How To Remove PGP Ransomware And Recover Infected Files

Complete Guideline To Delete PGP Ransomware From System

PGP Ransomware has been identified by Cyber experts as a highly dangerous file-encrypting malware that came into lime light recently. It’s a new member of well-known Dharma ransomware and has been specially created by a team of vicious hackers for encrypting users’ crucial files and data and forcing them to pay ransom to get the decryption software. These crypto-viruses are being largely developed by con artists these days as they are the biggest source of incomes for Cyber criminals. This precarious ransomware often infiltrates the Windows PCs secretly without users’ approval and then starts performing unethical deeds in the background.

More About PGP Ransomware:

PGP Ransomware uses a very powerful encryption algorithm to lock your essential data such as images, videos, audios, documents, PDFs etc. and makes them completely inaccessible or unusable. It also renames the infected files by adding victims’ unique ID, attackers’ email address and appending “.pgp” extension with each of them as suffix. Once the encryption process is completed, this hazardous threat displays a pop-up Window and also drops a ransom note named “FILES ENCRYPTED.txt” on each folder that contains the compromised files. These notes inform the affected users about this precarious attack and also provide the file-recovery instruction. Cyber criminals responsible for this vicious attack suggest victims to contact them by using the email address to follow the instructions and gain access to their vital data. Hackers demand few dollars from the victimized people in the form of Bitcoin to provide a decryptor for locked data.

Text Presented In The Pop-up Window:

All your files have been encrypted!

All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail [email protected]

Write this ID in the title of your message –

In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to theese e-mails:[email protected]

You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the decryption tool that will decrypt all your files.

Free decryption as guarantee

Before paying you can send us up to 1 file for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 1Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

How to obtain Bitcoins

The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click ‘Buy bitcoins’, and select the seller by payment method and price.

hxxps://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins

Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here:

hxxp://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

Text Presented In The “FILES ENCRYPTED.txt” File:

all your data has been locked us

You want to return?

Write email [email protected]

Should You Pay The Ransom?

Although, the decryption software mainly stored on the Command and Control server of PGP Ransomware controlled by attackers that makes it completely difficult for the infected PC users to decode their files and use them without paying ransom fee to them. But still, we strongly advise to not deal with the criminals as you have absolutely no guarantee that they will deliver the required decryptor even after taking the extortion. There are multiple instances when hackers just ignored the victims once the payment is made and caused them to lose both files as well as money. Moreover, paying extortion to the hackers will only motivate them to drop more such infections inside for further revenues.

What Should The Victims Do?

If you are an affected user, the first thing you need to do here is to delete PGP Ransomware from the work-station immediately before it compromises your other crucial data. As far as restoring the infected files is concerned, use a backup made on any external drive. However, in the absence of a proper backup, use a strong data-recovery program which you can download right here via the link given under this article. Also, you should keep making regular backups that can be very helpful in retrieving the infected files if such perilous situation occurs whenever.

Other Malevolent Traits of This Crypto-virus:

Apart from locking your essential files, PGP Ransomware also creates tons of junk files in the hard drive of your computer which eats up huge amount of memory resources and drags down the overall device performance severely. It causes the device to respond slower than ever before and take too much time to complete any task. This hazardous crypto-threat can be also responsible for the intrusion of several other Online infections such as adware, spyware, rootkits, worms etc. in your computer as it is able to deactivate all the running security measures and open backdoors for them. It messes with important system files that are essential for efficient computer functioning and prevents many installed apps as well as drivers from working in an appropriate manner. Due the presence of PGP Ransomware, you will have to deal with several vicious issues such as application malfunctioning, boot errors, frequent system crash, hard drive failure and many more.

Summarize Information

Name: PGP Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus

Description- Destructive malware that aims to encrypt users’ crucial files and then ask them to pay off for the decryption key/tool.

Extension- .pgp (files are also appended with a unique ID and cyber criminals’ email address)

Ransom demanding message- Text presented in the pop-up window and FILES ENCRYPTED.txt

Attackers’ contact- “[email protected]”

Symptoms: Users can not open files available on their desktop, previously functional files now have different extensions, A ransom demanding message is displayed on the desktop screen. Users are asked to pay an amount of ransom to unlock their encoded data and files.

Distribution methods: Torrent websites, spam emails, peer to peer network sharing, unofficial activation and updating tools.

Damage: All files are encrypted and cannot be accessed without paying ransom, Additional password stealing Trojans and malware infections can be installed along with ransomware infections and other malware.

Removal: To remove this virus from the system, we advise you to use a reliable anti-malware tool. Once malware gets removed, you can recover your files by using existing backup or data-recovery software.

How Does This Ransomware Enter Your Computer:

These ransomware infections usually sneak into the targeted PCs through various deceptive methods such as spam email campaigns, Trojans, questionable download sources, fake software updates etc. But, the most common technique used by hackers to spread such parasites is by sending emails that contain pernicious attachments. Hackers often attach MS office, exe files, PDF documents, and JavaScript files. Once you open the attachment, those malevolent files install some perilous application. And so, you should to stay away from suspicious mails coming from unknown source as you never know what they are containing. But at the moment, just take a quick action and remove PGP Ransomware from the machine by following the effective removal steps given below.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove PGP Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete PGP Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove PGP Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

For Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Boot the PC in “Safe Mode”. Click on “Start” option and continuously press on F8 during the start process until the “Windows Advanced Option” menu appears on the screen. Choose “Safe Mode with Networking” from the list.

Now, a windows homescreen appears on the desktop and work-station is now working on “Safe mode with networking”.

For Windows 8 Users: Go to the “Start Screen”. In the search results select settings, type “Advanced”. In the “General PC Settings” option, choose “Advanced startup” option. Again, click on the “Restart Now” option. The work-station boots to “Advanced Startup Option Menu”. Press on “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options” button. In the “Advanced Option Screen”, press on “Startup Settings”. Again, click on “Restart” button. The work-station will now restart in to the “Startup Setting” screen. Next is to press F5 to boot in Safe Mode in Networking.

For Windows 10 Users: Press on Windows logo and on the “Power” icon. In the newly opened menu, choose “Restart” while continuously holding “Shift” button on the keyboard. In the new open “Choose an option” window, click on “Troubleshoot” and then on the “Advanced Options”. Select “Startup Settings” and press on “Restart”. In the next window, click on “F5” button on the key-board.

Step 2: Delete PGP Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with PGP Ransomware. Open the browser and download a legitimate anti-malware tool. Do a full System scanning. Remove all the malicious detected entries.

In case if you cannot start the PC in “Safe Mode with Networking”, Try using “System Restore”

• During the “Startup”, continuously press on F8 key until the “Advanced Option” menu appears. From the list, choose “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” and then press “Enter”

• In the new opened command prompt, enter “cd restore” and then press “Enter”.

• Type: rstrui.exe and Press “ENTER”

• Click “Next” on the new windows

• Choose any of the “Restore Points” and click on “Next”. (This step will restore the work-station to its earlier time and date prior to PGP Ransomware infiltration in the PC.

• In the newly opened windows, press on “Yes”.

Once your PC gets restored to its previous date and time, download the recommended anti-malware tool and perform a deep scanning in order to remove PGP Ransomware files if they left in the work-station.

In order to restore the each (separate) file by this ransomware, use “Windows Previous Version” feature. This method is effective when “System Restore Function” is enabled in the work-station.

Important Note: Some variants of PGP Ransomware delete the “Shadow Volume Copies” as well hence this feature may not work all the time and is applicable for selective computers only.

How to Restore Individual Encrypted File:

In order to restore a single file, right click on it and go to “Properties”. Select “Previous Version” tab. Select a “Restore Point” and click on “Restore” option.

In order to access the files encrypted by PGP Ransomware, you can also try using “Shadow Explorer”. In order to get more information on this application, press here.

Important: Data Encryption Ransomware are highly dangerous and it is always better that you take precautions to avoid its attack on your work-station. It is advised to use a powerful anti-malware tool in order to get protection in real-time. With this help of “SpyHunter”, “group policy objects” are implanted in the registries in order to block harmful infections like PGP Ransomware.

Also, In Windows 10, you get a very unique feature called “Fall Creators Update” that offer “Controlled Folder Access” feature in order to block any kind of encryption to the files. With the help of this feature, any files stored in the locations such as “Documents”, “Pictures”, “Music”, “Videos”, “Favorites” and “Desktop” folders are safe by default.

It is very important that you install this “Windows 10 Fall Creators Update” in your PC to protect your important files and data from ransomware encryption. The more information on how to get this update and add an additional protection form rnasomware attack has been discussed here.

How to Recover the Files Encrypted by PGP Ransomware?

Till now, you would have understood that what had happed to your personal files that got encrypted and how you can remove the scripts and payloads associated with PGP Ransomware in order to protect your personal files that has not been damaged or encrypted until now. In order to retrieve the locked files, the depth information related to “System Restore” and “Shadow Volume Copies” has already been discussed earlier. However, in case if you are still unable to access the encrypted files then you can try using a data recovery tool.

Use of Data Recovery Tool

This step is for all those victims who have already tries all the above mentioned process but didn’t find any solution. Also it is important that you are able to access the PC and can install any software. The data recovery tool works on the basis of System scanning and recovery algorithm. It searches the System partitions in order to locate the original files which were deleted, corrupted or damaged by the malware. Remember that you must not re-install the Windows OS otherwise the “previous” copies will get deleted permanently. You have to clean the work-station at first and remove PGP Ransomware infection. Leave the locked files as it is and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step1: Download the software in the work-station by clicking on the “Download” button below.

Step2: Execute the installer by clicking on downloaded files.

Step3: A license agreement page appears on the screen. Click on “Accept” to agree with its terms and use. Follow the on-screen instruction as mentioned and click on “Finish” button.

Step4: Once the installation gets completed, the program gets executed automatically. In the newly opened interface, select the file types that you want to recover and click on “Next”.

Step5: You can select the “Drives” on which you want the software to run and execute the recovery process. Next is to click on the “Scan” button.

Step6: Based on drive you select for scanning, the restore process begins. The whole process may take time depending on the volume of the selected drive and number of files. Once the process gets completed, a data explorer appears on the screen with preview of that data that is to be recovered. Select the files that you want to restore.

Step7. Next is to locate the location where you want to saver the recovered files.