How To Remove Clay ransomware (Restore Files Methods)

 Best Guide To Recover Files from Clay ransomware

Clay ransomware is a files encryption or crypto-virus that was discovered by the Xiaopao. It is mainly designed to attack Windows Operating System, encrypt files and demands ransom money. Once installed, just like other virus it encrypts all personal and System files including word, documents, text, images, videos, audios and other files by unlike as other infection. After completed the encryption process, it drops a ransom note which displays in the form of a pop-up window titled Ransom2.o.

The ransom note explained that your files and data have been encrypted with a unique encryption algorithm so that such data can no longer accessed. The only way to restore or decrypt them is by using a unique decryption key which can be purchased by paying its cost $300. The amount has to be submitted or paid to the provided BTC wallet address 34N9pKvd7R8XXtnxWQJwNs2f4HsLjZmRAt in order to access or decrypt encrypted data or files. After completed the payment process, victim have to write an email to [email protected] and wait for a decryption key. Victims are also instructed, try to uninstall Ransomware, enable Task manager, use third party too to decrypt files might cause permanent data loss.

Text presented in Clay ransomware‘s pop-up window:

////////////////////////////////Clay ransomware////////////////////////////////

All your documents. videos. pictures. music and other files have been

encrypted with a special encryption algorithm!!!

___________________________________

Only way to restore you’re files is to buy a key. You have to send $300

worth in bitcoin to this bitcoing address = 34N9pKvd7R8XXtnxWQJwNs2f4HsLjZmRAt

and then send me a message on my tor mail = [email protected]

you can make your own tor mail but first you have to download tor browser.

and the go to mail2tor.

to buy bitcoin search on web

___________________________________

///////////////////////////////////////RULES//////////////////////////////////////

1. Do not turn off the computer
2. Don’t try to kill ransomware
3. Do not turn on Task Manager
4. Don’t try to break your password without paying
5. Do no try to open encrypted files

IF YOU DO THIS THINGS YOU’RE FILES WILL BE DESTROYED!!!

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

DECRYPT FILES

REAMING TIME:  00:59:39

How did Clay ransomware Distributed into your PC?

Clay ransomware mostly distributed into the targeted System via spam email campaigns, Trojan, software download sources, malicious links, peer to peer sharing files and other intrusive ways. Spam email campaigns are often used by the cyber-criminal to proliferate malware via malicious files and embedded website links in email. Cyber-criminal send email try to trick users into opening malicious files by disguising their emails as legitimate and official. The malicious files can be into the form of MS Office documents, executable files.exe, zip, archer, java script and so on. Such file seems important, legitimate and sent from reputable organization. Opening such files cause the infiltration of malicious infections. Trojan is a chain infection that may cause the installation of additional malware. Download and install freeware program or software from unknown sources with careless cause the infiltration of malware infection. Clicking on malicious links, peer to peer sharing files through network like as torrent, clients, eMule and third party downloaders from free file hosting site.

How To Protect your System from Clay ransomware:

Do not open email which seems suspicious or sent from unknown senders. Verify the email sender name and address. It is important to check the grammatical error and spelling mistakes of the content body.   Program and software should be downloaded only from official and trustworthy downloader site or via direct download links. It is recommended to read the installation guide carefully and check the custom or advance options as well as other important settings. Do not try to click on malicious links. Must be share files through safe and secure networks. If your System is already infected with this nasty malware infection thus it is highly advice to scan your PC with automatic removal tool to remove Clay ransomware automatically from your System.

 Paying  Money to Cybercriminal is risky:

 Paying money cyber-criminal is too risky for the users because there is no any guaranteed that they will get back your all files just after received ransom money.  In most of the cases victim who pay ransom money they got scammed. It encrypts your data and deletes the shadow copies and system restore point. It may disable your anti-virus program to make your System more risky. So the cyber-criminal do not want you to recover your files through any other method.  They also close all the way of communication just after received ransom money. There are highly probabilities you can lose your files and money as well.

How To Restore Files from Clay ransomware:

 If your System is already infected by Clay ransomware so that you are unable to access any files. It is not sure that cyber -criminal will give your decryption key after paying money. Once you made the payment there is no way to track who took your money.   The only method to restore files is to remove Clay ransomware completely from System by using automatic removal tool. After completed the removal process victim can restore data and files by using back up file if available. If you don’t have any backup you can restore files by using third party recovery Software.

Threat Summary:

Name: Clay ransomware

Type: Ransomware, File Virus

Demanding Message: Pop-up window

Ransom Amount: $300 in BTC

BTC wallet Address: 34N9pKvd7R8XXtnxWQJwNs2f4HsLjZmRAt

Cyber-criminal contact: [email protected]

Symptoms: Can-not open files stored on your System, A ransom demand message is displayed on your desktop screen.

Distribution Methods: Infected email attachments,  freeware,  peer to peer sharing files

Removal: To eliminate this infection we are highly advice scan your PC with automatic removal tool.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove Clay ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete Clay ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove Clay 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 Clay ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay 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.