How to remove and decrypt .encrypted file virus

If your files have a new .enctrypted extension, you are hit with ransomware. It indicates the data has been scrambled. Basically, any program can perform the encoding for any reason adding the above extension. However, the overwhelming majority of the cases deal with a particular ransomware. Its name is Cypt0L0cker, which is a slightly modified notorious CryptoLocker virus. Some cases are associated with another variety of ransomware called ZeroLocker.

.encrypted file virus

The latter, apart from performing the malicious encryption, is also known to malfunction in the sense of being unable to decrypt the data even if the ransom has been paid. The victims thus have no reason to pay the demanded amount and have no choice but resorting to ransom-free recovery routines.
This article deals with .encrypted ransomware. That implies it specifies a basic pattern of the infection that scrambles your data and demands payment to get the files back at your disposal.

Obviously, to launch the encryption, the Trojan needs to land on your PC. Theoretically, the encoding may run from a remote server, but that is not the case. The process executes from within your device. The program that performs it has been downloaded and installed on the host machine. The download occurs surreptitiously. It typically misleads users into opening a fake invoice or similar deceptive content. The opening either immediately spawns the ransomware installation or is followed by the invitation to run a macro to read the message properly.

In the latter case, the virus gets installed as the macro is run. IT security circles recommend disabling macro in MS Word to exclude the risk of .enctrypted virus infiltration using the corresponding vulnerability. The recommendation is rather questionable. Apply it at your discretion.

Understanding the way the ransomware propagates can hardly be appropriate if the activities prior to the immediate invasion remain obscure. The critical point is the malware developers first make it available to a great number of unrelated actors. The actors are not restricted whatsoever in the way to drop the viral bomb. True, the observations reveal the fake attachments serve as a prevailing infection vector. Other schemes may and do apply, though.

One way or another, the Trojan infiltrates a host machine. It installs itself using a range of smart workarounds. It needs the operation system to reboot. Otherwise, the installation cannot complete. To accelerate the process, it may cause critical system error inducing the required reboot.

Following the restart, the .enctrypted ransomware virus launches its scan. The scan excludes critical system files so that the system can survive. Any other data undergo strong encryption.

The victims are notified on the encryption and are prompted to pay the ransom amount, usually within 1 to 2 bitcoins. As stated above, that is not a reasonable outcome. Instead, if that is the case, remove .enctrypted ransom plague. The removal does not decode the affected files, but there are some smart routines outlined below enabling to retrieve the most recent available copies of the files hit by the virus.

Automatic removal of .encrypted ransomware and .encrypted files restoration

The benefits of using the automatic security suite to get rid of this infection are obvious: it scans the entire system and detects all potential fragments of the virus, so you are a few mouse clicks away from a complete fix.

  1. Download and install recommended malware security suite
  2. Select Start Computer Scan feature and wait until the utility comes up with the scan report. Proceed by clicking on the Fix Threats button, which will trigger a thorough removal process to address all the malware issues compromising your computer and your privacy.

Unlock .encrypted files

.encrypted file virus represents a unique category of malicious software whose attack surface reaches beyond the operating system and its components, which is why removing the virus itself is a part of the fix only. As it has been mentioned, it encrypts one’s personal information, so the next phase of the overall remediation presupposes reinstating the files that will otherwise remain inaccessible.

  • Launch data recovery software

    Similarly to the rest of its fellow-infections, .encrypted file virus most likely follows an operational algorithm where it erases the original versions of the victim’s files and actually encrypts their copies. This peculiarity might make your day, because forensics-focused applications like Data Recovery Pro are capable of restoring the information that has been removed. As the virus further evolves, its modus operandi may be altered – in the meanwhile, go ahead and try this.

  • Take advantage of Volume Shadow Copy Service

    This technique is based on using the native backup functionality that’s shipped with Windows operating system. Also referred to as Volume Snapshot Service (VSS), this feature makes regular backups of the user’s files and keeps their most recent versions as long as System Restore is on. This ransomware hasn’t been found to affect these copies therefore the restoration vector in question is strongly recommended. The two sub-sections below highlight the automatic and manual workflow.

  • a) Use Shadow Explorer

    Shadow Explorer is an applet that provides an easy way of retrieving previous versions of files and folders. Its pro’s include an intuitive interface where the computer’s entire file hierarchy is displayed within one window. Just pick the hard disk volume, select the object or directory to be restored, right-click on it and choose Export. Follow the app’s prompts to get the job done.Shadow Explorer

  • b) Use file properties

    Essentially, what the above-mentioned Shadow Explorer tool does is it automates the process that can otherwise be performed manually via the Properties dialog for individual files. This particular approach is more cumbrous but just as effective as its software-based counterpart, so you can proceed by right-clicking on a specific file, which has been encrypted by the .encrypted file virus, and selecting Properties in the context menu. The tab named Previous Versions is the next thing to click – it displays available versions of the file by date of the snapshot creation. Pick the latest copy and complete the retrieval by following the prompts.Previous Versions

  • Data backups work wonders

    Ransomware like this isn’t nearly as almighty and destructive in case you run regular file backups to the cloud or external data media. The virus itself can be completely removed in a matter of minutes, and the distorted information can then be just as easily recovered from the backup. Luckily, this is a growing trend, so ransom Trojans are hopefully going to become less subversive in the near future.

Verify thoroughness of the removal

Having carried out the instructions above, add a finishing touch to the security procedure by running an additional computer scan to check for residual malware activity

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