How to remove Zinda Ransomware

Files encrypted by Zinda Ransomware: Is there any solution?

Zinda Ransomware is very notorious crypto-malware and computer infection that is belongs to ransomware family. This nasty file virus get enters into your machine accidently malicious emails which contain some messages along with infected attachments and malicious hyperlinks. In order to click on suspicious hyperlinks or open malicious attachments, it executes encryption module in your computer and starts encrypting/locking all files stored in your computer. For more details, you can read this article carefully. Let’s starts the discussion.

What is Zinda Ransomware?

Cyber security researchers have discovered Zinda Ransomware and explained that it is very harmful file virus designed to lock all files of your computer. It encrypts/locks all files including images, audios, videos, games, pdf, ppt, xlx, css, html, text, documents, databases, archive and other files of your computer using very powerful encryption algorithm techniques. In simple word, we can say that you can’t open or access your personal files anymore. When you try to open such encrypted files, then you get ransom note on machine that claims to recover or decrypt encrypted files immediately, once you pay ransom money to them.

Zinda Ransomware’s ransom note states all files stored in your computer hard drives have been locked due to security reasons and require paying certain amount of ransom money for decryption. It also claims in order to rename encrypted files or use third parties’ decryption tool for decryption, you will lose your all personal files & folders permanently. On other hand, the ransom note contains the information about this ransomware, how you can recover files locked by ransomware, technical support’s email ID and ransom money details as well. Initially, cybercriminals behind this attack gives free decryption test service for some encrypted files. It asks you to send 2-4 encrypted files on the email ID provided on ransom note for decryption.

Threat Summary

Threat Name: Zinda Ransomware

Threat Type: File Virus, Crypto-Malware, Ransomware, File Locker

Description: Due to malicious behaviours of this nasty ransomware, you can’t open or use stored files on your computer. Previously functional files now have a different extension and you see ransom note in order to open encrypted files. The ransom message states that payment of extortion money is required to unlock your files.

Distribution methods: Spam email messages, infected attachments, torrent websites, malicious ads or popup messages, fake software updates or security alert messages, bundles of freeware or shareware and many other tricks.

Motives of crooks: Aims to collect your sensitive information and shares it to other hackers or third parties to generate some revenue. They also want to steal your money from your wallet or e-wallet.

Removal & recovery solution: In case if your System has infected from Zinda Ransomware or related infection, then you need to scan your System with powerful antivirus software. After complete scan and malware removal, you can use powerful data recovery software to restore files encrypted by ransomware.

Should I pay ransom money?

After successful decryption test, Zinda Ransomware asks or forces you to pay demanded ransom money to decrypt rest of the files. You should never believe on them at any cases. We recommended you to please avoid paying any amount of extortion money to them. They will never decrypt your files. In order to pay ransom money, they can keep record of your some information such as IP address, URLs search, user name & password of various accounts, credit card & ATM number, banking information and more details as well. They can share these collected details in public or to other hackers to generate some income from them.

How your System gets infected from Zinda Ransomware?

The ransomware is mostly get install in your System from spam email messages, infected email attachments and bundles of freeware or shareware which you are downloaded from internet. Scammers or hackers send malicious emails in your mailbox which contains some messages along with malicious attachments. These attachments can be Microsoft Office documents, ppt, xlx, RAR, ZIP, JavaScript or other formats of files. In order to open such infected attachments, cybercriminals install malicious unwanted programs in your computer and infects your PCs deeply. So, you should be alert while surfing online and avoid opening attachments coming from unknown emails.

Precautionary measures:

• Create backup or keep backup of your personal files as well as System files on some safe external storage device
• Keep up-to-date your operating System like Windows, Mac, Linux and other OS
• You should scan your computer with powerful antivirus software in regular time intervals
• Remove all the faculty software and update rest of legitimate software running in your computer.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

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

Step 2: Delete Zinda Ransomware using “System Restore”

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

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