Ransomware is one of the most dangerous and annoying kinds of online threats affecting Internet users today. However, it’s not impossible to protect yourself from it or even to remove it from your PC once you get infected.
In fact, you can remove ransomware in all its different manifestations without getting rid of important files in your PC. But unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, you need to apply certain tools and tips to completely remove ransomware according to how it shows up on your device.
Types of Ransomware You Should Remove
Basically, ransomware comes in two different varieties, namely scareware and lock-screen viruses.
• Scareware
Scareware is a basic form of ransomware. It comes in the form of a fake antivirus or clean-up tool that tries to prompt you into using it. It will usually pop-up on your screen to tell you that there are certain issues that you need to clean up and fix.
Certain kinds of this ransomware may even annoy you with constant pop-ups and alerts to try and force you to click on it, sometimes even accidentally. The good news is that it’s usually easy to remove ransomware of this kind.
• Lock-Screen Viruses
This ransomware is known as the lock-screen virus that blocks you from accessing or using your PC completely. It shows up as a full-size pop-up screen once you’ve started up Windows and it might even carry the Justice or the FBI Department logo. It’ll say that you’ve broken the law in some way and you need to pay some type of fine.
How to Remove Ransomware?
In order to remove ransomware, you need to get rid of the hostage-taker. If you’re struggling with a basic type of ransomware like a fake clean-up tool then you can get rid of it using a few simple steps. For instance, you can go into Windows Safe Mode and operate your PC from there while running an anti-malware software such as Defencebyte.
If you’re unable to enter Windows or operate any of your programs then you can opt for the System Restore option. This sends you back to a time before the malware hit. It also protects your files from infection so you can access them in their original state. The System Restore tool is available on any Windows device by default.
To begin the restoration process through the System Restore tool, follow the steps below:
Windows 7
- Shut your PC down and long-press the F8 key on your keyboard.
- Switch off your PC and press the F8 key again once you see a pop-up window or anything appear on your screen. This should take you to the Advanced Boot Options menu.
- Click on Repair Your Computer and hit Enter.
- Log in as a user and input your Windows credentials. This includes your password and username.
- Select System Restore after you’re logged in.
Windows 8 and Windows 10
- Should your PC startup from the Windows login screen, long-press the Shift key, click the Power icon and hit Restart.
- This should take you to the recovery screen.
- Click on Troubleshoot, followed by Advanced Options and then System Restore.
If this doesn’t take you to a recovery screen, use a USB drive or Windows installation disc. Make sure it’s for your version of Windows. This way you will be able to Repair from the main menu. The installation should begin now.
Or, you could create a Windows System Repair disc from another computer that has the same Windows version from which you can boot the infected PC disc in order to access the recovery tools.
How to Prevent Ransomware and Malware from Infecting Your Device?
You’ll find that the steps involved in trying to remove ransomware are the same as those involved in getting rid of and preventing other types of malware attacks.
The key is to use a good quality software like Defencebyte and make sure you retain browser related or Windows related components such as Javascript up to date. Don’t store any junk add-ons or toolbars as that could lead you down a very dark path of malware infections.
Conclusion
Defencebyte anti-ransomware program is the best choice you can make to keep ransomware and malware issues at bay.
Also, don’t open any suspicious-looking emails and always backup your files. Do this regularly or if you can’t, use Defencebyte’s automatic backup system to keep you updated without breaking a sweat.
Do you know how to remove ransomware? Let us know in the comments below what method do you use most and if you like any of the ways we mentioned above in the article. Thanks for reading!
