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:

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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.

The post Remove Lapoi Virus Ransomware (+.Lapoi File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

Ransomware is well known for how problematic and difficult to deal with it is – it is one of the biggest online threats at the moment and it doesn’t seem to slow down one bit. In fact, the number of infections has drastically increased in the recent months and currently, several new Ransomware infections( Gusau , Madek),  get released each day. We are trying to cover all new infections of this type to the best of our abilities, which is why, in this post, we will tell you about Darus. Darus is a typical cryptovirus infection that uses its advanced encryption algorithm to lock up the files present in its victims’ computers. I addition to placing its encryption on the files, it also changes their extension, so if you have been attack by Darus, you are likely to see that all of your personal files, regardless of what their file type is, now have the same extension. Needless to say, opening those files would result in the Ransomware telling you that the only way to open it is if you make a generous money “donation” to the people responsible for the creation of this nasty virus threat. It’s possible that the note/banner that tells you about the demanded ransom gets displayed on your screen as soon as the encryption of your data gets completed, even before you have attempted to open any of the locked-up files.

What to do now, that .Darus File has locked the files?

The users who get to face such an issue are oftentimes unsure about what to do in order to minimize the nasty consequences of this attack. “Minimize”, here, is exactly the right word to do because, sadly, full recovery from such an attack may not always be possible and the sooner you understand and accept that, the better. That being said, here are your main options:

Option 1: Pay the money

This may actually seem like a good idea to some – the money required may not be all that much and/or the value of the files that have gotten encrypted may vastly exceed the sum that is demanded for their release. Whatever the specific case, it is likely that many people would at least think about paying. However, there are several things you need to be informed about with regards to this option. First, you obviously cannot be sure that your files would actually get restored – the hackers may simply lie to you. There’s nothing you can do to make them send you the decryption key for the data if they don’t want to do that. However, if you have already paid, the money is gone and there’s no getting it back. Furthermore, there is usually no way to track the hackers because the money is usually paid in BitCoin – an online currency that is virtually untraceable by regular users.

Option 2: Removal + alternative recovery solutions

With the help of the guide we have here, most (if not all) of you should be able to remove Darus with relative ease. After that is the time to use any backups you may have lying around your house or your online accounts. Also, several suggested alternative file restoration methods can be found in our data-recovery guide. However, similarly to the other option, no guarantees can be given about whether or not you’d actually manage to get all of the files back. The good thing here is that at least your money wouldn’t be put on the line.

Darus SUMMARY:

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Darus 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 Darus

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 Darus.

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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 Darus , 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 – Darus

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 Darus 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: Darus Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the Darus 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.

The post Remove Darus Virus Ransomware (+.Darus File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.

Ransomware cryptoviruses like Tocue aren’t a new type of malware – those infamous software threats have been around for quite some time (about three decades), and in the past several years, they have become quite a serious issue. Their main characteristics are their target and their method of operation. The thing that they target are the files of their victims. However, instead of corrupting them, modifying them or harming them in some way, the Ransomware infections simply lock them up, making the user of the infected machine incapable of accessing the locked data. The method used to achieve this is known as data-encryption – an advanced form of file-protection turned on its head to serve the goals of the anonymous criminals who are responsible for the creation and distribution of Ransomware threats.

What your options are if The .Tocue File has entered your system

Tocue is among the latest additions to the insidious family of Ransomware infections like Gusau or Madek, and its encryption is likely very sophisticated, which means there aren’t many options of bypassing it. The criminals’ goal is to blackmail you for the decryption key for your files – if you pay a ransom to the hackers, you are promised to receive that key. However, such promises are not to be trusted – you can never be sure what (if anything) would really happen if you pay the money. Also, not all users can easily spare couple of hundred (or thousand) of dollars to get their files unlocked, so that is another problem with the payment. Therefore, we have prepared a set of removal instructions for those of you with Tocue in their systems and we have also provided several recovery suggestions for your data. Sadly, we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the file recovery options because of the advanced nature of the encryption used by Ransomware infections like Tocue. Still, we believe it is preferable to try the other options first, the ones that do not involve the ransom payment, before you consider the latter as an actual option.

Some useful tips for the future security of your data

Something that an incredibly big number of users forget about, a precaution that can nullify the effects of most cryptovirus threats, is the file-backup. An extensive backup of your important files is a surefire precaution that can make dealing with a Ransomware infection much easier. If you have all your files copied and saved on a location that can’t be reached by a cryptovirus (a cloud storage, an external drive, a flash-memory stick, etc.), your only concern would be eliminating the Ransomware, which, in and of itself, isn’t such a difficult task – the guide below and the anti-malware tool in it can help you rid your system of threats of this type.

 Another important thing to consider is to stay safe when browsing – keep an eye out for shady sites and questionable online content so that you can avoid them in order to prevent any future malware infections of your computer.

Tocue SUMMARY:

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Tocue 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 Tocue

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 Tocue.

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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 Tocue , 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 – Tocue

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 Tocue 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: Tocue Decryption

The previous steps were all aimed at removing the Tocue 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.

The post Remove Tocue Virus Ransomware (+.Tocue File Recovery) appeared first on Malware Complaints.