.HOW Ransomware Removal and Recover Locked files
How to restore encrypted files by .HOW Ransomware
.HOW Ransomware is a nasty data-encrypting malware belonging to “Dharma” family of ransomware. Similar to any other variant of dharma ransomware, it changes the appearance of infected file, locks it and generates ransom note that asks you to pay certain amount as ransom in exchange of decryption key.
On every infected file, it adds victim Id, how_derypt@aol email address and an additional .How extension name as suffix. For example, an infected file named as 1.jpg will get change to 1.jpg.id-1897EER.[[email protected]]. Its ransom note is a text file named as “FILES ENCRYPTED.txt”.
What Does .HOW Ransomware Ransom Note Says:
YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED
Don’t worry,you can return all your files!
If you want to restore them, follow this link:email [email protected] YOUR ID –
If you have not been answered via the link within 12 hours, write to us by e-mail:[email protected]
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.
At the beginning of the note, there is two email IDs namely [email protected] or [email protected] and you are asked to contact the developer through any of these IDs. You can communicate with the developer and get details such as ransom money amount and process to pay it. It tries to convince you that the only solution to retrieve the locked files is to buy the decryption key. A very powerful combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithm is used and hence it is impossible to access the locked files directly.
Unfortunately, it is true that the cyber-criminals behind this malware only have the decryption key. However, most of the victim who pays the ransom money for this key gets scammed. The cyber-criminals don’t provide the original unique decryption key even after receiving the payment. The developer of .HOW Ransomware is professional cyber-criminals and they can never be trusted.
It is not advised to make communication with the .HOW Ransomware developers or make any payment to them.
What to do for .HOW Ransomware Removal and Locked Files Recovery?
The biggest problem that ransomware cause is data loss. It makes the infected inaccessible and hence create a severe problem. Data loss can be easily avoided by using backup files. This backup should have been created some external storage device prior to the ransomware attack. In case if there is no backup then you can try using the “Shadow Volume Copies” which is a temporary backup file created by OS for recently damaged or deleted files. The infection like .HOW Ransomware is capable to delete this temporary backup as well hence your last hope is to use a data recovery tool. They provide special feature to retrieve the files that are encrypted or damaged by ransomware.
Important Note: Before using any of the data recovery method, it is important that your PC is clean and all the files related to .HOW Ransomware are removed. So, first clean the PC with a powerful anti-malware tool and then use any of the data recovery method.
How .HOW Ransomware gets Inside the PC?
As a targeted victim, you may receive tons of spam emails with unsafe attachments and hyperlinks. The novice users are manipulated to download that attached file or click on the link. The attached files are generally in the form of PDF docs, MS office, executable such as zip, rar and so on. Trojan is used to infect the PC with chain of infections. On the other hand, bogus software updates and downloads, also leads to ransomware attacks. They are often promoted on unsafe download channels such as peer-to-peer file sharing hosting, torrents, eMule and so on. They are disguised as legitimate files or programs.
It is very important to be very careful regarding anything you download in the work-station. Choose advance or custom installation option so that you can detect the hidden additional files and stop it from getting download in the work-station. Avoid opening any email attachment that looks suspicious. Browse safely and don’t visit websites related to porn, gambling, Online dating and so on. Improve the PC security and use a powerful anti-malware tool having strong scanning algorithm and programming logic.
Special Offer (For Windows)
.HOW Ransomware can be creepy computer infection that may regain its presence again and again as it keeps its files hidden on computers. To accomplish a hassle free removal of this malware, we suggest you take a try with a powerful Spyhunter antimalware scanner to check if the program can help you getting rid of this virus.
Do make sure to read SpyHunter’s EULA, Threat Assessment Criteria, and Privacy Policy. Spyhunter free scanner downloaded just scans and detect present threats from computers and can remove them as well once, however it requires you to wiat for next 48 hours. If you intend to remove detected therats instantly, then you will have to buy its licenses version that will activate the software fully.
Data Recovery Offer
We Suggest you to choose your lately created backup files in order to restore your encrypted files, however in case if you don’t have any such backups, you can try a data recovery tool to check if you can restore your lost data.
Antimalware Details And User Guide
Step 1: Remove .HOW Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”
Step 2: Delete .HOW Ransomware using “System Restore”
Step 1: Remove .HOW 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 .HOW Ransomware using “System Restore”
Log-in to the account infected with .HOW Ransomware. Open the browser and download a legitimate anti-malware tool. Do a full System scanning. Remove all the malicious detected entries.
Special Offer (For Windows)
.HOW Ransomware can be creepy computer infection that may regain its presence again and again as it keeps its files hidden on computers. To accomplish a hassle free removal of this malware, we suggest you take a try with a powerful Spyhunter antimalware scanner to check if the program can help you getting rid of this virus.
Do make sure to read SpyHunter’s EULA, Threat Assessment Criteria, and Privacy Policy. Spyhunter free scanner downloaded just scans and detect present threats from computers and can remove them as well once, however it requires you to wiat for next 48 hours. If you intend to remove detected therats instantly, then you will have to buy its licenses version that will activate the software fully.
Data Recovery Offer
We Suggest you to choose your lately created backup files in order to restore your encrypted files, however in case if you don’t have any such backups, you can try a data recovery tool to check if you can restore your lost data.
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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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 .HOW 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.
Special Offer (For Windows)
.HOW Ransomware can be creepy computer infection that may regain its presence again and again as it keeps its files hidden on computers. To accomplish a hassle free removal of this malware, we suggest you take a try with a powerful Spyhunter antimalware scanner to check if the program can help you getting rid of this virus.
Do make sure to read SpyHunter’s EULA, Threat Assessment Criteria, and Privacy Policy. Spyhunter free scanner downloaded just scans and detect present threats from computers and can remove them as well once, however it requires you to wiat for next 48 hours. If you intend to remove detected therats instantly, then you will have to buy its licenses version that will activate the software fully.
Data Recovery Offer
We Suggest you to choose your lately created backup files in order to restore your encrypted files, however in case if you don’t have any such backups, you can try a data recovery tool to check if you can restore your lost data.
