[email protected] is one of the longest ransomware names. As usual, this name reflects the extension added to the items ruined by the Trojan. The infection urges users to restore the damage it has caused. It issues a ransom note for this purpose. The message basically says that your data have been encrypted. That is why you cannot open any file with any software. To decrypt the affected data, a decryptor shall apply. This decryptor is basically a private key that the felons want you to buy.
[email protected] is the encryption-for-ransom threat. The infection will not release the key unless and until you purchase the decryptor as prompted. However, any payments effected do not guarantee the release of data. The crooks are well aware that they are criminals. That is why they hide their identity, while any communication is an extra chance for forensics to trace back the attack to its origin. That is one of the reasons why, even where the payment has been made, the victims may receive no decryptor in return.
Once inside a computer system, the malware reports to its remote server. Further attack unfolds in a fairly unusual manner. The malicious server attempts to gain direct access to the remote computer hacked by [email protected]. The attackers manually select the files to be encrypted. Besides, they examine the host in general and may adjust the ransom amount, as appropriate. The remote control by the crooks enables them to plot and implement further target attacks.
The ransom amount set by the crooks averages to 3 bitcoins. Converted to fiat currency, that would exceed 8,000 USD. Given that any payments to the crooks do not necessarily restore access to your data, the users concerned are advised to follow the ransomware-specific [email protected] removal and recovery guidance.
Automatic removal of Decrypt [email protected] ransomware
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.
- Download and install recommended malware security suite
- 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.
Restore files locked by Decrypt [email protected] virus
Decrypt [email protected] 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.
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Launch data recovery software
Similarly to the rest of its fellow-infections, Decrypt [email protected] 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.
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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. [email protected] virus 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.
- 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 [email protected] ransomware, 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.
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Data backups work wonders
Ransomware like [email protected] 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
