About The .Lapoi Virus
Lapoi is the name of a new malicious program from the Ransomware type, which has been created with the sole goal of blocking the access to the files that are stored on a given computer and request a certain amount of money as a ransom to restore the access. If you have recently been greeted by a scary ransom-demanding notification on your screen, which has informed you that your data has been secured with a special file-encryption algorithm and you need to make an immediate payment in order to unlock it, then you have become one of the numerous victims of Lapoi.
Ransomware, in general, is a type of malicious computer programs that secretly operate on computer and apply a very complex encryption code to the files with the idea to prevent the user from opening those files. Normally, this type of malicious software pretends to be a seemingly harmless or reliable program that can be downloaded from a website or that arrives in an email attachment and tricks the users into interacting with it.
Unlike other computer threats, such as Trojans or Viruses, Ransomware cryptoviruses like this one (.Lapoi, Gusau , Madek) are known for lettin the user know that their computer has been infected by displaying a message on their screen and then demanding a payment in exchange for the restoration of the access to the encrypted information. Security experts recognize several types of Ransomware that do not necessarily operate in the same way. However, what stays the same is the end-goal of the attackers, which is to require ransom payments form from their victims.
Giving your money to the crooks, however, does not mean that they will remove the infection and you will restore your files. In fact, you will have to remove Lapoi by yourself and there is absolutely no guarantee that you will be able to regain access to the encrypted files even if you pay the ransom and fulfill all of the hackers’ demands. Therefore, our “How to remove” team and other professionals in the cyber community usually advise the victims to avoid the ransom payment and suggest they seek legitimate alternatives to deal with the Ransomware attack.
One of those alternatives could be the Lapoi removal guide below, which contains detailed removal instructions, some file-recovery suggestions and a professional removal tool for automatic assistance. Another possible solution would be to use your own file backups or to search for a free decryptor tool, which may eventually help you to get back some of the files that Lapoi has encrypted. Of course, you can always contact a professional from your area, of your choice, for assistance and this will still be better than giving your money to some anonymous hackers without any guarantee about the future of your computer and your files.
How can we protect yourself from .Lapoi File and other Ransomware attacks?
As obvious as this recommendation may sound, many web users don’t have reliable antivirus protection and don’t conduct regular updates of their operating system. This allows new and advanced versions of malware to exploit any newly-found and still unpatched vulnerabilities and attack the computer silently. A professional and updated malware-removal tool, however, can greatly increase the security of the system and save you from such attacks. Moreover, many reputable antivirus programs provide Ransomware protection, which specifically targets the process of file-encryption and could help you detect it before it is too late. Of course, it is best if you also keep a regular backup of your data, as this is the most reliable way to recover your information in case a threat like Lapoi infects you.
Lapoi SUMMARY:
| Name | Lapoi |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Danger Level | High (Lapoi Ransomware encrypts all types of files) |
| Symptoms | Very few and unnoticeable ones before the ransom notification comes up. |
| Distribution Method | From fake ads and fake system requests to spam emails and contagious web pages. |
Lapoi Ransomware Removal
1: Preparations
Note: Before you go any further, we advise you to bookmark this page or have it open on a separate device such as your smartphone or another PC. Some of the steps might require you to exit your browser on this PC.
2: Task Manager
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to enter the Task Manager. Go to the Tab labeled Processes (Details for Win 8/10). Carefully look through the list of processes that are currently active on you PC.
If any of them seems shady, consumes too much RAM/CPU or has some strange description or no description at all, right-click on it, select Open File Location and delete everything there.
Also, even if you do not delete the files, be sure to stop the process by right-clicking on it and selecting End Process.
3: IP related to Lapoi
Go to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Open the hosts file with notepad.
Find where it says Localhost and take a look below that.
If you see any IP addresses there (below Localhost) send them to us here, in the comments since they might be coming from the Lapoi.
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4: Disable Startup programs
Re-open the Start Menu and type msconfig.
Click on the first search result. In the next window, go to the Startup tab. If you are on Win 10, it will send you to the Startup part of the task manager instead, as in the picture:
If you see any sketchy/shady looking entries in the list with an unknown manufacturer or a manufacturer name that looks suspicious as there could be a link between them and Lapoi , disable those programs and select OK.
5: Registry Editor
Press Windows key + R and in the resulting window type regedit.
Now, press Ctrl + F and type the name of the virus.
Delete everything that gets found. If you are not sure about whether to delete something, do not hesitate to ask us in the comments. Keep in mind that if you delete the wrong thing, you might cause all sorts of issues to your PC.
6: Deleting potentially malicious data – Lapoi
Type each of the following locations in the Windows search box and hit enter to open the locations:
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
%Temp%
Delete everything you see in Temp linked to Lapoi Ransomware. About the other folders, sort their contents by date and delete only the most recent entries. As always, if you are not sure about something, write to us in the comment section.
7: Lapoi Decryption
The previous steps were all aimed at removing the Lapoi Ransomware from your PC. However, in order to regain access to your files, you will also need to decrypt them or restore them. For that, we have a separate article with detailed instructions on what you have to do in order to unlock your data. Here is a link to that guide.