Level EXPOSED: .level Files, Your Files Are Encrypted.txt, and zoomnism@protonmail.com
Written by: Lapain Epuran
Published on:
You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The invoice should still be invoice.pdf. The photo should still be photo.jpg. The first image should still be 1.jpg. Instead every familiar name has a second ending tacked on. invoice.pdf is now invoice.pdf.level. photo.jpg is now photo.jpg.level. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.level. A small text file named Your Files Are Encrypted.txt is sitting 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 Level. The .level names and Your Files Are Encrypted.txt are the tell.
Overview
Level ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name and the old type, and hangs .level on the end. Then it drops Your Files Are Encrypted.txt and talks like a recovery desk. The note is a storefront. It claims servers and backups were encrypted or deleted. It claims email attachments, photos, and correspondence were stolen. It says it will alert customers and post their data. It offers a free test decrypt of a few files. Then it tells you to write for dialogue at zoomnism@protonmail.com.
If you are staring at a pile of .level files and that text note, you are in a ransom incident, not a broken disk and not a Windows pop-up. The folder is the evidence. The note is a checkout. Stay with the folder, not with the script.
The first tell is the rename. In the sample used for this page, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.level. photo.jpg becomes photo.jpg.level. invoice.pdf becomes invoice.pdf.level. You can still read what the file used to be. You cannot open it. Windows may call the type a LEVEL File and offer a useless “choose an app” box. An app cannot talk locked bytes back into a JPEG.
The second tell is the note. After the files are locked, the malware drops Your Files Are Encrypted.txt into the same folders. That filename sounds like a status report. Encrypted sounds like a diagnosis. Put them together and the first English you can still read after the photos break is a sales flyer. The flyer is meant to be opened. It is not meant to be trusted.
The body of that sample is a leak note, not a price list. It says your files are encrypted. It says servers and backups were encrypted or deleted. It says email attachments, photos, and correspondence were stolen. It says the crew will alert customers and post their data. It offers a free test decrypt of a few files. Then it says write to us for dialogue: zoomnism@protonmail.com. That is the whole costume. There is no printed ransom figure. There is no wallet. There is no Session ID. There is no onion address. This page will not invent those missing pieces.
Level sits in the Babuk family. That lineage is a matching hint, not a coupon. A Babuk-family locker is still a locker. It is not a “level up” adware page, not a forum rank, and not the old LevelNight nuisance. A folder of .level names plus Your Files Are Encrypted.txt plus zoomnism@protonmail.com is this strain. The generic note name is shared noise. The inbox and the extra ending are the match.
That is the whole pitch. A locked folder of .level names. A Your Files Are Encrypted.txt file that talks like a recovery brief. A leak story instead of a printed $. One Proton Mail address that is not Proton support. A free test decrypt used as bait. 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. There is no reason to pay a later figure a stranger invents to finish a note that never printed one.
The .level name is the first warning
Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. Level uses .level. The extra cruelty is how readable the listing stays. You do not have to decode anything. You can still see invoice.pdf inside invoice.pdf.level. You can still see photo.jpg inside photo.jpg.level. You can still see 1.jpg inside 1.jpg.level. The familiar words are still in the folder. The files are not familiar anymore.
Do not treat that readable name as a fix. Do not strip .level off the end and expect Photos or a PDF reader to open the file. Do not run a bulk “extension fixer” you found in an ad. 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. 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 extra ending also does advertising. Anyone who sees photo.jpg.level next to Your Files Are Encrypted.txt can pretend they already have your case. A later fake helper will quote the extension 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.
Search will also fight you here. The word level is ordinary English. It is a rank, a slider, a game stage, a “level up” pitch. Old pages about LevelNight adware and Level-smooth redirects will crowd the results. Those are different animals. A browser nuisance that uses the word level is not a folder of .level names. Do not mix the two when you search, when you write a report, or when a stranger quotes the word level at you.
Your Files Are Encrypted.txt is a sales floor, not a help file
The ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like a status dump. Your Files Are Encrypted.txt wants the first click after the panic. Plenty of real software drops a text file when something breaks. This one uses that habit against you. It is meant to be the first English you can still read when the photos will not open.
Double-clicking it opens Notepad. 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. The filename is built to look like paperwork. YOUR FILES. ARE ENCRYPTED. A .txt ending Windows already trusts. 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 encrypted note” when you write the incident down. Copy Your Files Are Encrypted.txt the way you would copy a serial off a stolen laptop. That string is how a responder matches this locker only when it sits next to .level names and zoomnism@protonmail.com. Alone, the filename is shared noise. It is not a coupon you redeem by mailing that inbox.
A generic note name is still this locker
Plenty of older lockers drop a file called Your Files Are Encrypted.txt. That overlap is on purpose. A generic name makes a rushed search feel like you already know the crew. You do not. A shared flyer title is not a shared key. It is a costume a lot of shops reuse because it sorts near the top and sounds like a diagnosis.
If you search that note name by itself, you will hit years of unrelated pages. Some of those pages talk about other families. Some talk about adware. Some talk about nothing useful at all. Do not pick a random “encrypted.txt” guide and follow it because the filename matched. Match the extra ending. Match the inbox. A pile of .level files plus zoomnism@protonmail.com is Level. A pile of some other extra ending plus the same generic note name is a different shop.
Copycats love that confusion. They will paste the generic title and skip the inbox. They will paste the inbox and skip the extra ending. They will tell you this is “just the usual encrypted.txt ransomware” and then invent a wallet the published note never printed. Stay with what is actually on the disk. The generic title is bait. The unique marks are the match.
zoomnism@protonmail.com is checkout, not Proton support
The printed contact is zoomnism@protonmail.com. That is the aisle. A private inbox puts you in a room they own, on an account they can delete, with a thread they can screenshot and reuse. Email would feel like a ticket. This email is not a ticket. It is how a locked photo becomes a negotiation.
The address sits on Proton Mail. That is not Proton support. Proton did not lock invoice.pdf.level. Proton did not drop Your Files Are Encrypted.txt. A criminal shop rented a mailbox on a privacy host the same way other shops rent mailboxes on other hosts. Do not open Proton’s help page and paste the note. Do not write Proton and ask them to “reverse the encryption.” Do not treat the @protonmail.com ending as a safety seal. The host is a mailbox vendor. The local part is the shop.
Do not open a fresh mail account because the note said to. Do not send a test file to prove you are a real victim. Do not paste a folder listing into a new message. Do not argue about a price the flyer never printed. Those addresses belong to the people who locked the files. Writing them is the product. The handle is branding, the same way .level is branding. Anyone can stand up a lookalike inbox after a wave of locked folders. Writing the first message does not start a warranty. It starts a conversation you cannot enforce.
No printed $ is not kindness
The sample does not print a ransom figure. It does not print a Bitcoin amount. It does not print a wallet. It does not print a Session ID. It does not print an onion URL. That absence is not mercy. A printed $ would give you something to refuse in one sentence. A missing $ makes you write, and writing is how they name a figure later, in a thread they control.
Do not invent a dollar amount because other ransomware families print one. Do not invent a wallet because a comment said “they always want coin.” Do not invent a Session chat or an onion page because Babuk-family writeups you saw for other strains had those doors. This flyer named one inbox. It named a leak story. It named a test decrypt. It did not name a price. Leave the price uninvented.
The CISA StopRansomware Guide is blunt about this kind of squeeze. Paying does not ensure the files come back, does not ensure the systems are clean, and does not ensure anyone on the other side keeps a promise. That is still true when the first flyer skips the number. A later mail that names a figure is still a ransom. A later stranger who “already knows what Level charges” is still selling a report.
Servers and backups “encrypted or deleted” is a squeeze
The note claims servers and backups were encrypted or deleted. That line is meant to kill the last calm thought in the room: maybe the copies on the other box are fine. Maybe the USB is fine. Maybe last night’s backup job finished. The flyer answers those hopes in advance. Encrypted or deleted. Both. Either. You are not supposed to check. You are supposed to write.
Treat the claim as pressure, not as a lab result. Some crews do smash copies they can reach. Some crews only say they did. You cannot tell which story you are in from a text file. You can tell that the sentence exists to stop you from looking anywhere except zoomnism@protonmail.com. Do not plug in a backup “just to see” on the same infected machine. Checking is how an extra copy gets the same .level ending. Look from a clean system, later, with someone who is not reading the flyer out loud.
If a later helper quotes “they already deleted your backups” as proof they saw your case, they read the same note you did. That sentence is printed for everyone. It is not a private finding. Reciting it is not expertise. It is reading.
Stolen mail, photos, and correspondence is the second bill
The same flyer says email attachments, photos, and correspondence were stolen. That is the second bill. The first bill is the lock. The second bill is shame. You are supposed to picture a customer seeing an invoice, a partner seeing a photo, a family seeing a thread that was never meant to leave the machine. Then you are supposed to write before anyone else finds out.
A leak claim is still a claim. Some crews exfiltrate. Some crews only threaten. The note does not prove which one happened. It does not attach a sample of your mail. It does not show a customer list. It does not need to. The fear does the work. Do not mail zoomnism@protonmail.com to “confirm what they have.” Asking is how they collect more. Do not send a screenshot of the stolen-mail sentence as if that were a ticket number. They wrote that sentence. They already have it.
If this is a company machine, tell counsel and your incident lead that the flyer claims theft of mail and files, not only encryption. That is a report item. It is not a reason to start a dialogue with the people who wrote the threat. If this is a home PC, tell the people whose photos and mail lived on it. Change passwords from a clean device. Watch bank and email alerts. Opening that inbox to bargain over a leak is still checkout.
Alerting customers and posting data is the leak pitch
The note says the crew will alert customers and post their data. That is the leak pitch in plain language. No onion site is printed. No leak-blog URL is printed. No victim $ is printed. The threat is the product. You are supposed to imagine the post, then pay whatever number arrives in the next mail to stop it.
Do not hunt for a hidden leak site because other Babuk-family jobs used one. This flyer did not print one. Do not invent a victim dollar figure because leak posts in other cases showed one. This flyer did not print one. A stranger who sends you an onion link “for Level” is adding a door the published note never named. A stranger who names a victim payout is adding a price the published note never named. Both extras are sales.
Silence toward that inbox is not the same as ignoring a real legal duty. Counsel can still decide what a company must tell customers. That decision does not run through zoomnism@protonmail.com. The people who locked the files do not get to be your notification desk.
A free test decrypt is bait
The sample offers a free test decrypt of a few files. That line is supposed to feel like a sample counter in a shop. Send two or three locked files. Get them back. Then trust the rest of the purchase. It is still bait. A demo that unlocks one file you sent them only proves they can open a file they already control, or a file they locked in the first place. It does not prove photo.jpg.level will open after a payment they have not even named yet.
Do not send a “small” file because it looks worthless. A small file can still hold a password list, a scan of a passport, a customer sheet, or a photo you cannot put back in the bottle. Do not send invoice.pdf.level to prove the lock is real. They already chose the extra ending. They already chose the note name. A test decrypt is how a leak note becomes a thread. The thread is where a figure finally appears. That is the point of the free offer.
A later “helper” will copy the same move. They will ask for two files, unlock a junk sample they already had, then name a price. That is still the same market. The published flyer already offered the demo. You do not need a second shop to repeat it. Decline both.
Write to us for dialogue is the aisle
The closer on the sample is the line that says write to us for dialogue: zoomnism@protonmail.com. Dialogue sounds adult. Dialogue sounds like a negotiation between two sides. There are not two sides. There is a locked folder and a mailbox they own. Writing is the remaining step in their script. The leak story, the backup claim, and the free test decrypt all point at that one line.
Do not write to “set a tone.” Do not write to “buy time.” Do not write to ask what it costs, because the missing $ is how they get the first message. Do not write to ask whether Proton will help, because Proton is not the shop. Do not write to ask whether this is really Babuk-family Level, because a criminal inbox is not a strain-ID desk. Copy the address into an incident record. Then leave it alone.
If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not send the test files they asked for. Do not answer a follow-up that finally names a figure. Do not pay a deposit to “hold the original deal” for anyone who quotes the note. A calm address is still the people who locked the files.
Babuk-family Level is not a “level up” nuisance
Level is a Babuk-family locker. That matters for matching, and it matters for what you should not confuse it with. Babuk-family jobs are file lockers with leak theater. They are not a toolbar. They are not a forum rank. They are not a “level up your PC” adware page. They are not LevelNight. They are not a level-smooth redirect. If your search history is full of those older hits, close them. They will not open 1.jpg.level.
Family lineage also does not give you a key. A public decryptor that existed for some other Babuk-related sample is not automatically a key for this one. Do not feed invoice.pdf.level to a random “Babuk decryptor” you found in an ad. Do not run a builder a stranger labeled as a family tool. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one for these .level files, treat any site that says “we already have the Level key” as a second sales pitch.
The match on disk is simple. Extra ending .level. Note named Your Files Are Encrypted.txt. Contact zoomnism@protonmail.com. Leak talk. Test decrypt. No printed $. If a later message adds a wallet, a Session ID, an onion, or a victim dollar figure, that message is adding inventory. It is not completing a sentence the original flyer left blank by accident.
How The Attack Works
The shop is simple once you stop reading it as a rescue. Lock the files. Brand the names with .level. Drop a generic encrypted.txt flyer. Claim the servers and backups are gone. Claim the mail and photos were stolen. Promise to alert customers and post the data. Offer a free test decrypt. Point the scared person at zoomnism@protonmail.com. Skip the printed $. Then wait for someone else to sell a wallet, a chat ID, or a fake Babuk key.
1. The lock keeps the old name so you recognize the loss
Level encrypts the files it wants as leverage, then appends .level. That is why 1.jpg is still readable as 1.jpg.level, and why invoice.pdf is still readable as invoice.pdf.level. The operators want you to inventory the damage in seconds. They want you to see the photo, the invoice, and the first image in one glance. A coded filename can confuse you. A readable filename makes you feel the theft.
If only one folder looks wrong, do not assume the rest of the disk is safe. Ransomware walks trees. It hits Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Downloads, and any drive letter it can reach, including a USB stick you forgot was plugged in. Unplug extra disks. Do not plug in a copy “just to check.” Checking is how the extra copy gets the same .level ending.
Double-clicking a renamed file does not bring the photo back. The thumbnail may already look broken. A PDF reader may ask for a document that is still sitting in the same folder, only the bytes inside are no longer a PDF. That broken open is the first proof. The second proof is the extra ending. Together they are enough. You do not need to mail zoomnism@protonmail.com to confirm what you are looking at.
2. Your Files Are Encrypted.txt turns a break-in into a ticket
Once the names are branded, the malware needs a voice. Your Files Are Encrypted.txt is that voice. It sits in the same folders as the locked files so the first sort puts help next to harm. On many machines a text file sorts near the top, especially with a name that starts with Your. You open it because it looks like the only thing that still speaks English.
The body is long enough to feel like a briefing and short enough to finish before a relative walks into the room. Encrypted. Servers and backups gone. Mail and photos stolen. Customers will be told. Data will be posted. A few files can be tested for free. Write for dialogue. Each beat closes a door. The shout closes “maybe Windows just glitched.” The backup line closes “maybe last night’s copy is fine.” The stolen-mail line closes “maybe this is only a lock.” The test decrypt closes “maybe I should wait overnight” by handing you a next step that looks harmless.
Notice what the note does not give you. It does not give you a company, a refund policy, or a way to prove the other side will ever send a key. It does not give you a printed $. It does not give you a wallet. It does not give you a Session ID. It does not give you an onion URL. It gives you a tone that says this is already decided. That tone is the product. Read the file as a sales flyer. Then close it. Keep it on disk.
3. The leak story does the quoting a price tag would do
Plenty of lockers print a number up front. This one prints a leak. Servers and backups encrypted or deleted. Attachments, photos, and correspondence stolen. Customers will be alerted. Data will be posted. Those sentences do the same job a $ figure does. They remove the last excuse for delay. You do not have to “ask what it costs.” You already know the cost is supposed to be humiliation. The remaining step, in their script, is the mail.
A leak note also travels well. It is easy to repeat in a family group. It is easy to treat like a legal emergency that only the crew can stop. It is easy to round into “maybe we should just talk to them.” Talking is still a payment in slow motion. It still funds the next copy of the same locker. It still does not produce a warranty. The CISA StopRansomware Guide does not carve out an exception for lockers that forgot to print a dollar sign.
Do not let a missing number become a reason to start the thread “just to learn the price.” Learning the price is checkout. The published flyer left the $ out. Leave it out.
4. The stolen-mail claim makes you feel already exposed
After the lock, the flyer moves to mail, photos, and correspondence. That is not extra color. It is how a locked Documents folder becomes a personal crisis. A tax PDF is bad. A stolen inbox is worse, in attacker math, because you can imagine the next morning. You are supposed to write before breakfast.
Do not send those same attachments to zoomnism@protonmail.com as “proof of life.” Do not forward a customer thread so they can “see what they already have.” If they already stole the mail, they do not need you to resend it. If they did not, you are handing it over. Either way, the test is theirs. Decline it.
Keep one copy of the note as evidence that the theft claim was part of the flyer. That sentence belongs in the incident record. It does not belong in a reply.
5. The free test decrypt is how they start the thread
The recovery step that looks kind is the free test decrypt of a few files. Kindness is a tactic. A few files sounds like a sample, a proof, a way to see if the other side is real. The other side already locked the folder. They do not need to prove they can lock. They need you to attach something and hit send.
Once a file leaves your machine toward that inbox, the conversation has a body. They can reply with a figure. They can reply with a deadline they never printed. They can reply with a wallet the original note never named. They can reply with a second address. They can ignore you. All of those outcomes start with the “free” demo. Do not pay for the rest of a purchase that began as a free test. Do not start the purchase.
If a later broker says they will run the test decrypt “for you” so you never have to write zoomnism@protonmail.com yourself, that is still the same funnel. Brokers need a sample. Samples are how leak notes become payments. Keep the locked files on disk. Do not mail them to anyone who quotes the flyer.
6. zoomnism@protonmail.com is the door they want you to walk through
The recovery step in the sample is mail. Write to us for dialogue: zoomnism@protonmail.com. That is the whole door. It looks like support because support uses email. Criminal shops use email too, because a thread is where a leak becomes a negotiation and a locked photo becomes a sample they asked you to attach.
Do not write that inbox. Do not create a throwaway account “just to see.” Do not send a screenshot of Explorer to prove the lock. They already chose the extension. They already chose the note name. A photo of Your Files Are Encrypted.txt sitting next to invoice.pdf.level does not make you a verified customer. It makes you a person still following the flyer.
Do not write Proton either. The mailbox host is not the incident desk. A Proton Mail address is not a Proton product. It is not a Proton recovery tool. If someone later says they will “talk to Level for you” through that same address, that is a broker pitch. Brokers need you in the same funnel. You do not owe them a seat. Report the incident through official desks. Let counsel decide if contact is ever required for a specific legal reason. That decision is not yours to make from the Documents folder at midnight.
7. Third parties will sell a Level conversation
After a ransomware incident, search results fill up with companies that say they can decrypt Level or “all .level files.” Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote Your Files Are Encrypted.txt so they sound close to the case. They will mention Babuk. They will mention zoomnism@protonmail.com as if they already called the original crew. They will ask for a sample file, a remote-access session, or a deposit.
A demo that “unlocks one file” is not proof they can unlock the photo. Anyone can open one junk file they control. Anyone can send you a wallet string that makes an exchange window appear. An exchange window is not Photos opening photo.jpg again. If a later message skips the original inbox and asks for coin over ordinary mail, that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. Do not answer. Do not help them set a wallet the published note never printed. Do not help them invent a Session ID or an onion the published note never printed.
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 mailed sample to zoomnism@protonmail.com. 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 Level key” as a second sales pitch. Treat any site that says “we level up your files” as a different nuisance in the same search results.
8. 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 a later figure and disappear. They can send a string that only makes a decryptor show an error. They can post the data they claimed to hold. They can come back later and lock the same machine again. A mail thread makes that outcome easier, not harder. You cannot leave a review on a criminal inbox.
Mailing zoomnism@protonmail.com 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 the rest of the disk still needs a real plan. It also confirms a live mailbox for a leak note that never even printed a $.
If this is a company machine, 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 inbox again is not useful work. It is the checkout, even when the flyer left the price blank on purpose.
What To Do If Your Files End in .level
Do not mail zoomnism@protonmail.com. That address is not Proton support. Do not invent a wallet, a Session ID, an onion, or a victim $ to finish Your Files Are Encrypted.txt. Do not send a test file for their free decrypt. Do not pay a later figure a stranger names because the original note skipped the number. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not pay a deposit to “hold the original deal” for anyone who quotes the leak note.
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 .level name exactly as it is. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.level back to 1.jpg, or photo.jpg.level back to photo.jpg, or invoice.pdf.level back to a normal PDF. Stripping the extra ending is not a repair. It can make a later trusted tool worse, not better. The original name is already sitting in front of .level. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost.
Keep Your Files Are Encrypted.txt with the locked files, and keep at least one .level sample next to it. Do not “clean up” every copy of the note. The generic title is shared with older lockers. The inbox is not. Keep the contact marks as identifiers: zoomnism@protonmail.com, the servers-and-backups line, the stolen mail and photos line, the customer-alert line, and the free test decrypt. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.
Do not mail that inbox. Do not ask a friend to write them “just to see.” Do not treat the Proton Mail ending as a help desk. A leak note with no printed $ is still a ransom note. A calm address is still the people who locked the files. If a later message quotes Your Files Are Encrypted.txt and offers “the real wallet,” 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. Do not pay this leak note.
If someone claims they can already decrypt Level files for a fee because they can recite Babuk and zoomnism@protonmail.com, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention the generic encrypted.txt name as proof they “already know this family,” they read a filename a lot of crews reuse. If they confuse this locker with a “level up” adware page or a forum rank, they are not looking at your folder. Do not answer. Do not complete their checkout. Do not help them invent a price the flyer never printed.
If Windows still offers to pick an app for the .level type, decline it. There is no player for that ending.
The Bottom Line
Level ransomware is a Babuk-family locker with a readable filename, a generic encrypted.txt flyer, and a leak note that never prints a $. It keeps the old name and appends .level. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.level. invoice.pdf becomes invoice.pdf.level. photo.jpg becomes photo.jpg.level. The note is Your Files Are Encrypted.txt. It claims servers and backups were encrypted or deleted. It claims email attachments, photos, and correspondence were stolen. It says it will alert customers and post their data. It offers a free test decrypt of a few files. Then it says write to us for dialogue: zoomnism@protonmail.com. That inbox is not Proton support. There is no printed wallet. There is no Session ID. There is no onion. There is no victim $. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain.
Do not mail that inbox. Do not send a test file. Do not invent a wallet. Do not pay this leak note. Do not rename the pile in bulk. Do not confuse Babuk-family Level with a “level up” adware page. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .level, plus Your Files Are Encrypted.txt that points at zoomnism@protonmail.com, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone offers to fill in a price the flyer left out.
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.
