Remove .Pumax Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery)

[bannerTop]

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

In the following article, we will draw our reader’s attention to one of the most advanced and dangerous forms of PC malware, the Ransomware category, focusing on one particular representative of this virus group, a nasty recently released cryptovirus called .Pumax. Now, before we get any further, we will briefly explain what Ransomware viruses are for those of you who are not all that familiar with this kind of malware. Ransomware viruses are malicious programs that hackers use to extort money from any user who gets their device infected by the malware. Normally, the infection by such a virus would cause the user’s screen to get locked or the user’s personal data files to get encrypted which would keep the inaccessible and unusable. The malicious program would then demand a ransom payment from its victim – if the money doesn’t get paid, the screen or the files would stay locked-up and the user would not be able to access them. Although it might sound quite disturbing to have your computer’s screen blocked by a Ransomware, know that the sub-category of Ransomware viruses that target the user’s screen are actually the less threatening ones. An experienced user with some knowledge about Ransomware screen-lockers should be able to make quick work of any such malware threat. On the flip side, cryptoviruses like .Pumax that target the files of the user are really advanced and dealing with their malicious effects might not always be possible at the given moment. Viruses that belong to this group truly are some of the most complex malware threats out there and even experienced experts oftentimes have hard time handling them. Unfortunately, .Pumax is one such cryptovirus and if you currently have it on your PC, then your options for recovering your locked-up files are rather limited. That said, we are still going to try to help you remove the malware from your machine and maybe, if you are lucky, restore some of your data. Therefore, if you are indeed currently struggling with this nasty piece of malware, we advise you to stay with use throughout the rest of this write-up and carefully read all the important information we are about to give you.

Ransom payment and alternatives

Once a cryptovirus such as .Pumax manages to infiltrate the user’s computer, it would first scan the machine for files that belong to popular and commonly used file formats and once all such data has been accounted for, the malware would begin the encryption of the documents. Normally, the process goes silently and there are hardly any visible symptoms aside from potential increase in the use of RAM and CPU on the computer. Since nothing on the system is actually getting harmed by the encryption, it is highly likely that even the user’s antivirus (provided that there’s one) would be able to spot the malware’s activities and intercept them. Once the encryption has been successfully completed and all targeted files are no longer accessible, the malware would display a pop-up or generate a notepad file that contains a ransom-demanding message. There, the hackers tell the user that a ransom payment is required from their victim in exchange for a special key that can be used to decrypt the locked data and make it accessible once again. As we already stated, if the money isn’t paid, the hackers would not send the needed key to the user and the files would stay locked up for good. However, is paying the money really a viable option? The answer is that it depends, but you need to consider this – paying doesn’t guarantee that you’d get the key. After all, the hackers might still decide not to send it to you. This is why, a better alternative would be to seek other solutions. Down below, we have posted a guide for removing .Pumax – use its instructions to get rid of the virus and then take a look at the separate data-restoration section. Now, we can’t promise you this will be enough to get your data back but at least you won’t be risking your money. With Ransomware, there are hardly ever any guarantees so, in the end, it’s up to the individual’s own decision what the best course of action for the given situation would be.

Keep your PC and data safe!

If you want to avoid any future situations like this one, make sure you do not expose your computer to any unnecessary risks. Be really considerate regarding the sites you go to, the links and ads you click on and the software that you download. Also, know that one of the best ways to ensure that your data stays protected is to back it up on a separate device or maybe on a cloud service. Just make sure to keep the backup disconnected from your PC if you suspect a Ransomware infection in order to prevent the malware from spreading onto the backup location.

Remove .Pumax Virus Ransomware

 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

[bannerMiddle]

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.
   

   [bannerMiddleSecond]

   

• 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.