Cosanostra ransomware – How to unlock files?

What is data encoding malicious software

Cosanostra ransomware will encrypt your files, as it is ransomware. It’s a severe threat that can permanently prevent you from accessing your data. It’s very easy to contaminate your device, which only adds to why it’s so dangerous. Spam email attachments, malicious ads and bogus downloads are the most typical reasons why ransomware may infect. After it encodes your files, it’ll ask you to pay a ransom for a decryptor utility. Depending on what kind of data encoding malicious software has invaded your system, the sum requested will differ. We don’t recommend paying, no matter how little the amount is. Who is going to stop cyber crooks from taking your money, giving nothing in return. It would not be shocking if you were left with locked files, and there would be many more like you. This type of thing might happen again or something might happen to your device, thus it would be better to invest the money into backup. You will be presented with a lot of backup options, all you need to do is pick the right one. And if by chance you had backed up your files before the contamination happened, simply eliminate Cosanostra ransomware before you restore data. You will happen upon malware like this everywhere, and contamination is likely to occur again, so you have to be ready for it. If you wish to stay safe, you have to familiarize yourself with likely threats and how to guard your device from them.

Download Removal Toolto remove Cosanostra ransomware

Ransomware spread methods

Most data encoding malware use pretty primitive spread ways, which include attaching corrupted files to emails and displaying dangerous adverts. Methods that require more skill can be used as well, however.

Try to recall if you have recently received a weird email with a file added to it, which you downloaded. All data encoding malware authors would need to do is add an infected file to an email and then send it to hundreds/thousands of people. Those emails could seem to be urgent, often covering money topics, which is why users may open them without thinking about it. When dealing with emails from senders you aren’t familiar with, be vary of certain signs that it may be malicious, like mistakes in grammar, encourage to open the file added. Your name would be inserted into the email automatically if it was a legitimate company whose email should be opened. You are likely to encounter company names such as Amazon or PayPal used in those emails, as a known name would make the email seem more legitimate. Clicking on ads when on questionable web pages and downloading files from questionable sources may also lead to an infection. Compromised sites could host malicious advertisements so stop interacting with them. And stick to legitimate download sources as often as possible, because otherwise you are putting your device in jeopardy. Avoid downloading anything from ads, as they aren’t good sources. If an application needed to update itself, it would not alert you via browser, it would either update by itself, or send you a notification via the program itself.

What does it do?

The reason file encoding malware is categorized to be rather dangerous is due to its ability to encode your files and lead to you being permanently blocked from accessing them. It may take mere minutes for it to find the files it wants and encode them. You will see that your files have an extension added to them, which will help you figure out which ransomware you are dealing with. The reason why your files might be impossible to decode for free is because strong encoding algorithms might be used for the encryption process, and it is not always possible to break them. You will get a ransom note once the encryption process is completed, and the situation ought to be clearer. The ransom note will demand that you pay for a decoding tool but complying with the demands is not recommended. By paying, you would be putting a lot of faith in crooks, the people who are responsible for your file encryption in the first place. The ransom money would also possibly go towards financing future ransomware activities. When people pay the ransom, they are making ransomware a highly profitable business, which is estimated to have made $1 billion in 2016, and evidently that will attract plenty of people to it. We suggest you consider investing the demanded money into some type of backup option. And your data wouldn’t be at risk if this type of threat hijacked your computer again. Our advice would be to ignore the demands, and if the threat is still inside on your system, erase Cosanostra ransomware, for which you will find guidelines below. And try to familiarize with how to prevent these types of threats in the future, so that this doesn’t occur.

How to erase Cosanostra ransomware

Malicious program removal software will be required to get rid of the threat, if it’s still somewhere on your device. You might involuntarily end up harming your system if you try to manually remove Cosanostra ransomware yourself, so we don’t suggest proceeding by yourself. A wiser option would be using professional malicious software removal software. There should not be any problems with the process, as those types of utilities are designed to terminate Cosanostra ransomware and similar infections. However, in case you are not sure about where to start, scroll down for instructions. Sadly, those utilities are not capable of recovering your data, they will just erase the infection. Although in certain cases, malicious program researchers release free decryptors, if the ransomware can be decrypted.

Download Removal Toolto remove Cosanostra ransomware

Learn how to remove Cosanostra ransomware from your computer

• Step 1. Remove Cosanostra ransomware using Safe Mode with Networking.
• Step 2. Remove Cosanostra ransomware using System Restore
• Step 3. Recover your data

Step 1. Remove Cosanostra ransomware using Safe Mode with Networking.

• a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking.
• b) Step 2. Remove Cosanostra ransomware.

a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking.

For Windows 7/Vista/XP

1. Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options appears.
3. Choose Safe Mode with Networking

For Windows 8/10 users

1. Press the power button that appears at the Windows login screen. Press and hold Shift. Click Restart.
2. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
3. Choose Enable Safe Mode with Networking.

b) Step 2. Remove Cosanostra ransomware.

You will now need to open your browser and download some kind of anti-malware software. Choose a trustworthy one, install it and have it scan your computer for malicious threats. When the ransomware is found, remove it. If, for some reason, you can't access Safe Mode with Networking, go with another option.

Step 2. Remove Cosanostra ransomware using System Restore

• a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
• b) Step 2. Restore files and settings.

a) Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

For Windows 7/Vista/XP

1. Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options appears.
3. Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

For Windows 8/10 users

1. Press the power button that appears at the Windows login screen. Press and hold Shift. Click Restart.
2. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
3. Choose Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

b) Step 2. Restore files and settings.

1. You will need to type in cd restore in the window that appears. Press Enter.
2. Type in rstrui.exe and again, press Enter.
3. A window will pop-up and you should press Next. Choose a restore point and press Next again.
4. Press Yes.

While this should have taken care of the ransomware, you might want to download anti-malware just to be sure no other threats are lurking.  

Step 3. Recover your data

• a) Using Data Recovery Pro to recover encrypted files.
• b) Restore files through Windows Previous Versions
• c) Using Shadow Explorer to recover files

While backup is essential, there is still quite a few users who do not have it. If you are one of them, you can try the below provided methods and you just might be able to recover files.

a) Using Data Recovery Pro to recover encrypted files.

1. Download Data Recovery Pro, preferably from a trustworthy website.
2. Scan your device for recoverable files.
3. Recover them.

b) Restore files through Windows Previous Versions

If you had System Restore enabled, you can recover files through Windows Previous Versions.

1. Find a file you want to recover.
2. Right-click on it.
3. Select Properties and then Previous versions.
4. Pick the version of the file you want to recover and press Restore.

c) Using Shadow Explorer to recover files

If you are lucky, the ransomware did not delete your shadow copies. They are made by your system automatically for when system crashes.

1. Go to the official website (shadowexplorer.com) and acquire the Shadow Explorer application.
2. Set up and open it.
3. Press on the drop down menu and pick the disk you want.
4. If folders are recoverable, they will appear there. Press on the folder and then Export.

* SpyHunter scanner, published on this site, is intended to be used only as a detection tool. More info on SpyHunter. To use the removal functionality, you will need to purchase the full version of SpyHunter. If you wish to uninstall SpyHunter, click here.