How To Remove LOCK Ransomware And Recover Infected Files

Simple Steps To Delete LOCK Ransomware From Computer

LOCK Ransomware is another destructive file-encrypting malware that belongs to the Xorist Ransomware family. It has been specially designed by a team of potent Cyber criminals to deny access to the files kept in users’ PC systems until a ransom is paid. This pernicious crypto-virus can be devastating to any individual or an organization. Victims with crucial files stored inside their PCs or network is at high risk. Recovery can be highly complex process that may need the services of a reputable file recovery specialist, and many victimized users pay to regain access their data.

LOCK Ransomware uses a strong cryptography to encode your essential files and changes their names by appending “.Lock” extension with the name of each of them. After that, you will not be able to access any of the compromised data without using a private decryption key or decryptor tool that you can only acquire from the attackers once you pay them extortion. Following successfully encryption, this hazardous ransomware puts a ransom note named “HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt” on each folder that contains the infected files and informs you about the unkind situation and also states how to make the payment.

Text Presented In The Ransom Note:

All of your files are encrypted To decrypt it you must purchase a key from the Get the decryption key.exe file on your desktop

Should Your Pay The Ransom:

The ransom size is not mentioned in the note but it has to be paid in BitCoins cryptocurreny and should be transferred in LOCK Ransomware authors cryptowallet. Once the transaction is done, victims are promised to be given the decryption software and instructions on how to use it. Whatever the circumstance might be, you should never make any sort of payment to the criminals as you have absolutely no guarantee that they will deliver the required tool even after taking the ransom. According to reports, such hackers often disappear once the payment is made or provide bogus application to the victimized people in the name of decryption tool which upon getting installed, causes even more hazards to the work-station. So, never consider dealing with the hackers no matter what situation is.

How To Recover The Infected Files:

As far as restoring the compromised data is concerned, you should use a powerful file-recovery application which you can download right here via the link provided under this article. Also, if you are lucky enough and have a backup made on any external drive, you can also try to restore some amount of infected files though this backup. Additionally, experts highly advise to keep making frequent backups by the help of which, you can easily restore the infected files if such notorious circumstance occurs whenever.

Other Common Symptoms of LOCK Ransomware:

LOCK Ransomware consumes huge amount of memory resources and drags down the overall computer performance severely. It causes the device to respond slower than ever before and take more than usual time to complete any task. This nasty malware displays fake security alters, error messages etc. and tries to scam you into installing rogue software. It assists remote criminals to get access to your machine and contribute evil deeds inside for their delicate welfare. It messes with important system files which assure efficient PC functioning and prevents many installed apps as well as drivers from working normally. This hazardous threat can be also responsible for the infiltration of many other Online parasites such as adware, trojans, rootkits, worms, spyware etc. in your computer as well since it deactivates all the running security measures and opens backdoors for them.

Quick Glance

Name: LOCK 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- “.LOCK”

Ransom demanding message: “HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.txt”

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 Get Into Your PC:

Such kind of file-encrypting programs can get into the targeted system though several illusive methods such as spam email campaigns, Trojans, fake software updaters, unofficial software activation tools, questionable download sources etc. However, the most common tectic used by criminals to spread such infections is by sending emails that include malicious attachments. Operators generally attach MS office, exe files, PDF documents, archive files like RAR, ZIP and JavaScript files. The moment you open the attachment, those perilous files install dangerous ransomware. And hence, you need to stay away from suspicious mails coming from unknown sender as you never know what they include. But at the moment, you are strongly recommended to remove LOCK Ransomware from the PC without wasting any time.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete LOCK Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove LOCK 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 LOCK Ransomware using “System Restore”

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