How To Remove PL Ransomware (+Decrypt Encrypted Files)

Easy Guide To Recover Files from PL Ransomware

PL Ransomware is a data locking virus that is also known as  .encoded_PL File which is mainly designed to lock down the target System and encrypt all stored files as well as demands ransom money in order to decrypt them. If your system file is infected by this infection and you are unable to access even single file. In order to know how to delete this virus and restore files then follow this guide.

Depth Analysis of PL Ransomware:

PL Ransomware is a vicious file encrypting virus that is newly discovered by the team of cyber hacker. The main intention behind it to earn huge ransom money by the blackmailing innocent users. It is able to easily lock down all kind of Windows Based Operating System including the latest version Windows 10. Like as other harmful infection it uses a powerful encryption algorithm to encrypt all the personal and System files. After that it makes all the files totally inaccessible for the users by adding “.encoded_PL” file extension at the end of every files.  Once completed the encryption process, it leaves a ransom note on your System screen which inform about the encrypted data and files, as well as instruct how to decrypt encrypted files.

The note states the following:

All your files are encrypted.

You are not able to decrypt it by yourself!

Only we can recover your files.

To check the ability of returning files, you should write to us by email.

There you can decrypt one file for free. That is our guarantee.

Write to email: [email protected]

Reserved email: [email protected]

Your personal ID:

Attention!

* Do not rename encrypted files.

* Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

The ransom note explained that all the personal and System files like as word, documents, text, images, pictures and others are encrypted through a powerful encryption algorithm. Therefore accessing even single file is impossible without using a unique decryptor tool. Unfortunately, the entire key is stored on the remote server place. Victims have to pay the certain amount to the cyber-criminal to get decryption key. In order to know how to purchase the decryption key victim have to write an email to the cyber-criminal and send to the provided email address. The cost of decryption key is not specified it is only depends on how fast victim will contact to the developer. As a proof decryption is possible victim can send upto 2 file for free decryption. The file should not contain any valuable data like as database, documents, text, images and so on. The total file size should be less than 1 MB.  Cyber-criminal also warned if victim will attempt to rename the file name and restore data from third party recovery software then they can loss their data permanently.

Should Victim trust on cyber-criminal?

Trust on the cyber-criminal is a risk, there is no any proof they will send the decryption key just after received ransom money. They demands ransom money in the form of bit-coin or other crypto currency so there is no any way to trace people who received ransom and you won’t able to make any claim if there is any fraud.  The only motive of the cyber-criminal behind it to extort money by phishing innocent users. So paying money to the hacker is highly risky way you can lose your files and money as well.

What Victim should do after encryption?

Victim should never trust and do not pay ransom money. The only way to restore data is to remove PL Ransomware firstly and completely from System. After that you can restore your files through back-up. If you don’t have any backup then you can try data recovery Software your files. It is a very good option because the data recovery software deeply scans the hard drive to recover your files.

How PL Ransomware intrudes into the System:

PL Ransomware mainly intrudes into the System via the spam email attachments, bundling of freeware program, Trojan downloader, updating System Software and other tricky was. Most of the users download and installed freeware program from unreliable and untrustworthy sites which contain malicious attachments. Once downloading and installing freeware program cause the infiltration of lots of malicious infections. Spam email contains malicious attachments and embedded links. Once opening files and click on the suspicious links cause the execution of malicious script which download and installed malicious program. Trojan also makes infection chain and spreads the various kinds of infections. Updating System Software from third party site or irrelevant sources.

How To Prevent the System from PL Ransomware:

It is very important to avoiding the installation of freeware program from third party site. Use the official and trustworthy site while downloading and installing especially freeware. Read End Users License Agreements [EULAs] as well as select custom or Advance options. Update the System Software from relevant sources or direct links. Users must be ignore receive email which sends through unknown sender. If any file seems suspicious please do not open them. It is important to check the grammatical error and spelling mistakes of the content body before open them. In order to keep the system safe and secure scans the PC regularly with strong antimalware tool.

PL Ransomware Summary

Name:  PL Ransomware

File Extension:   “PL extension”

Type      Ransomware, Cryptovirus

Short Description:            The ransomware encrypts files on your computer system and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them.

Symptoms:         The ransomware will encrypt your files by appending the .encoded_PL to them, along with a unique identification number.

Distribution Method:     Spam Emails Attachments, Freeware installation, Updating System Software etc.

Removal Tool: In order to restore data we are highly advice remove PL Ransomware by the using automatic removal tool.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete PL Ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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

Step 3: Follow all on screen instructions to install the app successfully on your machine and run it.. When its interface appear before you. Just select what you want to recover from your computer and its drive. For options, check the image below as the app offer you to recover everything, document, folders or emails, or multimedia files. Depending upon your requirements, select any of options and proceed to next step.

Step 4: At this step, you will have to specify the past of data or files from where you are interested to recover lost or deleted data. The application offers you to recover data from common locations, connected drives, and other locations as well. Just choose what you need. Following selection, click on Next button and the app will start to scan the selected drive.

Step 5: Once the scanner finishes to scan, it will show you detected kinds of deleted data or files which you may require to recover. It will offer you various recovery options based on file types. Even it allows you to see preview of file types you select in order to recover those efficiently.

Step 6: Now, you may need to specify the path where you want to recover the selected files and saved. Just do it according to your requirements, and you are done.