How To Remove .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware And Restore Infected Data

Tips To Delete .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware From System

.rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware is another highly destructive file-encrypting virus that has already infected many Windows PCs till now. It was reported recently and is a new member of Jigsaw rasomware. Once this hazardous crypto-malware successfully infiltrates your computer, it encrypts all your important files and data and puts them hostage until you pay the attackers an amount of ransom to get the decryption key. This deadly ransomware locks your crucial files using a powerful encryption algorithm and also appends “.rar” extension to their names as suffix. Due to this extension, the compromised data can be easily identified.

More About .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware:

.rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware is type of parasite that generally infiltrates the targeted computer secretly without being noticed by the users and then starts performing evil deeds in the background. Initially, it acquires complete control over the entire machine by injecting its vicious codes in distinct PC’s locations. It also makes critical changes in default system’s settings in order to get automatically activated with each Window reboot. After that, this perilous malware scans all the folders in search of data that are in its target list and once detecting such files, locks them at the end. The file formats which get infected are mp3, mp4, jpg, jpeg, xls, doc etc.

After completing the encryption process, .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware drops a ransom note on the desktop and informs victims regarding the attack. It also asks you to contact the attackers via the email address provided with the note. Hackers state that the only way to regain access to the infected files is by using a decryption tool which only they can provide. However, before they provide you the required software, you will have to pay them a ransom amount of $100 in BitCoins.

Text Presented In The Ransom Note:

I want to play a game with you. Let me explain the rules:

You personal files are being deleted. Your photos, videos, documents, etc…

But, don’t worry! It will only happen if you don’t comply.

However I’ve already encrypted your personal files, so you cannot access them.

Every hour I select some of them to delete permanently,

therefore I won’t be able to access them, either.

Ate you familiar with the concept of exponential growth? Let me help you out.

It starts out slowly then increases rapidly.

During the first 24 hour you will only lose a few files.

the second day a few hundred, the third day a few thousand, and so on.

If you turn off your computer or try to close me, when I start next time

you will get 1000 files deleted as a punishment.

Yes you will want me to start next time, since I am the only one that

is capable to decrypt your personal data for you.

Now let’s start and enjoy our little game together!

Should You Deal With The Criminals?

Before you consider making payment to the attackers, we would like to tell you that a fee decryption tool is available for data locked by rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware that was developed by Emsisoft. There is no need to contact the hackers or make them any sort of payment. Even if the tool doesn’t work, you should never consider dealing with the crooks as you have absolutely no guarantee that they will decode the files even after taking the ransom. There are multiple instances when hackers just ignored the victims after taking the extortion and caused them to lose both files as well as money. Paying ransom to the criminals will only encourage them to drop more such threats in the work-station for further profits.

What Should The Victims Do?

If you are an affected person, the first thing you need to do here is to remove .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware from the system immediately before it compromises your other essential files. As far as restoring the infected data is concerned, you should try to bring them in their original form using a backup made on any external device. This can be only done if you have a proper backup of your system files in an external hard drive, SSD, SD card, cloud storage, pen drive or any other storage device. In the absence of an appropriate backup, you should use a powerful file-recovery application that you can download right here through the link given under this article.

.rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware Is Being Spread Through Spam Emails:

Similar to other Ransomware programs, it also often sneaks into the targeted device through spam email campaigns. Such mails state about shipping updates, financial details and other details and are often obtained every day. Users often don’t pay much attention to the source of mail and all the information and may be red flags and open the mails without thinking twice. Nonetheless, once the mail is opened and the file attachment downloaded, executed on the device, pernicious macro viruses get loaded and lead to the installation of ransomware payload. To avoid this intrusion, you need to pay close attention to every obtained email and delete suspicious ones more quickly.

Quick Glance

Name: .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus

Description– Hazardous threat which encrypts users’ crucial files and then asks them to pay off for the decryption key/tool.

Extension– “.rar”

Ransom demanding message– Pop-up window

BitCoins Wallet Address– 1Ahibu5axwbHJMaKg9mTyX8TJQPd8sdg3X

Attackers’ Contact– [email protected], [email protected]

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: Spam emails, Torrent websites, 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.

Other Common Symptoms of .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware:

.rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware can be also responsible for the intrusion of many other hazardous threats such as adware, Trojans, worms, rootkits, spyware etc. in your computer as well since it has ability to disable the working of all the running security tools and open backdoors for them. Apart from locking your essential data, it also creates tons of junk files in the hard drive of your system which consumes enormous amount of memory resources and drags down the overall PC performance severely. It messes with important system files that are necessary for smooth computer functioning and prevents many installed apps as well as drivers from working in a proper manner. And therefore, to prevent all these hazards from being occurred, you are strongly recommended to delete .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware from the device as soon as possible.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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 .rar (Jigsaw) 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.