FireCrypt Ransomware Removal (File Recovery Methods)

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Welcome to our FireCrypt Ransomware removal guide. The following instructions will aid you in removing the unwanted software from your PC.

A Ransomware virus can be devastating if it infects your PC. In this particular article, our focus will be FireCrypt Ransomware, one of the latest programs of that type. Malware such as this can lock all your personal files via a sophisticated encryption and then demand a ransom payment in exchange for the key that would allow you to regain access to them. Nevertheless, with if you are properly informed regarding how these viruses work and what you can do to stop them, your chances of successfully dealing with such a threat would be significantly increased. Providing you with all the necessary information that you need to be acquainted with, in order to handle Ransomware threats is what our aim in this article is going to be. Additionally, if the malicious program has already infected your PC and encrypted your data, we can provide you with instructions that when strictly followed might resolve your problem. Just bear in mind that nowadays Ransomware viruses are very advanced and are also evolving very quickly. Therefore, we cannot guarantee 100% success in all instances of Ransomware infections.

Why are they (almost) undetectable?

Ransomware is devious and sneaky. Unlike most other forms of malware, this one in particular does not actually attack anything on your PC. The method of encryption that is used by the virus is actually a legit type of process. There are a lot of regular programs that use encryption to add an extra layer of protection to their files by making them inaccessible for somebody, who does not have the needed key. Ransomware viruses use this method against the users by applying it to their personal data. Since encryption is generally regarded as legitimate, most antivirus programs do not detect it as a threat and allow it to continue right up until all your personal files have been locked by the nasty malware.

How to spot the encryption process

Depending on your system and how much data you have stored on your hard drive, the process might take a while and also cause certain symptoms that might allow you to manually spot the virus. The usual signs of a Ransomware attack are unusually high CPU and RAM consumption combined with less-than-usual free hard drive space. The reason for those particular symptoms lies within the encryption process itself. In order for your files to be encrypted, they first need to be copied. It’s actually the copies that are locked by the encryption code. Afterwards, the original files are deleted and all that is left is their encrypted copies. This is also what sometimes allows for your files to be restored via shadow copies. However, most newer Ransomware viruses delete those copies, so the only way for you to get your files back is to actually have the encryption code on your PC. If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, be sure to shut down your PC, disconnect it from everything and seek professional assistance.

After the encryption

If your files have already been locked by FireCrypt, then you have probably received a message, in which ransom is demanded. Usually, there are also instructions on how to make the money transfer. In most cases, the money needs to be sent in the form of bitcoins (an untraceable cryptocurrency). This is because that way the hacker cannot be traced and is thus able to retain full anonymity. If this is your current situation, then you aren’t left with many options. One possibility is to actually pay the ransom, but be warned that this would be a very bad choice. First of all, even if you send the money to the hacker, you might still not receive the code and secondly, agreeing to make the transfer would only further encourage the cyber-criminal to continue using Ransomware viruses for blackmailing. Your other option is to seek another way. One such possible course of action is to use our FireCrypt removal guide. The instructions there may potentially help you deal with the nasty malware without the need to pay any money.

Safety tips

Make sure to remember the rules and guidelines covered in the following short list since they can make a huge difference if used consistently.

• Never allow automatic file downloads. Make sure that your browser is set to always ask for a permission when a new file is to be downloaded on your computer.
• Back-up all your data on a separate device so that if FireCrypt encrypts the files on your PC hard drive, you’d still have them accessible on that other device. Just make sure that you keep the device disconnected from the computer if there is a Ransomware or if you suspect that there might be one.
• Get a reliable antivirus program that provides some form of Ransomware protection. Even though most antivirus tools are not very effective at detecting this particular type of malware, improvements are constantly being made. Additionally, security programs can help you keep backdoor viruses away from your machine. Such are very commonly used for infecting computers with Ransomware.
• Never visit or download software from illegal websites or ones that are not trustworthy.
• Be on the lookout for spam e-mails/other messages and if you spot one, make sure to avoid it and if possible, remove it from your inbox.

FireCrypt Ransomware Removal

 Here is what you need to do in order to remove a Ransomware virus from you computer.

I – Reveal Hidden files and folders and utilize the task manager

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1. Use the Folder Options in order to reveal the hidden files and folders on your PC. If you do not know how to do that, follow this link.
2. Open the Start Menu and in the search field type Task Manager.
   
3. Open the first result and in the Processes tab, carefully look through the list of Processes.
4. If you notice with the virus name or any other suspicious-looking or that seems to consume large amounts of memory, right-click on it and open its file location. Delete everything in there.
   

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• Make sure that the hidden files and folders on your PC are visible, else you might not be able to see everything.

5. Go back to the Task Manager and end the shady process.

II – Boot to Safe Mode

• Boot your PC into Safe Mode. If you do not know how to do it, use this guide/linked/.

III – Identify the threat

1. Go to the ID Ransomware website. Here is a direct link.
2. Follow there in order to identify the specific virus you are dealing with.

IV – Decrypt your files

1. Once you have identified the virus that has encrypted your files, you must acquire the respective tool to unlock your data.
2. Open your browser and search for how to decrypt ransomware, look for the name of the one that has infected your system.
3. With any luck, you’d be able to find a decryptor tool for your ransomware. If that doesn’t happen try Step V as a last ditch effort to save your files.

V – Use Recuva to restore files deleted by the virus

1. Download the Recuva tool. This will help you restore your original files so that you won’t need to actually decrypt the locked ones.
2. Once you’ve downloaded the program, open it and select Next.
   
3. Now choose the type of files you are seeking to restore and continue to the next page.
4. When asked where your files were, before they got deleted, either use the option In a specific location and provide that location or choose the opt for the I am not sure alternative – this will make the program look everywhere on your PC.
   
5. Click on Next and for best results, enable the Deep Scan option (note that this might take some time).
   
6. Wait for the search to finish and then select which of the listed files you want to restore.

• Keep in mind it is possible that not all files might be fully recovered. You can check in what condition the files are from the State column in the list of deleted files.