How to remove Cognizant Maze Ransomware

Complete Cognizant Maze Ransomware removal guide

Cognizant Maze Ransomware is a malicious computer infection, categorized as ransomware. It operates by encrypting stored files and demanding ransom payment for the decryption. During encryption, it gives its own extension name to the files. For example, a file 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.cognizant. Following to this, the ransomware creates a .txt file and drops it on each folder containing encrypted files.

The created .txt file informs the users that their files have been encrypted and instructs them to pay ransom fee as a ransom to the Cognizant Maze Ransomware developers to get the data back. As per the note, the developers behind the ransomware have the unique decryption key that helps in the data decryption. To provide the tool, these people want certain undisclosed amount of some. To know about how much they have to pay and how to use the decryption and any other information, the users are asked to write an email to the crooks via the provided email address.

Before the payment, the users are offered to test whether this decryption tool is really working or not by sending a small sized encrypted, non-archived file. However, we highly recommend not trust the crooks under any circumstances. These people will never provide the decryption tool even if all their demands are met. Better if you avoid paying/contacting the crooks and use some data recovery alternatives.

The safest way is to remove Cognizant Maze Ransomware and recover the files using existing backup. Most of users do not have such backup files. In such a case, there is an option available in the form of data recovery tool for them.  Nowadays, such tools are designed with special functionality added and so we can anticipate of the data recovery using them. Nevertheless, never perform the data recovery process before the virus removal, or otherwise you will lose your files for permanently by making interference during the process. For the removal, follow manual steps provided below or use some reputable antivirus tool.

Malicious files –in use for ransomware distribution

Malicious actors are trying to spread their products around for the only purpose to profits and money from the victims directly. For their distribution, they most often use spam campaigns at first place. In these campaigns, some malicious file is clipped as an attachment, if clicked –users lead into some malicious malware intrusion at the end.

However, spam emails are not the only source on which such malicious files are attached with. These could be found in pirated software packages and get installed when users download cracks, cheats, fake software and license keys. There is no indication about the malicious file if you do not check the install setup for the wanted program. This is the reason why this method works in practical.

Users should require paying close attention to the various details if they want to avoid anything like this. Also, they require deleting suspicious emails and do not download any questionable files from notifications that they were not expected to receive. Experts also say spam emails can include handful viruses so make sure to check the file and sender before opening it. For betterment, we recommend you using some reputable antivirus tool that provides adequate protection to the device.

Remove Cognizant Maze Ransomware

Manual malware removal guide is provided below in step by step manner. Follow it so that you will not find any trouble during removal process. You can use some reputable antivirus tool to automatically remove Cognizant Maze Ransomware from the device.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Cognizant Maze Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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 Cognizant Maze 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.