How to remove COVID 19 Ransomware: Restore locked files

Easy methods to delete COVID 19 Ransomware Virus in Windows 10/8/7 computer

COVID 19 Ransomware is very dangerous file virus considered as Ransomware. This nasty ransomware-type malware operates by encrypting all formats of files stored in your computer hard drive and demands ransom payment for the decryption keys/software. It is made using very powerful encryption algorithm techniques by cybercriminals and it is capable of locking all types of files including images, audios, videos, games, pdf, ppt, xlx, css, html, text, documents, database and other formats of files. You can’t access or open your personal files anymore due to its dubious behaviors.

COVID 19 Ransomware modifies each file by adding .covid-19 File Extension to the original filename. For example, it renames ‘1.png’ filename to ‘1.png.covid-19’. After encryption process is finished, text files as ransom notes are dropped into each folder of your computer that contains encrypted files. The ransom-demanding ransom note states that all formats of files stored in computer have been locked and requires paying certain amount of extortion money for the decryption keys/software. According to cybercriminals behinds this ransomware, the only way to recover your locked files is to pay certain amount of extortion money for the decryption keys/software.

The ransom note contains the information about this ransomware, how you can recover your locked files, cybercriminals’ email ID, and ransom money details. It claims that in order uninstall this ransomware, renames locked files, or use third-party decryption software, they will erase all locked files permanently. As proof that they have right decryption keys, they can provide some free decryption service for some locked files and can ask you to send 2-3 locked files within 1MB of size to provided email address. After free decryption service successful, they force you to pay demanded extortion money to decrypt all locked files.

Keep in mind that they are not going to recover/decrypt your locked files even when ransom money is paid. Paying ransom money may lead to severe privacy issues, financial losses, or even identity theft. So, we recommended you not to pay any amount of ransom money to them at any cases. If you really want to decrypt or recover your locked files, then you should at first try to find and remove COVID 19 Ransomware related files in computer as soon as possible to prevent system from damages. After malware or ransomware removal, you can go for data recovery solution to restore your data.

How did you get COVID 19 Ransomware Virus in Windows computer?

Ransomware-type malware is distributed through email spam campaign or malspam campaign. Scammers or malware programmers send spam emails in your mailbox which contain some messages along with suspicious hyperlinks or attachments. The attachments can be Microsoft Office Documents, PDF, RAR, ZIP, JavaScript or other formats of files. Once opened, it executes certain codes/scripts to download/install malware in computer. Ransomware-type malware is also distributed through unofficial/unsafe websites, fake software updaters, installers or downloaders, and other third-party sources. When you install updates for the software installed in your computer using some fake software updaters or illegal activation tool, then you install malware or rough applications instead of installing updates.

How to protect your system against Ransomware-type malware?

Cybercriminals can take advantages of bugs or issues in any software package installed in computer and install malware or viruses by exploiting bugs. Updating software package can resolve any bugs in software and improve performances. So, you should keep up-to-date your operating system and all other software installed in computer. Also, you should have some powerful antivirus software installed in computer with latest updates that could help you to find and remove all types of malware including latest malware in computer.

Let’s take a look at ransom note:

OPS YOUI HAVE BEEN VICTIM OF COVID 19 RANSOMWARE

All of your files have been encrypted

Your computer is infected with a ransomware virus. Your files have been encrypted and you won’t

be able to decrypt them without our help.What can I do to get my files back?

You Must Need to buy Decrypter

Our Decrypter will allow you to recover all of your data and remove the

ransomware from your computer.

How do I pay, where do I Contact You

our email: [email protected]

just email us and we send you bitcoin adress for Payement .

after payment we send you decrypter .

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove COVID 19 Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete COVID 19 Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove COVID 19 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 COVID 19 Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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 COVID 19 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.