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In this article we are going to try and help you remove А[email protected] Ransomware. Our instructions cover all Windows versions.

Simply put А[email protected] encrypts your files and is by far one of the worst threats on the Internet. This is one of the latest variants of ransomware that’s been distributed across the web, targeting users all over the globe. As a member of the ransomware family, the virus infiltrates your computer by exploiting certain vulnerabilities and then applies a strong encryption on some of the files stored on your machine. The encryption renders the files unreadable by any program and thus – useless. Once the process is complete, you are then prompted to pay ransom for a decryption key, which the hackers promise to send once you’ve transferred the requested amount of money. In some cases they might even try to scare the victims into paying by not allowing them any time to think properly. This may be done by threats of doubling or even tripling the ransom unless it’s paid before a given deadline. Alternatively, the hackers might even threaten to destroy the key or delete your files, leaving you robbed of your precious information irreversibly. You have done the right thing by seeking out this page, if you’ve been infected by the dreaded malware. We have provided a guide that will help you remove А[email protected] from your system, but we have also included several steps that may possibly allow you to recover the affected data. Please keep in mind that it may not be possible to restore all of your files, but do know that it is by all means worth giving a try.

How А[email protected] Virus Ransomware operates

As pointed out, the virus exploits vulnerabilities in your system to enter it and does so without being noticed. There are practically no symptoms that would reveal a ransomware infection, not counting the very rare exceptions, when the victim’s processor isn’t all too powerful and there’s a large amount of data stored on the device. In a case like this, the encryption process will slow your computer down tremendously, due to the amount of resources that are required. A sure way of stopping the ransomware dead in its tracks is by checking your Task Manager and sorting the processes by CPU/RAM usage. А[email protected] or another program of this sort will typically be at the top of the list. Should this be the case, you must immediately shut down your PC and contact a professional technician. Do not attempt to switch your machine back on by yourself, as this will most likely allow the ransomware to complete what it had started.

Distribution

You are probably asking yourself where you went wrong and what happened that let А[email protected] onto your computer. Well, there are several possibilities that could have resulted in the infection, one of which (the most common one) is a malvertisement. This is an online ad in one of its usual forms, like a popup or banner that had been injected with a malicious script or had redirected you to a malicious website, from which the virus snuck into your system. The ad is more likely to have been on a murky site with very questionable content, although this isn’t necessarily a must. Another very common method for distributing ransomware is using Trojans to let them in. The Trojan, in turn, is most times sent via email within an infected attachment. The email itself may be an outright spam, but hackers have also developed rather elaborate techniques to trick people into believing the evil message is authentic. At times they may try to disguise their emails as messages from legitimate companies, such as popular online stores and such. Once the infected attached file has been opened, the Trojan is then free to download the ransomware. All of this happens without any indication whatsoever, which is also key to the success of both these malicious programs.

Prevention

With the most common distribution tactics in mind, it’s easy to come up with a logical defense strategy. For one, avoid clicking on any advertisements you see online, as the malicious ones look no different from the harmless ones. Be extremely cautious around newly received emails, especially if you are unfamiliar with the sender. If you have reason to suspect that something might be wrong, you’ll be better off deleting the email altogether without opening it. In addition, our advice is to have a functional anti-malware tool installed on your computer in order to detect and block any external threats, before they have a chance to infect you.

А[email protected] File Ransomware Removal

# 1

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Enter Windows Safe mode.

  • Win 7 Users: Restart your PC –> keep on clicking F8 –> In the subsequent Menu select Safe Mode with Networking.
  • Win 8 Users: Start Button –> Control Panel –> System and Security –> Administrative Tools –> System Configuration –> In the subsequent Menu select Safe Boot –>
  • Win 10 users: Start Menu –> Power Options Menu –> Hold down the SHIFT button while clicking on Restart –> Troubleshoot –> Advanced Options –> Startup Settings –> Restart –> In the subsequent Menu select Safe Mode with Networking.

# 2

Open Task Manager and locate any processes associated with А[email protected].

  • Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys simultaneously –> Processes Tab –> Select a suspicious process (use Google or ask us in the comments if you are not sure about a process) –> Right Click and Open File Location –> End the suspicious process in Task Manager –> Delete the Folders containing the suspicious files.

# 3

Open the Registry Editor and search for А[email protected].

  • Win 7 Users: Click Start and type regedit –> Enter –> Press CTRL + F buttons –> Type Cryp1 Virus in the search field.
  • Win 8/10 users: Start Button –> Choose Run –> type regedit –> Enter Press CTRL + F buttons –> Type А[email protected] in the search field.

# 4

Try to recover your files. First you will need System Restore.

  • Win 7 Users: Start button –> Type Windows System Restore –> Enter –> Open System Restore –> Select a Restore Point and revert to it.
  • Win 8 Users: Hold down the Windows key + Q –> Type Recovery –> Settings –> Choose the Recovery icon –> Open System Restore –> Select a Restore Point.
  • Win 10 Users: Start Menu –> Power Options Menu –> Hold down the SHIFT button while clicking on Restart –> Troubleshoot –> Advanced Options –> System Restore –> Select a Restore Point and apply it.

Secondly use program that can access your Shadow Copies.

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  • Use Google to find the official website of such a program and download it.
  • Use the program to select the file types and the hard drive locations you want the program to scan for.
  • Start the scan and keep in mind that it might take a while.
  • Once the scan has been completed just select the files you want to be recovered.

If you have questions or suggestions feel free to use our comments section!