Remove Imshifau ransomware

About Imshifau ransomware

Imshifau ransomware is dangerous malicious software that will lock your files. Ransomware is classified as a serious infection, which might cause very serious consequences. Ransomware doesn’t target all files but actually looks for specific file types. Commonly, the targeted files include photos, videos, documents, fundamentally everything that is essential to victims. You won’t be able to open files so easily, you will have to decrypt them using a decryption key, which is in the possession of the people behind this ransomware. A free decryption program might be released at some point if malicious software researchers are able to crack the ransomware. If you do not have backup for your files and don’t plan on paying, that free decryption utility might be your only choice.

On your desktop or in folders with encrypted files, a ransom note will be placed. The note will explain what happened to your files and how you may restore them. We can’t exactly recommend you to pay for a decryption utility. A much more likely scenario is criminals taking your money while not providing a decryptor in exchange. There’s nothing really preventing them from doing so. Seeing as you are considering paying hackers, maybe investing money for backup would be wiser. If copies of files have been made, you do not have to worry about losing them and can just uninstall Imshifau ransomware.

Download Removal Toolto remove Imshifau ransomware

The malware’s spread methods will be clarified more thoroughly later on but in short false updates and spam emails were probably how you got it. Such methods are favored by cyber crooks because superior ability isn’t needed.

How does ransomware spread

You might obtain ransomware in a couple of different ways, but as we’ve said previously, you possibly got the infection via false updates and spam emails. Become familiar with how to recognize infected spam emails, if you got the malware from emails. When dealing with senders you aren’t familiar with, don’t rush to open the attached file and carefully check the email first. So as to make you lower your guard, hackers will use known company names in the email. Amazon could be displayed as the sender, for example, and that the reason they are emailing you is because your account displayed weird behavior or that a new purchase was made. Whether it is Amazon or whichever other company, you should be able to easily check that. Look at the sender’s email address, and whether it sees legitimate or not check that it actually is used by the company they claim to represent. Furthermore, email attachments should be scanned with trustworthy scanners before you open them.

It is also not impossible that the malware tricked you into installing a false software update. Often, you will encounter the bogus updates on questionable sites. Oftentimes, the fake update notifications may appear via advertisements or banners. It’s very doubtful anyone familiar with how updates are suggested will ever fall for this trick, however. If you do not want your device to be full of clutter or infected with malware, never download anything from suspicious sources. If software has to be updated, the program will alert you itself or it will happen without you needing to do anything.

What does this malware do

While you have probably already realized this, but ransomware locked your files. Soon after you opened the malware file, the ransomware started the encryption process, possibly unknown to you. If you’re uncertain about which files have been encrypted, look for a specific file extension attached to files, indicating encryption. Your files were locked with a complex encryption algorithm, so don’t bother trying to open them. Details about file restoration will be provided in the ransom note. Typically, ransom notes follow the same design, they initially say your files have been encrypted, request for that you pay and then threaten you with eliminating files for good if you do not pay. Despite the fact that cyber crooks have the only decryption tool for your files, giving into the demands is not suggested. It is unlikely that the people accountable for locking your files will feel any obligation to decrypt them after you pay. If you pay now, cyber criminals may think you would be inclined to pay a second time, therefore may target you specifically again.

Before even considering paying, check your storage devices and social media accounts to see if you’ve simply forgotten about them. In the future, malicious software researchers may develop a decryption utility so keep your encrypted files stored somewhere. It’s important that you delete Imshifau ransomware from your computer as quickly as possible, whatever the case may be.

Backups need to be made frequently, so hopefully you will start doing that. You may end up risking losing your files again otherwise. Backup prices vary depending in which form of backup you opt for, but the purchase is definitely worth it if you have files you want to guard.

Ways to eliminate Imshifau ransomware

Unless you’re an advanced user, we do not suggest you attempt manual removal. You have to get anti-malware program so as to safely get rid of the threat. You will likely need to boot your computer in Safe Mode for the anti-malware program to work. Once your device has been loaded in Safe Mode, scan your device with malicious software removal and eliminate Imshifau ransomware. However unfortunate it might be, malicious software removal program cannot help you recover files as it isn’t capable of doing that.

Download Removal Toolto remove Imshifau ransomware

Learn how to remove Imshifau ransomware from your computer

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

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

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