Remove ERIF ransomware

About this ransomware

ERIF ransomware will encrypt your data and request that you make a payment in exchange for their decryptor. Ransomware is considered to be a serious infection, which could cause very serious consequences. When a contaminated file is opened, the ransomware right away begins the encryption process of certain files. Victims usually find that the encrypted files include photos, videos and documents as they’re likely to be ones users will pay for. You will not be able to open files so easily, they’ll need to be decrypted using a special key, which is in the possession of the crooks accountable for your file encryption. Occasionally, a decryptor might be developed free of charge by malware analysts, if they are able to crack the ransomware. Seeing as there are not many options available for you, this might be the best one you have.

When the encryption process has been completed, if you look on your desktop or in folders that have files that have been encrypted, you should see a ransom note. If it hasn’t been obvious enough, the note will explain that your files have been encrypted, and offer you a way to get them back. We cannot prevent you from paying crooks, but that isn’t the suggested option. It’s possible for cyber crooks to just take the money and not help you. Bear in mind that there’s nothing stopping them from doing just that. A wiser investment would be backup. If copies of files have been made, you do not need to worry about file loss and could just delete ERIF ransomware.

Download Removal Toolto remove ERIF ransomware

We’ll clarify the spread methods in more detail later on but in short you probably fell for a fake update or opened a malicious spam email. Those two methods are the cause of a lot ransomware infections.

Ransomware distribution ways

The most likely way you got the contamination was via spam email or false program updates. You have to familiarize yourself with how to spot malicious spam emails, if you got the ransomware from emails. Before opening an attached file, you need to carefully check the email. So as to make you lower your guard, hackers will pretend to be from legitimate/known companies. The sender might claim to come from Amazon, and that they are emailing you a receipt for a purchase you won’t recall making. Luckily, it is not hard to confirm whether the sender is who they say they are. Look into the email address and see if it is among the ones used by the company, and if there are no records of the address used by anyone real, best not open the file attached. In addition, you have to scan attachments with reliable scanners before opening them.

Falling for a bogus software update could have also resulted in this if you don’t believe you have opened any questionable emails. The false update offers usually pop up on pages with suspicious reputation. It is also not uncommon for those malicious update notifications to appear via advertisements or banners. Nevertheless, for anyone who knows that no real updates will ever be suggested this way, such bogus notifications will be obvious. Your system will never be infection-free if you continue to download anything from sources such as advertisements. Take into consideration that if a program needs an update, the program will either update by itself or you will be notified through the software, and definitely not through your browser.

What does ransomware do

Ransomware has locked your files, which is why you cannot open then. When the infected file was opened, the ransomware started encrypting your files, which you might have missed. All locked files will be marked with an unusual extension, so you will know which files have been affected. Because a complex encryption algorithm was used to lock files, don’t even try to open files. If you look on your desktop or folders containing locked files, you’ll find a ransom note, which ought to provide details on how to recover your files. Text files that act as the ransom note generally tend to threaten users with file deletion and encourage victims to buy the offered decryption tool. While criminals may be correct in saying that file decryption without a decryptor isn’t possible, giving into the requests is not suggested. Realistically, how likely is it that criminals, who locked your files in the first place, will feel obliged to recover your files, even after you pay. If you pay one time, you may be willing to pay a second time, or that is what cyber criminals possibly think.

Instead of paying, try to remember whether you’ve stored files somewhere but have just forgotten. If you are out of options, back up the encrypted files and keep them for the future, it’s not impossible that a malware analyst will release a free decryption utility and you might get your files back. Remove ERIF ransomware as soon as possible, no matter what you do.

Having backups of your files is critical, so start regular backups. It isn’t unlikely that you’ll end up in the same situation again, so if you don’t want to endanger your files again, backing up your files is important. There are various backup options available, some more pricey than others but if your files are precious to you it’s worth buying one.

How to eliminate ERIF ransomware

Attempting manual removal is not recommended. If you do not wish to damage your device further, anti-malware program is your best choice. You will probably need to load your computer in Safe Mode for the anti-malware program to work. After you launch malicious software removal program in Safe Mode, you ought to be able to successfully erase ERIF ransomware. However unfortunate it might be, you will not be able to restore files with malware removal program as that’s not its purpose.

Download Removal Toolto remove ERIF ransomware

Learn how to remove ERIF ransomware from your computer

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

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

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