Have you ever heard of ransomware? It’s a type of virus that blocks access to your system or files unless you pay money, typically by bitcoin or other electronic payment methods. You may have heard stories about people affected by this virus, but did you know that it’s actually very easy to protect yourself? Read on to find out how!
When trouble rises
Suppose a ransomware virus has infected your system. In that case, you should immediately disconnect the affected computer from the local network and remove any external hard drives and USB sticks or memory cards connected to it – this will, in the lucky event, prevent the further spread of the virus.
Try to restore your data
If you have a recent system backup, it can be used to restore a working, virus-free version of the operating system and critical (essential) personal information. It is important to wipe the hard disk entirely before restoring it! If only personal data is backed up, Windows will need to be reinstalled. If you have no backup, restoring your data may not be possible.
Determining the type of ransomware virus
If you don’t have a backup, visit https://malwarehunterteam.com, where you can upload a file encrypted by the virus and try to find out exactly what kind of malware attacked your machine. A decryption program will also be found on the website if this is found.
Removing a ransomware virus
This task belongs to the antivirus. This is where the USB stick comes in, which allows you to boot the PC independently of the normal operating system. The safest way to remove Trojans is to load an antivirus from the recovery stick. In the case of Windows Defender, there is no recovery stick. You can request in the Windows settings that the program perform an offline scan on the next reboot.
Decrypting encryption
There may be software that can recover files that our ransomware has encrypted. These tools are developed mainly by antivirus vendors, so you should check the websites of Avast, Bitdefender, or Kaspersky. Especially for new malware, you may have to wait until the recovery software is ready. If there is no backup, it may be worth temporarily storing encrypted files for this reason.
Tip: If there is no previous backup, the first step to restore is to find out which virus has infected your computer.
Remember; No matter how careful you are, your data can still be compromised by a virus. Ransomware is becoming increasingly common these days, and it’s such a pain that there might not be any way for you to recover your files without paying the ransom fee. Be prepared, because it’s better to be worried than to say sorry!