Vzwpix email virus (Removal Instructions) - Free Guide

Vzwpix email virus Removal Guide

What is Vzwpix email virus?

Vzwpix email virus is malware that can infect the host after clicking on a fake Varizon message

Vzwpix email virusThe email virus is a malicious email that would install malware on users' machines

Vzwpix email virus is a trick used by malicious actors to make users install malware on their device. In most cases, users receive a message from an email address, which consists of a spoofed ten-digit phone number followed up by @vztext.com. Initially, users might believe that the email consists of a picture attachment due to its name (for example, 8400587498Img_Picture),[1] although in reality, it is a Zip file, with an obfuscated executable (exe) format.

Once clicked, the Vzwpix email virus can infect the machine immediately, as executables run a set of commands on the computer immediately. There are countless of various malware that could be extracted, depending on what the attackers compiled in the background. For this reason, it is important to familiarize yourself with email scam not to infect your machine with malicious programs.

Name Vzwpix email virus
Type Phishing email/malware
Operation Users receive an email from an address that contains a phone number and @vzwpix. Inside, they can find an attachment that is presented as a picture but is actually an obfuscated .exe file that would infect the host with malware
Attachment name 8400587498Img_Picture.jpeg.exe, MG_20180604_124758075.jpg (may vary)
Operating system Windows
Associated malware The malware that is extracted from the malicious .exe file can vary in type and can be one of the following: Remote Access Trojan (RAT), ransomware, backdoor, rootkit, spyware, etc.
Removal Perform a full system scan with reputable anti-malware software
System fix In case your Windows machine does not operate well after malware elimination (crashes, errors, lag, etc.), download and install PC repair software FortectIntego

Malicious actors are creative and are always looking for new ways to infect users with malware. Most of the infections occur after users are tricked by a convincing phishing attempt – be it a carefully crafted email or message on a random malicious website.

They are also keen on imitating or abusing legitimate services in order to fulfill their goal and, since users are generally familiar with those, they download and install malware without giving it a second thought (for example, Calendar virus is still popular, where hackers inject events into users' calendars and prompt them to visit malicious websites). On the other hand, some scam schemes are extremely well crafted and difficult to differentiate – such is Vzwpix.com email scam.

The site is a legitimate multimedia messaging service (picture and video messaging) provided by tech giant Verizon, which based in the U.S. The service allows users to send emails via their phones, so it includes sender's number. Since the service is very widespread, bad actors are also abusing it – they imitate the original email address by using a well-known technique called email spoofing.[2]

The email can include a variety of different themes, such as somebody pretending to send you information about the delivery item, or a receipt, or something similar. In many cases, threat actors behind the Vzwpix email virus use social engineering in order to make users think that the message is real.

Since users believe that the attachment is a picture, they double-click the file, which results in malicious code execution – it contacts a remote server to download the final payload, and it can be anything. As a result, users may suffer from the following damaging activities:

  • Financial losses due to banking malware;
  • Permanent loss of pictures, videos, documents, and other data on the machine due to ransomware infection;
  • Personal details compromise (credit card information, social security number, etc.);
  • Identity theft;
  • Inclusion into a botnet (the infected machine begins to send spam automatically);
  • Infiltration of other malware, etc.

Thus, to check whether this suspicious email is not a scam, you should verify the provided phone number – it should be from somebody you know, and the body of the email should also make sense. If you have any doubts, you should not open the attachments clipped to the email – or at least scan them with reputable anti-malware software/online service like Virus Total.

If you were unlucky and got yourself infected with malware, Vzwpix email virus removal should be performed without any delays, as the aforementioned consequences of malware infection could be devastating to any computer user.

To remove the email virus safely, download and install powerful anti-malware software and perform a full system scan. For that, you might also need to access Safe Mode with Networking, as we explain below. Finally, if you experience any side effects after the virus elimination, we suggest fixing the machine with the help of repair tools such as FortectIntego.

Vzwpix email scamThe dangerous email is a scam that asks users to open contaminated email attachments

Learn to recognize phishing emails to avoid malware infections

Spam email attachments are one of the leading causes for consumer and corporate infections of malware. The method is relatively old and yet remains one of the main attack vectors for cybercriminals. According to calculations, almost 90% of all malware is delivered precisely via spam emails,[3] whether it would be malicious attachments or hyperlinks. The payload may vary, although most commonly, banking trojans like Emotet, Trickbot, and Zeus are delivered to unsuspecting victims.

Therefore, it is important to be vigilant when dealing with emails on a daily basis, especially if you are a corporate employee. Opening an attachment will not be visible for the victim, although malware can get into the host machine and then into other computers connected to the same networks, harvesting valuable credentials and breaking in the company's systems.

Note that email spoofing is a very common technique used in these phishing emails. In most cases, users will see an original email address, despite it being fake, and they might also see a commonly used company name or the name of the CEO/company managers.

Thus, even if the email looks legitimate but includes an attachment, it is best to check it with anti-malware software or online tools like Virus Total. Additionally, before clicking on links, hover your mouse over it to see the actual destination URL in the bottom-left corner of the window (or on top of it, depending on the app).

Get rid of the email virus in a simple way

As mentioned above, malware distributed to users may vary, so Vzwpix email virus removal can also depend on that. First of all, it is important to note that if you did not double-click the suspicious file attached to the email, your machine did not get infected (this also applies to embedded hyperlinks). However, once the executable is launched, it is highly likely to succeed with malware infiltration via a remote server.

To remove the email virus from the system, you should employ powerful security software – we recommend using SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes, although other reputable vendors should suffice as well. Most importantly, you should ensure that your anti-malware is fully updated, since new versions on malware are released every day, and definitions are also updated accordingly by AV developers.

Some malware might attempt to turn off your security software or even try to corrupt it. Thus, if your security software is struggling to get rid of the Vzwpix com email virus, you should access Safe Mode with Networking to ensure prompt elimination. Once there, initiate a full system scan, so all the malicious components can be terminated for good.

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What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of Vzwpix email virus. Follow these steps

Manual removal using Safe Mode

You can access Safe Mode in case the malware is tampering with your security software:

Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.

Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking

Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment. 

Windows 7 / Vista / XP
  1. Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
  2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. – it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
  3. Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list. Windows 7/XP
Windows 10 / Windows 8
  1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
    Settings
  2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
    Update and security
  3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
  4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
  5. Click Restart now.
    Reboot
  6. Select Troubleshoot. Choose an option
  7. Go to Advanced options. Advanced options
  8. Select Startup Settings. Startup settings
  9. Press Restart.
  10. Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking. Enable safe mode

Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes

Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details.
    Open task manager
  3. Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
  4. Right-click and select Open file location.
    Open file location
  5. Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
    End task
  6. Delete the contents of the malicious folder.

Step 3. Check program Startup

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Go to Startup tab.
  3. Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
    Startup

Step 4. Delete virus files

Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:

  1. Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
    Disk cleanup
  2. Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
  3. Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:

    Temporary Internet Files
    Downloads
    Recycle Bin
    Temporary files

  4. Pick Clean up system files.
    Delete temp files
  5. You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):

    %AppData%
    %LocalAppData%
    %ProgramData%
    %WinDir%

After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.

Remove Vzwpix email using System Restore

System Restore can also work sometimes when trying to eliminate the infection:

  • Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
    Windows 7 / Vista / XP
    1. Click Start Shutdown Restart OK.
    2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
    3. Select Command Prompt from the list Select 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt'

    Windows 10 / Windows 8
    1. Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
    2. Now select Troubleshoot Advanced options Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
    3. Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window. Select 'Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt'
  • Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
    1. Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter. Enter 'cd restore' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    2. Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again.. Enter 'rstrui.exe' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    3. When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of Vzwpix email. After doing that, click Next. When 'System Restore' window shows up, select 'Next' Select your restore point and click 'Next'
    4. Now click Yes to start system restore. Click 'Yes' and start system restore
    Once you restore your system to a previous date, download and scan your computer with FortectIntego and make sure that Vzwpix email removal is performed successfully.

Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Vzwpix email and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes

How to prevent from getting spam tools

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.

Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important – recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

About the author
Ugnius Kiguolis
Ugnius Kiguolis - The mastermind

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References
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