Remove Gtf ransomware (File Recovery Instructions)

Suggested Measures To Remove Gtf ransomware

The term Gtf ransomware is discovered recently as a highly vicious computer infection that is extremely dangerous due to its attributes and behaviors. Since it belongs to group of highly vicious ransomware class, it will obviously affect your files using powerful encryption techniques and will block you accessing those. Every time you try to attempt accessing those files, the malware will throw a scary ransom note on screen which will state about the infection and will demand you to remit ransom money to its hackers to receive a valid decryption key. Speaking more about the threat specifically, the Gtf ransomware is discovered by Jakub Kroustek and belongs to group of Dharma ransomware family. Following encryption of files on targeted computers, the malware use to append those files using .GTF file extension and the dropped ransom note is named as FILES ENCRYPTED.txt which includes a scary ransom message for victims to enforce them into contacting hackers and paying them with their demands. let’s take a look through the message below:

YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED

Don't worry,you can return all your files!

If you want to restore them, follow this link:email [email protected] YOUR ID 1E857D00

If you have not been answered via the link within 12 hours, write to us by e-mail:[email protected]

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

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

Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

Reading through what the ransom note states, it informs users hat all of their data or files are now encrypted by Gtf ransomware, and if they want those files to be restored or recovered, then they would have to contact cyber crime master minds who actually created this malicious term. It further clarifies that in case if the users fail to receive any response from hackers within next 12 hours of sent contact email, they shoud write to alternative email address provided through the note. Also, the note claims that in case if victims try to tamper with affected files, and appended extensions, those data will be deleted or damaged permanently as well. So, the overall impacts of Gtf ransomware on a computer is highly scary and the victims ought to suffer high potential data loss if they fail to treat the infection correctly. In order to remove Gtf ransomware and restore files with expert’s suggested measures, we suggest you check through the instructions included under this article.

Technical Specifications

Name: Gtf ransomware

Type: Browser hijacker, redirect virus

Description: Gtf ransomware is an extremely disastrous ransomware that locks down all your files and asks you forcibly to buy decryption key from hackers after paying them extortion amount. So, this method is just a trap and should not be believed, rather the victims should follow here included guidelines to overcome the situations.

Distribution: Malicious file downloads, spam email attachments

Removal (File Restoration): For more information about detection and removal of Gtf ransomware from computers, we suggest you follow the guidelines section below.

How Gtf ransomware is spread and works? How it should be removed?

Although, there’s no actual information about how Gtf ransomware is being distributed, but as per the presumptions of security researchers, the malware might be distributed through malspam campaigns. A payload dropper is mostly spread through email in form of a documents, invoice, PDF files, and so on. So, looking through such options, the users will easily come to believe such messages are received from a reliable source, but this leads to execution of payload dropper which further connects the system to remote server and downloads ransomware files. After this, the ransomware runs to execute its built-in modules that starts scanning the system, encrypts all stored files on computer, and deploy ransom note as well which erupts on screen all the time to demand extortion money.

If your system is under attack of this ransomware and if you are being frequently asked to remit ransom money sooner to buy decryption key to decrypt infected files, then you should simply ignore this doing. What you should do, is to scan and clean your computer against Gtf ransomware along with all its files, processes and leftovers. Using a powerful antimalware solution will be the best option to accomplish this task which requires you to follow no hard steps or methods. Once the removal of Gtf ransomware is processed, the users can seek help of their own created backup files to restore their file access. Alternatively, some other solutions may also work if applicable. Those methods are explained under this article later.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove Gtf ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete Gtf ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove Gtf 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 Gtf ransomware using “System Restore”

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