If you are reading this article, then the chances are that a ransomware variant just attacked your PC or you just heard a friend who went through an attack recently. Well, whatever the reason is, if today you are here to know how to fix ransomware if your PC ever gets infected and attacked then yes, you are definitely at the right place.
For those who don’t know the specifics of ransomware, let us guide you a bit about it so that before moving towards the solution, you know what you are fighting with in the first place. Ransomware is a destructive result of the combination of cryptography and different viruses. The attackers use different encryption algorithms, they infect them with viruses and then send them to the victim’s PC via email attachments, pop up ads and websites.
Now, you might be wondering that why do these attacks occur in the first place? Well, the reason is already stated in the question that all of this is done for ransom money. These attackers demand ransom in the form of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies so that they cannot be identified and once you pay them their demanded amount, they give you the decryption key, and you then get the access to your PC back.
How to Fix Ransomware?
You can take several different measures to protect your data and your PC from a ransomware attack, but still, there’s no 100% guarantee that you will be safe. So, if you ever fall victim to these attackers, then here’s what you need to do:
- Before turning off your system, first, take a snapshot of your system’s memory so that you later can locate the attack vector and somehow find a decryption key by identifying the type of ransomware attack you just went through.
- If you think your system has been infected, then without wasting another second take the snapshot and shut down your PC right away if you don’t want the virus to spread and damage all your files.
- The next step you need to take is to identify the vector by checking all the suspected emails.
- Block your internet access to the identified servers of command and control, which you think have been used by the attacker.
- Notify the authorities and seek help from them because most of the times the demanded ransom is just too much to handle. And in this case, you’d need some help from the officials.
This is what you’ll have to do if your PC ever gets attacked. Follow the steps we just mentioned above, and we assure you that you will get through this problem quickly. Most importantly, if you haven’t been attacked yet then take some precautionary measures and use them to protect the data and files that are on your PC.