Remove Zalock ransomware

What is Zalock ransomware

Zalock ransomware is believed to be a highly dangerous threat due to its intent to encrypt your data. In short, it’s referred to as ransomware. If you remember having opened a spam email attachment, clicking on an advertisement when visiting dubious web pages or downloading from untrustworthy sources, that’s how the infection could have gained access to your system. We will examine these methods further and give tips on how you may avoid such threats in the future. Ransomware isn’t considered to be so harmful for nothing, if you want to avoid possibly serious outcomes, ensure you know about its distribution methods. If you aren’t familiar with this type of infection, it may be pretty shocking to find out that your files have been locked. Soon after you realize what is going on, a ransom note will pop-up, which will reveal that if you want to get your files back, you have to pay money. Paying the ransom isn’t the best choice, seeing as it’s cyber criminals that you are dealing with, who will likely not want to assist you. The crooks will probably just ignore you after you make the payment, and it’s not likely that they’ll help you. You should also consider where the money would be used, it will probably support other malware. There’s also some possibility that a malware analyst was able to crack the ransomware, which means there could be a free decryptor available. Before you even consider paying, try the alternatives first. In case you did make backup prior to the ransomware contamination, after you eliminate Zalock ransomware there you shouldn’t have problems with data recovery.

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How does ransomware spread

If you do not know how the threat may have slipped into your machine or what you may do to avoid such infections in the future, attentively read the following sections. While it is more probable you got infected through a simple method, ransomware also uses more elaborate ones. Many ransomware authors/distributors tend to send out contaminated spam emails and host the malware on various download web pages, as those methods do not require much skill. Through spam is probably how the infection managed to get in. Hackers would likely acquire your email address from other criminals, add the file infected with malware to a kind of convincing looking email and send it to you, hoping you wouldn’t hesitate to open it. If you know the signs, the email will be rather obvious, but otherwise, it’s not hard to see why some people would fall for it. You may note particular signs that an email may be malicious, such as the text being full a grammar mistakes, or the sender’s email address being nonsensical. Known company names are often used in the emails so that receivers lower their guard. Even if you think you are familiar with the sender, always check the email address to ensure it belongs to the company. If the email doesn’t have your name, that ought to raise suspicion. Senders whose attached files are crucial enough to be opened would not include general greetings like User, Customer, Sir/Madam, as they would be familiar with your name. If you’re an Amazon customer, your name will be used in the greeting in every email they send you, as it is done automatically.

In a nutshell, before you open files added to emails, ensure you check that the sender is who they claim they are. It is also not suggested to press on adverts hosted on pages with suspicious reputation. If you are not careful, ransomware could be authorized to get into your device. Even if the advertisement is very appealing, take into account that it could be entirely bogus. In addition, don’t download from unreliable sources. If you’re regularly using torrents, the least you might do is to read people’s comments before downloading one. Another contamination method is via vulnerabilities that could be found in programs, because software is flawed, malicious software can use those vulnerabilities for infection. You have to keep your software updated because of that. Software vendors release patches a regular basis, you simply need to authorize them to install.

What does Zalock ransomware do

It’ll aim to lock specific files on your system, and will start the process as soon as the malware file is opened. Expect that files such as documents and photos will be locked because ransomware has to have leverage over you. A powerful encryption algorithm will be employed for locking the data ransomware has located. All affected ones will have a file extension added to them and this will help with recognizing affected files. A ransom note ought to then pop up, which will propose you a decryption software in exchange for money. How much the decryption software costs varies from ransomware to ransomware, you could be demanded $20 or a $1000. While a lot of malware researchers don’t advise paying, the decision is yours to make. Exploring other options for data restoring would also be useful. If the ransomware could be decrypted, it’s possible that there is a free decryptor available, made by malware researchers. Or maybe you have backed up the files a short while ago but forgotten about it. You should also try file restoring through Shadow Explorer, the ransomware might have not erased the Shadow copies of your files. We also hope you’ll be more careful in the future and have invested into trustworthy backup. If you did make backup prior to infection, you can restore files after you delete Zalock ransomware.

Zalock ransomware elimination

We don’t suggest trying to manually take care of the infection. One mistake might mean serious harm to your computer. It would be wiser to use a malware elimination tool because everything would be done for you. The tool would successfully delete Zalock ransomware because it was created for this intent. However, take into consideration that a malicious software elimination utility won’t help with file recovery, it’s not created to do that. You’ll have to perform data restoring yourself.

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Learn how to remove Zalock ransomware from your computer

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

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

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