Remove 20dfs Ransomware and decrypt encrypted files

Tips for 20dfs Ransomware removal from PC

20dfs Ransomware is described as dangerous file locking virus that comes under the family of ransomware. This type of malware is mainly designed to cease the access of all infected files and forces the victims to pay ransom money. It has the ability to encrypt/locks all types of personal as well as system files found on your desktop including image, audios, videos, documents, databases and other files and makes them totally useless and inaccessible. Remember that this dubious infection encrypts your files by using strong encryption algorithm.

Quick Glance

Name: 20dfs Ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus

Ransom demanding message: not mentioned

Extension used: .20dfs

Description: This ransomware is a new detection that locks your files and demands a hefty ransom fee to offer decryption key. However, program is nothing more than a trap by hackers to earn illegal profit.

Symptoms: Users cannot access files stored on their system as previously functional files have different extension. A ransom demanding message appears on your screen. Cyber crooks behind this ask you to pay money usually in Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

Distribution: malicious email attachments, malicious ads, torrent websites, harmful hyperlinks, software bundling, pirated or cracked software and other social engineering methods.

Damage: All files as well as data are encoded by using strong encryption algorithm and it cannot be opened without paying ransom. Other additional password stealing Trojans infection can be installed along with dubious ransomware infections. 

File Restore: File restoration is possible with a lately created backup file or Volume Shadow Copies if available or some other options that are discussed under this article.

Removal: Use reliable antivirus removal tool that has the capability to remove 20dfs Ransomware completely and safely from the system.

Working of 20dfs Ransomware and ransom demands

Simply said, this ransomware is created and developed by group of cyber criminals with an aim to make illegal money by locking all your files. After successful encrypting all your files, it adds “.20dfs” extensions to the end of filenames and makes it totally inaccessible. Due to this, users are unable to access even single files to their previous states. After that, this malware will create ransom note and placed it on your desktop in order to provide instructions on how to contact cyber criminals in order to decrypt files.

When you will open displayed ransom note, it states that all your files have been locked due to some security reasons and can only be decoded by using private decryption key/tool. In order to get such key, users are instructed to contact cyber criminals by writing them an email on the provided email address. This nasty threat is also called 20dfs File Virus due to its extension. Once contacted, it will ask you to pay ransom money in Bitcoin due to which it becomes impossible for users to find out the person behind ransomware attack.

As a guarantee, they offer you to decrypt two file for free but the size of file is not more than 1MB as well as does not contain any personal information. Besides this, they also warn victims not to decrypt files by using third party software otherwise it may cause permanent data loss. It will disable all your security related programs due to which you will not be able to do anything against this malware. This dubious malware can be your worst nightmare because it will leave no working files on your PC. So, we recommend you to remove 20dfs Ransomware as soon as possible from the computer.

 How did infection occur?

Ransomware viruses are proliferated into your system by using various sources such as spam email campaigns, free file hosting sites, freeware downloaders and third party software download sources. Spam campaigns are used to send thousands of deceptive emails containing malicious attachments or web-links. Such email insist user to open the attachment by presenting them legit and important. Once opened, it installs malicious malware. Untrustworthy software download sources spread malware by presenting it as legitimate software. In short, we can say that the key to safety is carefulness.

Shall victims pay money to decrypt files?

By going through above mentioned details, users are highly advised not to contact cyber criminals and fulfill any of their demands. There is no any surety that after getting money they will provide you decryption key. In case if they provide it must contain lots of nasty malware and threats that will fetch your banking as well as personal details and used it for illegal purposes. That is why we suggest you not to pay money to hackers because there is high possibility to get scammed. Thus, to prevent 20dfs Ransomware from causing further encryptions, you are advised to remove it immediately.

Remove 20dfs Ransomware to recover lost data:

As long as the files and payloads of ransomware are there in the system, it will not let you to retrieve the encrypted files. So, first of all you have to clean the system by using reliable antimalware removal tool and remove 20dfs Ransomware immediately. The immediate next step should check the “Shadow Volume Copies” which is temporary backup files created by OS for recently deleted data. In most cases, harmful ransomware deletes the temporary backup as well but you can definitely try your luck.

The other easy method to retrieve files is to use the backup data. The backup should have been created before the malware attack and is stored in some external storage device. In case, backup files are not found you have only option that is to use data recovery tool. As the ransomware attacks are increasing very rapidly, data recovery application is offering special feature to retrieve data damaged, corrupted or deleted by ransomware.

The text presented in the ransom note:

[email protected]

To regain control of your files.
Make the payment 500$. Payments are made in Monero. This is a crypto-currency, like bitcoin.
Payment Address (Monero Wallet): 85Ch2UmEwtTRYCVgQyTLJd18Nrgh8Vp6YUN6LC6RAcFKAxSDASgxv69jA62hDRnLio2U2zNwXrPJpXScBRGaX6QZSJViRrW

Farther you should send your ip address to email address: [email protected]

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove 20dfs Ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete 20dfs Ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove 20dfs 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 20dfs Ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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 20dfs 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.