VirLocker Ransomware Removal (+File Recovery)

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

If you ask us which malware type is the most difficult to counteract, we will for sure answer – Ransomware. The exact version of ransom-requiring malware, which we are describing in our article, is called VirLocker. Typically, such a virus will sneak into your system without any notion of that. Neither will such a program need your knowing or unknowing permission for that. Later on, this Ransomware will proceed with encrypting the files it has determined to be the most valued by you. Then, the payment of a ransom will be demanded from you – you will be informed about it and the supposed deadline and form/currency of payment via a special notification. This program is indeed among the most concerning ones, so that’s why we have assembled the following article: to give you an idea about the possible ways to get rid of such a virus and counteract it successfully.

Ransomware is:

As you may have concluded from its name, Ransomware represents all the software versions, which are able to do something very damaging to your system; and after that require a ransom payment to reverse the evil processes they have caused. Of course, there may be various subtypes of Ransomware, which we are going to review below, so that you will have an idea about the actual nature of VirLocker and what to expect from it. Also, you will learn what the other groups of Ransomware are.

Ransomware categories we are aware of so far:

The basic kinds of ransom-requiring software we are aware of are the following ones:

• The file-encrypting category: This is the ransom-requiring category, which comprises the greatest number of viruses, and is also believed to include the most dangerous viruses. Actually, VirLocker is an exact version of this Ransomware subtype. What such a program could do is to get incorporated into system one way or another; and then – scan all your hard drives for the data that you most regularly modify/load/open. Following that, such a malicious program will be ready to undergo a complex encryption process. Basically, this means that all of the files, which the program has determined as highly valued by you, will be locked-up.  After the very last one has been blocked, you will receive an informative notification, in which the hackers will demand a ransom from you and you will be notified about the consequences of not paying one.
• The screen-locking-up one: Such software may also affect computers, not files. In fact, no data gets encoded, just your access to it gets blocked because your desktop might be covered with a big alert. Then, in case you want to get rid of this ransom-demanding notification and access your icons again, you are harassed into paying a ransom again.
• The mobile-device-oriented Ransomware: The viruses from this subgroup invade only mobile devices such as phones and tablets; and usually behave in a way similar to that of the previous category discussed. As you may expect, your mobile device screen will be covered with a ransom-requiring message, and you will have to pay to remove the annoying full-screen notification and access the content of your device.

How you are likely to infect your machine with VirLocker Ransomware:

Actually, there are so many distribution possibilities when it comes to Ransomware, so we won’t be able to discuss them all in one and the same article, but we will still mention the most usual ones:

• Malicious advertising – such a harmful virus may be spread via contagious ads. Once you click on such a pop-up, willingly or unintentionally, you will automatically catch the malware it leads to.
• Spam – Ransomware could be distributed together with Trojan horse viruses inside spam emails or their image, document or executive files attachments. Immediately after you download and/or open such an attachment; or load such an email, you may get infected.

Possible ways of counteracting VirLocker. Is that even possible? What could you do to stop such a virus?

The only successful method of really counteracting Ransomware-based viruses is prevention. And prevention in such cases means always backing up your valuable data. If you learn to regularly do that, no threat will be scary enough to even make you think about paying ransom to cyber criminals. Prevention is also about avoiding the popular sources of this dangerous malware. However, if the contamination has already taken place, don’t rush into sending money to the hackers. Even if you do so, they may leave your files inaccessible forever. Try an alternative – for instance – the Removal Guide below. We have tried to make it functional. It may be the thing that will save you from VirLocker, though, we cannot promise that for sure.

VirLocker 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.