip@proton.me and asks for coin over ordinary mail, that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.
A real public decryptor, when one exists, shows up on an official project page that already existed before your incident. It does not need a $ send. It does not need a Session ID. If the pitch is we can decrypt, pay us first, you are still in the market the ransomware created.
There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one, treat any site that says we already have the 01Flip key as a second sales pitch.
10. Payment and mailing that inbox close nothing
Paying a stranger for a private key is not a guarantee. The people who send the note can take 1 BTC and disappear. They can send a string that only makes a decryptor show an error. They can come back later and lock the same estate again. A mail thread makes that outcome easier, not harder. You cannot leave a review on a criminal inbox.
Mailing 01Flip@proton.me is the free version of the same dead end. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Starting a thread does not rebuild a JPEG. It only keeps you in their story while Windows hosts and Linux hosts still need a real plan.
If this is a company estate, tell counsel and your incident lead. If this is a home PC, tell the people whose files lived on it. Change passwords from a clean device. Watch bank and email alerts. Opening that Proton Mail address again is not useful work. Inventing a Session ID is not useful work. Sending 1 BTC is not useful work. It is the checkout, even when the flyer left the messengers blank on purpose.
What To Do If You Have Fallen Victim
Do not pay. Do not send 1 BTC, or any other $ figure, to unlock .01flip files. Do not mail 01Flip@proton.me. That address is not Proton Mail support. Do not invent a Session ID or a Cipher ID to finish RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT.
The published sample left those IDs blank. Do not send a Session friend request to a handle you guessed. Do not send a test file. Do not send proof of payment. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there.
Do not pay a deposit to hold the original 1 BTC price for anyone who quotes the note.
This strain hits Windows and Linux. If you have both, treat both as in-scope. Do not assume a Linux host is clean because the first screenshot looked like Explorer. Do not assume a Windows desktop is the whole case because RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT opened in Notepad. The same unique ID pattern and the same .01flip ending are the tell on either operating system.
A double extortion claim is still a ransom. It is not a reason to open a chat. It is not a reason to buy silence. It is not a reason to skip telling counsel. Paying does not give you a leak receipt. Paying does not rebuild the files if they take the coin and vanish.
STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.
In this first step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate suspicious programs that may be running on your computer.
RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.
Download Rkill.
You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.
RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Rkill)
Run RKill.
After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder. The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.
When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.
STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Ransomware and Unwanted Programs
In this second step, we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.
Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and trusted anti-malware tools for Windows — and it’s completely free for removing infections. It catches threats that many antivirus programs miss, including adware, browser hijackers, and trojans. Follow the steps below to scan and clean your PC in just a few minutes.
Download Malwarebytes
Click the button below to download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows from the official source. The free version is all you need — it will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software at no cost.
(The link opens in a new page where your download will start)
Install Malwarebytes
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the MBSetup file. If Windows shows a User Account Control pop-up, click “Yes” to allow the installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
The setup wizard will walk you through a few quick screens:
Choose where you’re installing the program — “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” — then click Next.
Malwarebytes will now install on your device. This usually takes under a minute.
When installation is complete, the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen will open automatically.
On the final screen, click Open Malwarebytes to launch the program.
Enable “Scan for Rootkits”
Before scanning, turn on rootkit detection so Malwarebytes can find even the most hidden threats. Click the Settings gear icon on the left side of the screen.
In the settings menu, find “Scan for rootkits” and click the toggle so it turns blue.
Done? Click “Dashboard” in the left pane to return to the main screen.
Start the Scan
Click the blue Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its virus database and start checking your computer for malware.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
The scan checks your entire system for browser hijackers and other malicious programs, so it can take several minutes. Feel free to do something else — just check back occasionally to see the progress.
Quarantine the Detected Threats
When the scan is done, you’ll see a list of everything Malwarebytes found — malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all of them at once.
Malwarebytes will now remove the malicious files and registry entries and move them safely into quarantine.
Restart Your Computer
Some threats can only be fully removed after a reboot. If Malwarebytes asks you to restart, click Yes. Once you’re logged back in, your PC is clean and you can continue with the next steps in this guide.
STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware
In this third step, while the computer is in normal back, we will download and run a scan with HitmanPro to remove Trojans, rootkits, and other malicious programs.
HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner — it’s designed to catch what your main antivirus might have missed. Instead of relying on a single detection engine, it checks the behavior of files in the locations where malware usually hides. Anything suspicious gets sent to the cloud, where it’s analyzed by two of the best antivirus engines available: Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Good news: scanning is completely free, with no limits. You only need a license when it’s time to remove what was found — and even then, you can activate a free one-time 30-day trial to clean your PC at no cost. (A full license is $24.95 per year for 1 PC.)
Download HitmanPro
Click the button below to download HitmanPro. Remember — the scan is free, so you have nothing to lose by checking your PC.
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the file: “hitmanpro.exe” on 32-bit Windows, or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” on 64-bit Windows.
If a User Account Control pop-up asks whether HitmanPro can make changes to your device, click “Yes” to continue.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts
On the HitmanPro start screen, click “Next” to begin the system scan. No lengthy setup required — it goes straight to work.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
HitmanPro will now check your computer for malicious programs. This usually takes just a few minutes thanks to its cloud-based scanning.
Review the Results and Click “Next”
When the scan is done, HitmanPro will show you everything it found. Click “Next” to remove the detected threats.
Click “Activate Free License”
To remove the malicious files, click the “Activate free license” button. This starts your free 30-day trial — no payment details needed — and unlocks the full cleanup.
When the removal is complete, HitmanPro will show a summary of everything it cleaned. Click Next, then click Reboot if prompted. If there’s no reboot prompt, just click Close — your PC is clean.
STEP 4: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Extensions and Adware
In this next step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies and unwanted browser extensions from your computer.
AdwCleaner is a free on-demand scanner that specializes in adware, browser hijackers, and unwanted toolbars — the exact threats that mainstream antivirus programs often miss. It also includes tools that repair the damage malware leaves behind, like hijacked browser settings and malicious policies. It’s a quick scan that’s well worth running.
Download AdwCleaner
Click the button below to download AdwCleaner — it’s free, portable, and requires no installation.
Open your Downloads folder and double-click the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe“. There’s no installation — the program starts right away.
If Windows asks whether you want to allow AdwCleaner to run, click “Yes“. When the license agreement appears, click I agree to continue.
Enable “Reset Chrome policies”
This setting removes malicious browser policies — a trick malware uses to lock your browser settings so you can’t change them back. Click “Settings” on the left side of the window, then turn on “Reset Chrome policies“.
Start the Scan
Click “Dashboard” on the left side of the window, then click the “Scan” button.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
AdwCleaner will now check your computer for adware and other malware. This usually takes only a few minutes — it’s one of the fastest scanners around.
Quarantine the Detected Threats
When the scan finishes, AdwCleaner will list everything it found. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all the malicious items at once.
Click “Continue” to Finish the Cleanup
Save any open work first — AdwCleaner needs to close your open programs before it can clean. When you’re ready, click the “Continue” button.
AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. If it asks you to restart your PC, allow it — your computer will be clean when you log back in.
STEP 5: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
This final step involves installing and running a scan with ESET Online Scanner to check for any additional malicious programs that may be installed on the computer..
ESET Online Scanner is a free second-opinion scanner that performs a deep, full-system check for viruses, trojans, rootkits, and other malware. We use it as the final step because it’s thorough — if anything slipped past the previous scans, ESET will find it. A clean result here means your computer is malware-free.
Download ESET Online Scanner
Click the button below to download ESET Online Scanner.
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click “esetonlinescanner.exe“.
Install ESET Online Scanner
On the start screen, select your language from the drop-down menu and click Get started.
On the Terms of use screen, click Accept.
Choose your preferences for the Customer Experience Improvement Program and the Detection feedback system (either choice is fine), then click Continue.
Start a Full Scan
Click Full Scan — this checks your entire computer, not just the common hiding spots.
Select Enable for Detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications — this lets ESET catch adware and bundled junk programs, not just viruses. Then click Start scan.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
ESET will now check every file on your computer. Because it’s a full scan, this can take a while — often an hour or more, depending on how much data you have. Leave it running in the background and check on it from time to time.
Review the Results
When the scan completes, the Found and resolved detections screen appears. Any threats found were automatically cleaned and quarantined — there’s nothing extra you need to do. Click View detailed results if you want to see exactly what was removed.
If ESET found nothing — congratulations, your computer has passed the final check and is malware-free.
STEP 6: Restore the files encrypted by ransomware
Unfortunately, in most cases, it’s not possible to recover the files encrypted by this ransomware virus because the private key which is needed to unlock the encrypted files is only available through the attackers. However, below we’ve listed three options you can use to try and recover your files.
Make sure you remove the malware from your computer first, otherwise, it will repeatedly lock your system or encrypt files. If you suspect that your computer is still infected with malware, you can run a free scan with Emsisoft Emergency Kit.
Option 1: Search a decryption tool for this ransomware
The cybersecurity community is constantly working to create ransomware decryption tools, so you can try to search these sites for updates:
Option 2: Use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free to recover the encrypted files
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free can restore files and repair corrupted files with simple clicks. Its powerful scanning algorithms can identify and retrieve huge file type library, including all of the popular video files, audio files, photos, and document formats. While the free version only allows you to recover 2 GB of data, this can be helpful to see if the recovery is possible and restore back the most important files from your computer.
Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free.
You can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free by clicking the link below.
Double-click on the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free setup file.
When EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow EaseUS to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free installation.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.
When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation begins, click on the “Install Now” as seen in the image below.
When your EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation completes, click the “Start Now” button to start the program.
Select a location to start recovering the encrypted files.
Choose the drive or folder where you are the encrypted files that you want to recover and click “Scan“.
Wait for the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan to complete.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will now scan your computer files that can be restored. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Find the files you want to recover.
When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan is finished scanning it will show a screen that displays the files that can be recovered. This tool can recover a lot of data, use the “Filter” button to quickly filter specific file types and find the files that you want to recover.
Click the “Preview” button or double-click on a file for a full preview.
Select your files and click “Recover”.
Finally, select the the files you want to recover and click “Recover“. Choose a safe location to save all the files. The free version only allow you to recover 2 GB of data, however, this will allow you to recover the most important files and see if EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can correctly recover them.
Option 3: Try to restore your files with ShadowExplorer
This ransomware will attempt to delete all shadow copies when you first start any executable on your computer after becoming infected. Thankfully, the infection is not always able to remove the shadow copies, so you should continue to try restoring your files using this method.
Download ShadowExplorer.
You can download ShadowExplorer from the below link.
Double-click on the ShadowExplorer-x.x-setup file to start the installation process, then follow the on-screen promts to install this program.
Select snapshot date.
Open ShadowExplorer and then from the top bar select the drive where the files that you want to save are located, then select from the snapshot available one previous to this infection.
Export the files that you want to recover.
Once you have found a copy of the original file or folder, right-click on it and the select “Export”. A window will prompt you where you want to save the file or folder.
Keep every .01flip name exactly as it is, on Windows and on Linux. Keep at least one locked sample, including the documented name 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip. Do not bulk-rename that file back to 1.jpg. Do not strip the unique ID.
Do not change the 0 to a 1. Do not tidy other long names in the same folder that follow original name, unique ID, 0 or 1, then .01flip. Guessing the old type is not a repair. It can make a later trusted tool worse, not better. The original name is already sitting at the front of the string.
Keep RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT with the locked files. Do not clean up every copy of the note. Do not fill in a Session ID. Do not fill in a Cipher ID. Do not invent a leak blog so the flyer looks complete.
The short note, including the dashes, is part of how you prove this was this strain and not a different locker that only sounds similar. Keep the contact marks as identifiers: the IMPORTANT shout, the hour-of-delay line, 01Flip@proton.me, Session as a dash, Cipher as a dash, and the unique ID 6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.
Do not pay. Do not mail that inbox. Do not send 1 BTC. Do not ask a friend to write 01Flip@proton.me just to see. A prior 1 BTC ask is still a ransom. A calm Proton Mail address is still the people who locked the files.
If a later message quotes RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT and offers the real Session, that is still the same shop. If a later message skips the original inbox and asks for coin over a different address, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.
If someone claims they can already decrypt 01Flip files for a fee because they can recite AES-128-CBC, RSA-2048, and 01Flip@proton.me, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT as proof they already called the crew, they read the same note you did. Do not answer. Do not complete their checkout. Do not help them fix the flyer.
If Windows still offers to pick an app for the .01flip type, decline it. There is no player for that ending. If a Linux host offers to open the same ending with a random viewer, decline that too. The ending is a brand, not a format.
The Bottom Line
01Flip ransomware is a real, targeted locker from a 2025 Asia-Pacific campaign, not a joke screen. It hits Windows and Linux. It is written in Rust. It drops RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT first, then encrypts with AES-128-CBC and RSA-2048.
It builds a double-ish name: original file, unique ID, 0 or 1, then .01flip. In the documented sample, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.6a9a2bbe9ac8c9df379d3b6e7fe5e222.0.01flip. The note shouts IMPORTANT, warns against recovering the files yourself, promises a key after payment, and prints an hour fuse.
It names 01Flip@proton.me. It names Session and Cipher, then leaves both IDs blank. This page will not invent those IDs. The campaign has used double extortion. A prior ask has been about 1 BTC. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain.
Do not pay. Do not send that Bitcoin. Do not mail 01Flip@proton.me. Do not invent a Session ID. Do not invent a Cipher ID. Do not rename the pile in bulk. Keep RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT and a .01flip sample.
If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .01flip, plus RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT with 01Flip@proton.me and blank messenger slots, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way on Windows and on Linux before anyone offers to fill the Session handle the flyer left empty.
10 Rules to Avoid Online Scams
Here are 10 practical safety rules to help you avoid malware, online shopping scams, crypto scams, and other online fraud. Each tip includes a quick “if you already got hit” action.
Stop and verify before you click, log in, download, or pay.
Most scams win by creating urgency. Verify using a trusted method: type the website address yourself, use the official app, or call a known number (not the one in the message).
If you already clicked: close the page, do not enter passwords, and run a malware scan.
Keep your operating system, browser, and apps updated.
Updates patch security holes used by malware and malicious ads. Turn on automatic updates where possible.
If you saw a scary “update now” pop-up: close it and update only through your device settings or the official app store.
Use layered protection: antivirus plus an ad blocker.
Antivirus helps block malware. An ad blocker reduces scam redirects, phishing pages, and malvertising.
If your browser is acting weird: remove unknown extensions, reset the browser, then run a full scan.
Install apps, software, and extensions only from official sources.
Avoid cracked software, “keygens,” and random downloads. During installs, choose Custom/Advanced and decline bundled offers you do not recognize.
If you already installed something suspicious: uninstall it, restart, and scan again.
Treat links and attachments as untrusted by default.
Phishing often impersonates delivery services, banks, and popular brands. If it is unexpected, do not open attachments or log in through the message.
If you entered credentials: change the password immediately and enable 2FA.
Shop safely: research the store, then pay with protection.
Be cautious with brand-new stores, “closing sale” stories, and prices that make no sense. Prefer credit cards or PayPal for dispute options. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto payments.
If you already paid: contact your card issuer or PayPal quickly to dispute the transaction.
Crypto rule: never pay a “fee” to withdraw or recover money.
Common patterns include fake profits, then “tax,” “gas,” or “verification” fees. Another is a “recovery agent” who demands upfront crypto.
If you already sent crypto: stop paying, save evidence (wallet addresses, TXIDs, chats), and report the scam to the platform used.
Secure your accounts with unique passwords and 2FA (start with email).
Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. Enable 2FA using an authenticator app when possible.
If you suspect an account takeover: change passwords, sign out of all devices, and review recent logins and recovery settings.
Back up important files and keep one backup offline.
Backups protect you from ransomware and device failure. Keep at least one backup on an external drive that is not always connected.
If you suspect infection: do not connect backup drives until the system is clean.
If you think you are a victim: stop losses, document evidence, and escalate fast.
Move quickly. Speed matters for disputes, account recovery, and limiting damage.
Stop payments and contact: do not send more money or respond to the scammer.
Call your bank or card issuer: block transactions, replace the card if needed, and start a dispute or chargeback.
Secure your email first: change the email password, enable 2FA, and remove unfamiliar recovery options.
Secure other accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, and log out of all sessions.
Scan your device: remove suspicious apps or extensions, then run a full malware scan.
Save evidence: screenshots, emails, order pages, tracking pages, wallet addresses, TXIDs, and chat logs.
Report it: to the payment provider, marketplace, social platform, exchange, or wallet service involved.
These rules are intentionally simple. Most online losses happen when decisions are rushed. Slow down, verify independently, and use payment methods and account controls that give you recourse.
Hello! I'm Lapain Epuran, your go-to source for detailed and honest product reviews. From tech gadgets to miracle cures, I provide insights to help you make informed choices. Join me as we discover what's truly worth your time and money.
