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In this article we are going to try and help you remove Cerber 4.1.5 Ransomware. Our instructions cover all Windows versions.
Cerber 4.1.5 Ransomware is among the worst types of infections that could ever target your computer. You’ve surely heard of the notorious viruses known as ransomware – well, this just happens to be a perfect example of this type of cyber-threat. It’s a nasty piece of programming and can prove devastating to both private persons and businesses, depending on the type of data that was stored on the infected machine. The reason ransomware is called that is because of the fact that it extorts money from people in exchange for their ‘kidnapped’ files. Obviously, the files aren’t actually stolen and taken away from your PC, they are “simply” encrypted. The extensions of the files are changed so that no program can read them and the user therefore loses access to them. We have compiled a guide below this article to help you remove Cerber 4.1.5 from your PC, however removing it alone won’t fix the whole problem. We’ve also prepared some instructions within the guide that are designed to attempt the restoration of your files. This may or may not work and we cannot guarantee you anything, but do give it a try. It won’t take long and you certainly won’t be risking anything.
How you could have gotten infected
There are numerous ways through which Cerber 4.1.5 could have infiltrated your PC. For one, a very effective and by far the most widespread distribution technique is through the so called malvertisements. These are ads that may come in any shape and size that you might expect ads to come in (banners, pop-ups), only they’re fake and download malware onto your computer, as soon as you click on them. These treacherous adverts are mostly found on various shady websites, possibly with illegal content on them as well, but could literally be anywhere. We recommend you avoid interacting with any kind of advertising material, when surfing the internet, because you can simply never know what they might turn out to be.
Another very successful distribution method is with the help of a Trojan Horse virus. Trojans are known for their stealth and wide range of tasks they’re able to perform and acting as a backdoor for ransomware is definitely one of them. They are usually sent to users within spam emails and are often either enabled through a link within the message, or an attached file. Don’t be fooled, even if the attachment seems as harmless as a regular PDF or Word document. Once opened, the Trojan then proceeds to automatically download the ransomware and chaos is unleashed on your system. Ransomware is also notorious for being extraordinarily difficult to detect. This is also one of the keys to its success and popularity among hackers. In very rare cases your computer might start running noticeably slower, which is due to the amount of resources the virus is using to complete the encryption process. Should you ever experience something like this in the future, you should immediately check your Task Manager for any suspicious processes using the most CPU/RAM. If you indeed find a process that clearly shouldn’t be there – switch your machine off that very instant, before the encryption process is finished. Seek professional help and don’t turn your PC back on until you do.
Decryption and ransom
If you weren’t among the few lucky ones to be able to smell something fishy, you were alerted of the attack on your data through a ransom note that was posted on your screen. It included information regarding the encryption process, instructions on how to pay the requested ransom (possibly even a deadline) and the mention of a decryption key. The decryption key is one of the two such keys that the hackers promise to send you and which you need in order to regain access to your files. You already have the first one, which is public; the second one is private and the one you’d allegedly receive. You’re on this page most likely because you didn’t trust the note and decided not to pay the demanded amount. This was smart of you for two reasons: there’s no guarantee whatsoever that the cybercriminals will send you that decryption key or that it will even work. Secondly, if you were aware of the astronomical amounts that ransomware viruses generate each year for their creators, you would immediately detest the idea of paying them a single cent. These people are only committing these crimes for the sake of profit. What better way to stimulate them than fund their endeavors?
Cerber 4.1.5 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 Cerber 4.1.5.
- 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 Cerber 4.1.5.
- 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 Cerber 4.1.5 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!