NoBackups EXPOSED: .nobackups Files, README.TXT, and nobackups@mailum.com
Written by: Lapain Epuran
Published on:
You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The second shot should still be 2.png. The vacation picture should still be vacation.jpg. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf. Instead every familiar name has a long ID in braces and a second ending tacked on. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. A small text file named README.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 NoBackups. The .nobackups names and README.TXT are the tell.
Overview
NoBackups ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name and the old type, hangs a victim ID in braces, and writes .nobackups on the end. Then it drops README.TXT and talks like the only recovery desk left in the building. The note is a storefront. It shouts YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED. It tells you that you cannot decrypt anything yourself. It tells you the only way back is to buy a unique private key. It tells you to write to nobackups@mailum.com. It tells you to download Session messenger and find the operator with a long ID printed in quotes. The printed Session ID in the sample used for this page is 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029.
If you are staring at a pile of names that end in .nobackups 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.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. 2.png becomes 2.png.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. vacation.jpg becomes vacation.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. invoice-2026.pdf becomes invoice-2026.pdf.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. taxes.xlsx becomes taxes.xlsx.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. family.mp4 becomes family.mp4.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. You can still read what the file used to be. You cannot open it. Windows may call the type a NOBACKUPS 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 README.TXT into the same folders. README sounds like documentation. TXT sounds like something Windows already trusts. 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 short on purpose. YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED. Your files, documents, photos, databases and other important files are encrypted. You will not be able to decrypt it yourself. The only way to recover your files is to buy a unique private key. Only we can give you this key and only we can recover your files. To make sure that we have a decryptor and it works, you can send an email and decrypt one file for free, but this file must not be of any value. MAIL: nobackups@mailum.com. Session: download the Session messenger at getsession.org. You fined me: 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. Attention. Do not rename encrypted files.
That is the whole costume. There is no printed wallet. There is no onion site. There is no $ figure. There is no coin amount. The note does not need extra theater. A locked folder plus an inbox plus a Session ID is already a shop. 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 add that Session ID “just to see if they answer.”
The .nobackups name is the first warning
Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. This one uses .nobackups. The extra cruelty is how readable the listing still looks at the front. You can still see 1.jpg inside 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. You can still see the invoice year. You can still see the word taxes. 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 .nobackups off the end and expect Photos or Excel to open the file. Do not delete the braces and hope Windows “remembers” the JPEG. 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 vacation.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups next to README.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.
The ID in braces is branding, not a ticket
Between the old name and .nobackups sits a long string in braces. In the sample used for this page that string is {8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}. It looks like a product key. It looks like a case number. It looks like something a help desk would ask you to read over the phone. That is the point. The operators want the folder itself to feel like a ticket already opened on their side.
Your copy may show a different ID. That is normal. The pattern is the same: original name, a braced ID, then .nobackups. Do not treat your ID as a password you redeem by mailing nobackups@mailum.com. Do not paste it into Session as a greeting. Do not type it into a “decryptor” search box on a site you found in an ad. Copy it into the incident record the way you would copy a serial off a stolen laptop. Then leave the files alone.
If a later stranger recites {8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39} back to you, that is not proof they can reverse the lock. It is proof they saw a filename, or a screenshot of one. The ID is sitting in every locked name. Anyone can read it. Anyone can quote it. Quoting it does not unlock vacation.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups.
README.TXT is a sales floor, not a help file
The ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like leftover paperwork from an install. README.TXT wants the first click after the panic. Plenty of real software drops a readme. 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 furniture. README. A .TXT ending Windows already trusts. Furniture is easier to obey than a skull.
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 rename it to “the note” when you write the incident down. Copy README.TXT the way it sits. That string is how a responder matches this locker. It is not a coupon you redeem by mailing nobackups@mailum.com.
YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED is a shout, not a lab report
The first line of the sample is not a diagnosis. It is a headline. YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED 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 it so they sound close to your folder. Anyone can copy a headline. Copying YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED does not mean they can reverse .nobackups. It means they read the same note you did, or they read a screenshot of it.
If the shout is sitting in more than one folder, that is normal for this family. Lockers drop the same text in many places so you cannot miss it. Finding five copies is not five incidents. It is one incident with a loud flyer. Keep one clean copy as evidence. You do not need to open every copy. You do not need to compare them in mail to nobackups@mailum.com.
nobackups@mailum.com is the aisle
The note does not print a wallet. It prints a mailbox. nobackups@mailum.com is the product. Once you write there, a person can send a $ figure, a coin address, a file, a threat, or a new Session handle. The printed flyer can stay vague. The inbox is a live door.
That is why “there is no price, so I will email them to ask” is the wrong instinct. Asking is how a flyer with no $ amount becomes a real conversation. If the operators wanted a clean payment path on the page, they would have printed one. They printed a mailbox. Stay out of the mailbox.
Mailum is just the host on the address. It is not a recovery company. It is not a help desk. It is not a place that can force anyone to send a key. Writing to nobackups@mailum.com is writing to the people who locked the files, or to whoever is answering that inbox today. Either way, you are in their shop.
The Session ID is a door, not a ticket
The note also pushes Session messenger. It tells you to download the app from getsession.org. Then it says You fined me, and prints this ID in quotes: 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. That wording is sloppy. “Fined” is not “find.” Sloppy is not the same thing as undone. A typo does not decrypt 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups.
Do not add that Session ID. Do not install a messenger because a ransom note named it. Do not paste 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029 into a search box “just to see who it is.” Session is a second aisle next to the mailbox. Two aisles are not two rescue teams. They are two ways to start the same checkout.
If a later mail from nobackups@mailum.com says the Session ID changed, that is still the same shop. If a later stranger sends a different ID and claims the printed one is “expired,” that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. Keep the printed ID as evidence. Do not follow it as a contact card.
One free file is bait
The note offers a demo. Send an email and they will decrypt one file for free, but this file must not be of any value. That line is not kindness. It is a way to get you to attach a sample, confirm the mailbox is live, and start a thread while you are still scared. A junk file that opens again is not a promise the vacation photo will follow. Anyone who holds the key can unlock one throwaway. Anyone who does not hold the key can still stall you for days.
Do not send a test file to nobackups@mailum.com. Do not pick “a photo that does not matter.” If it lived on the disk, it is already part of the incident. If you already sent one before you found this page, stop there. Do not send a second. Do not send the ID in braces as a subject line. Do not send README.TXT back to them as if they lost their own flyer.
WannaCry-looking scanner names are labels, not a family tree
Some antivirus labels for this locker borrow WannaCry-family wording. You may see names in the shape of WannaCryptor, WannaCrypt, WNCryLdr, or Ransom:Win32/WannaCrypt.H. Those strings can look terrifying in a scan log. They are detection labels. They are not a statement that this campaign is the 2017 WannaCry worm, and this page is not going to claim that it is.
A family-looking name in a scanner is useful for a responder. It is not a decryptor. It is not a reason to download a “WannaCry unlocker” from an ad. It is not a reason to mail nobackups@mailum.com and say you already know what they used. If a later helper quotes WannaCryptor at you as proof they “already have the NoBackups key,” they read a scan label, or they read this kind of page. Do not pay them for the label.
No wallet and no $ price is still a shop
Plenty of lockers print a coin address and a number. This sample does not. There is no Bitcoin line. There is no onion checkout. There is no 0.5 BTC ask and no $980 line. That gap is not mercy. It is a shorter path to the inbox. Other families print a price so you can argue with the number. NoBackups skips the number and names the mailbox. You are supposed to feel that waiting is already a mistake, and that the only way to learn the bill is to write.
This page will not invent a wallet to finish the sentence. This page will not invent an onion site. This page will not invent a victim $ amount. If your copy of README.TXT has no price, it has no price. If a later reply invents a $ figure, that figure is still theirs. Do not convert it in your head into “not that much.” Do not pay it to “hold a 50% discount.” A missing number on the flyer is a reason to stay out of the checkout, not a puzzle you solve by emailing them.
How The Attack Works
1. The lock happens before the flyer
By the time you notice README.TXT, the damage is already in the files. The malware searches the disk for the usual pile: photos, documents, spreadsheets, databases, archives, video. It locks those objects. Then it rewrites the names. Then it drops the note. The note is late on purpose. A locked folder makes any flyer feel like the only remaining adult in the room.
That order matters when someone later says “if you write in the first hour we can still stop it.” The lock is already done. Mail does not un-encrypt taxes.xlsx.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. Session does not un-encrypt it either. The first hour is for isolating the machine, keeping the evidence, and getting away from their checkout. It is not for starting a thread.
2. The rename writes your ID into every filename
NoBackups does not hide the original name behind a coded mask. It keeps 1.jpg visible, then inserts a braced ID, then writes .nobackups. The documented pattern looks like 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups and 2.png.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. The same ID repeats across the folder so the listing feels like one case, one ticket, one operator who already “has you in the system.”
Windows still shows the old words, so people try the obvious move. They rename. They strip the extra ending. They drag the file onto Photos. They Google “how to open nobackups files” and land on a page that wants a $ deposit. None of that rebuilds the bytes. The readable front of the name is a courtesy the locker can afford because the lock is elsewhere.
3. README.TXT is dropped so the first readable English is the demand
The ransom note is a simple text file named README.TXT. It is meant to be the first thing you double-click when the folder already looks wrong. The name sounds like leftover install notes. The file is a script for what they want you to do next.
It tells you the important files are encrypted. It tells you that you cannot decrypt them yourself. It tells you the way back is a unique private key only they can give. It tells you the way to “make sure” is to send an email and get one worthless file back. Then it prints MAIL: nobackups@mailum.com and a Session ID. That order matters. Contact first. Then, maybe, a file they claim is a decryptor. There is no independent check in that chain. There is no third party who can force them to finish.
4. The note sells a unique private key
The sample says you will not be able to decrypt it yourself. The only way to recover your files is to buy a unique private key. Only we can give you this key and only we can recover your files. That is the helplessness pitch. If the key is unique, then their mail is the only aisle. If only they can recover the files, then Session starts to feel like a lifeline instead of a second trap.
Naming a private key is not the same as handing you a proof. It is also not a reason to start mailing samples into an inbox they own. A unique key, if it exists, lives on their side. Writing to them does not move it onto yours. Paying a $ amount they invent later does not create a warranty. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one, treat “unique private key” as sales copy.
5. The inbox is the checkout
A working ransomware shop usually prints a wallet that at least looks like a wallet. This campaign prints nobackups@mailum.com instead. The dangerous half of the checkout is not a missing coin line. It is the mailbox that still works even when the flyer names no $ figure. Once you write, a person can send a new address, a new amount, a new file, or a new threat.
That is why “I will just ask the price” is the same as paying attention to their store. Asking is how a flyer with no wallet becomes a live bill. If they wanted a printed payment path, they would have printed one. They printed an inbox. Stay out of the inbox.
6. Session is a second aisle
The note tells you to download Session messenger and find them with 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. Two contact methods feel like customer service. They are redundancy for the operator. If you refuse mail, they still want a chat. If mail filters their domain, they still want a messenger that is harder to watch.
Do not add that Session ID. Do not install the app because the note named getsession.org. A real recovery path does not begin with a messenger a locker told you to download after it locked the disk. Keep the ID in the incident record. Then leave it unused.
7. “One file for free” is a hook
The demo line is doing two jobs. It makes the shop feel testable. It also gets you to send a file from the locked disk to an inbox they control. “Must not be of any value” is a way to make the first send feel safe. Safe for whom. Not for you. For them, a first attachment is a live victim, a sample, and a thread they can price later.
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 screenshot of a JPEG. A screenshot is not Photos opening vacation.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups again. Do not send the test. Do not pay a $ deposit to “unlock three more.”
8. “Do not rename” is a useful caution in the wrong mouth
The note ends with Attention. Do not rename encrypted files. Part of that warning is self-serving. The authors want you talking to them, not bulk-editing the evidence. Part of it is still a useful caution in the wrong mouth. Mystery “one-click decrypt” apps from ads can damage files. The safe reading is narrower than the note wants. Do not take technical advice from the attacker. Do not run a paid unlocker from a search ad. Do not rename the pile.
Leave 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups exactly as it is. Leave README.TXT exactly as it is. The original name is already sitting in front of the ID. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost.
9. WannaCry-looking detections are not a family tree
Scan logs may show WannaCryptor-style names. Avast-style labels in the WNCryLdr shape. ESET-style Win32/Filecoder.WannaCryptor.D. Kaspersky-style Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Wanna.zbu. Microsoft-style Ransom:Win32/WannaCrypt.H. Those detections can look like the old WannaCry family. Looking like a family in a scanner is not the same as being that worm. Do not download a 2017 “WannaCry decryptor” and run it on these files. The wrong tool can make a later trusted recovery worse.
Use the scan label as a breadcrumb for a responder. Use the folder as the identification: names ending in .nobackups, a braced ID, and README.TXT pointing at nobackups@mailum.com. That triad is the strain. The scanner nickname is not.
10. Third parties will sell a NoBackups conversation
After a ransomware incident, search results fill up with companies that say they can decrypt NoBackups or “all .nobackups files.” Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote README.TXT so they sound close to the case. They will mention nobackups@mailum.com as if they already called the original crew. They will mention the Session ID. They will mention WannaCryptor. They will ask for a sample file, a remote-access session, or a $ deposit.
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 nobackups@mailum.com. It does not need you to add 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. 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 NoBackups key” as a second sales pitch.
11. 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 the money and disappear. They can send a tool that only unlocks a few files. 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. You cannot get a 100% refund from Session.
Mailing nobackups@mailum.com is the free version of the same dead end. 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. Adding the Session ID is the same dead end with a different app icon. There is a 0% warranty in that checkout, no matter what $ figure they invent after you say hello.
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 printed no wallet and no price.
What To Do If Your Files End in .nobackups
Do not email nobackups@mailum.com. Do not add Session ID 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. Do not send a “test file.” Do not invent a wallet, an onion site, or a $ amount to finish README.TXT. Do not pay. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not pay a $ deposit to “hold the price” for anyone who quotes the 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 .nobackups name exactly as it is. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to 1.jpg, or 2.png.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to 2.png, or vacation.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to a photo, or invoice-2026.pdf.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to a normal PDF, or taxes.xlsx.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to a spreadsheet, or family.mp4.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups back to a video. 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 the ID. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost.
Keep README.TXT with the locked files. Keep at least one .nobackups sample. Do not “clean up” every copy of the note. The contact marks are how you prove this was this strain and not a different locker that only sounds similar: nobackups@mailum.com, the Session ID 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029, the YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED shout, and the braced ID in the filenames. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.
Do not email that inbox. Do not add that Session ID. Do not ask a friend to write them “just to see.” A calm address is still the people who locked the files. If a later message quotes README.TXT and offers “the real wallet,” that is still the same shop. If a later message skips the original inbox and asks for a $ figure 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 NoBackups files for a fee because they can recite WannaCryptor and nobackups@mailum.com, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention Session ID 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029 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 .nobackups type, decline it. There is no player for that ending.
The Bottom Line
NoBackups ransomware is a locker with a braced victim ID, a .nobackups ending, and a readme that talks like a recovery desk. It keeps the old name, inserts an ID, and appends .nobackups. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. 2.png becomes 2.png.{8D481C6A-6737-CEC5-0D54-A8AAE232AC39}.nobackups. The note is README.TXT. It shouts YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED, sells a unique private key, points you at nobackups@mailum.com, and tells you to find them in Session with 0521cec653f519982a9af271f7ada8a41df1874549be9df509f6e8e0f2f53bb029. There is no printed wallet. There is no onion site. There is no victim $ amount on the flyer. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Scanner names can look like the WannaCry family. That is a label. It is not a reason to run a random unlocker, and it is not a claim that this campaign is that worm.
Do not email nobackups@mailum.com. Do not add that Session ID. Do not pay. Do not rename the pile in bulk. Keep README.TXT and a .nobackups sample. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .nobackups, plus README.TXT with nobackups@mailum.com and that Session ID, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone in that inbox names a $ figure.
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.
