Nitrogen Ransomware - How to remove

In 2023, the world was introduced to a new and dangerous ransomware family – Nitrogen. Developed by a group of hackers known as APT34 (Advanced Persistent Threat 34), operating out of Russia, this malicious software has caused significant financial losses and disruptions across various industries.

Origins and Links to Other Ransomware Families

Nitrogen ransomware was first discovered by cybersecurity researchers at CyberVista Labs. It has been linked to other high-profile malicious software such as Maze, Ryuk, and REvil ransomware families.

The average ransom demanded by Nitrogen is approximately $5 million, causing significant disruptions across industries including healthcare, finance, and government agencies. As of 2025, there is currently no known method to decrypt data encrypted by Nitrogen ransomware without paying the ransom.

Nitrogen Ransomware Method of Delivery

Nitrogen ransomware is typically delivered through phishing emails containing malicious attachments or links. These emails are often disguised as legitimate communications from well-known companies or government agencies.

Once a system is compromised, the ransomware begins to encrypt files and demand ransoms from affected organizations. It spreads laterally within networks, infecting other systems.

The text file dropped, readme.txt, provides instructions how to contact its makers through TOR network and negotiate for decryptor.

The ransom text looks like this :

What’s happened?

Your corporate network has been encrypted. And that’s not all – we studied and downloaded a lot of your data, many of them have confidential status.
If you ignore this incident, we will ensure that your confidential data is widely available to the public. We will make sure that your clients and partners know about everything, and attacks will continue. Some of the data will be sold to scammers who will attack your clients and employees.

What’s next?

You must contact us via qTox to make a deal. To install qTox follow the following instructions:
1. Follow the link to the official release and download the installation file.
hxxps://github.com/qTox/qTox/releases/download/v1.17.6/setup-qtox-x86_64-release.exe
2. Open and install setup-qtox-x86_64-release.exe
3. Double-click the qTox shortcut on your desktop.
4. In the username field, enter the name of your company.
5. Create your password and enter it in the password field.
6. Enter your password again in the confirm field
7. Click the “Create Profile” button.
8. In the Add Friends window, in the ToxID field, enter this:

74773DBD4085BA39A1643CFA561488124771B E839961793DA10245560E1F2D3A3DBD566445E8

then click the “Send friend request” button
9. Wait for technical support to contact you.

Advantages of dealing with us:

1. We will not mention this incident.
2. You will receive a recovery tool for all your systems that have been encrypted.
3. We guarantee that there will be no data leakage and will delete all your data from our servers.
4. We will provide a security report and give advice on how to prevent similar attacks in the future.
5. We will never attack you again.

What not to do:

Do not attempt to change or rename any files – this will render them unrecoverable. Do not make any changes until you receive the decryption tool to avoid permanent data damage.

Current Nitrogen Investigations and Penalties

Law enforcement agencies around the world have been actively investigating Nitrogen ransomware attacks. In 2024, the FBI managed to seize $2.3 million worth of Bitcoin associated with a high-profile Nitrogen ransomware attack on a U.S. hospital. Several individuals and organizations have been indicted for their involvement in these attacks, facing fines, prison sentences, and asset seizures.

Nitrogen Ransomware Prevention Measures

To prevent Nitrogen ransomware infections, organizations are advised to implement multi-factor authentication, regularly patch systems, educate employees about phishing scams, and maintain up-to-date backups of critical data. Network segmentation can also help limit the spread of ransomware within a system.

In conclusion, Nitrogen ransomware is a significant threat to organizations worldwide. By understanding its origins, impact, and prevention measures, we can take steps to protect ourselves from this dangerous malware.

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