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In this article we are going to try and help you remove Sage 2.0 Ransomware. Our instructions cover all Windows versions.
The main star of our removal guide this time is a very malicious Ransomware threat called Sage 2.0. This malware is responsible for the file encryption of many computers, and its harmful consequences are the reason for us to write a removal guide that can help the affected victims to deal with the threat. If you are among the unlucky ones, who have had a close encounter with this Ransomware, in the next lines you will learn how can you remove it from your computer and what are the possible options to retrieve some of your files. We have included a detailed guide with instructions that will help you find the threat manually and delete it from your system. All you need to do is to read the information that follows carefully, and proceed with the steps.
File encryption and harmful software give you Sage 2.0 Ransomware
Among all the nasty online threats that one could come across, Ransomware is really one of the most malicious. Its latest version, Sage 2.0, could be found practically anywhere in the web, and this makes it a fearful threat that is very hard to detect and protect oneself from. Whether you click on an infected link or an ad, or you open a spam email with malicious attachment, or you land on a compromised website where a drive-by download activates the threat, or a Trojan horse silently helps the Ransomware to sneak inside your system, you would hardly notice when and how the contamination happens. The basic idea of the malware is to silently encrypt all of the files, found on the infected machine and then ask its victims to pay ransom to get their files back. This is a criminal scheme for online blackmail and, unfortunately, a very popular quick-money business model for many cyber criminals.
How Ransomware operates
Usually, the moment Sage 2.0 finds its way to your machine, it starts to scan your system for specific file types, which will enter in its encryption target list. Such files are normally the most commonly used file types such as pictures, documents, presentations, projects, music, movies, games, videos and all sorts of sentimental and personal data that one could keep on their PC. The encryption process starts right away and each and every targeted file gets converted into a very complex algorithm of symbols, which are impossible to open or read with any program. No matter what you try, without the unique decryption key, you can’t use any of your files and this is where the blackmail scheme begins. The crooks behind Sage 2.0 have that special decryption key and once all of your files are encrypted, they place a ransom note on your screen, asking you to pay huge amount of money as a ransom in case you want that key to unlock your files. The only thing they care about, of course, is how to get your money, so no matter how promising they may sound, the risk of playing their game may not really be worth it.
Can you remove Sage 2.0 and decrypt your files?
As every malware, a Ransomware infection has to be dealt with special attention and the effective elimination of the threat may require some computer literacy and specific removal instructions. That’s why, at the end of this article we have prepared a detailed removal guide, which can help even a non-professional to effectively detect and delete Sage 2.0 and its traces from their infected machine. However, we need to warn you that even if you successfully remove the Ransomware, the file encryption in most of the cases will remain irreversible. This is the main reason that makes Ransomware threats so disastrous – even when the infection is cleaned, the consequences of the encryption may remain and the users may not be able to retrieve their locked files to their previous state.
Usually, the fear of losing their files permanently is the main thing that makes the victims pay the ransom. However, even that can’t guarantee that they will get their files back. The decryption key that the crooks may send may not work or the victims may not even get a decryption key because, as it often happens with the criminals, they disappear the moment they get the money. From then on, they don’t care what happens with the victims’ files and the poor infected people are left all alone with their locked files and empty pockets. One thing they can try in such a case is, once they remove the Ransomware, they can try to extract some of their data from system backups, or better, restore it from external backups. In the guide below we have described the steps that you need to take to do that, so you won’t lose anything if you decide to give them a try.
Sage 2.0 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 Sage 2.0.
- 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 Sage 2.0.
- 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 Sage 2.0 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!