OzozaLocker Ransomware

OzozaLocker Ransomware is a nasty infection that has been named after a line found in its code. Since this name is not shown for users, many of them recognize this malicious application as Santa_Helper@protonmail.com Ransomware (this is an email address provided for users). No matter how you call this computer infection, it does not change the fact that it is another threat that targets users’ files. To be more specific, OzozaLocker Ransomware encrypts media files, documents, and other important data when it enters the system. It has been found that it encrypts its own files too, e.g. HOW TO DECRYPT YOU FILES.txt; however, researchers at pcthreat.com have managed to check it before the encryption happened. They have found that this threat, just like similar file-encrypting infections NMoreira Ransomware and VindowsLocker Ransomware, encrypts files so that it could then demand a ransom. At the time of writing, it demands 1 Bitcoin (~ $730), but, of course, the ransomware infection might be updated in the future, so you might be asked to transfer a larger or a smaller amount of money. Do not hurry to make a payment even though it might seem that it is the only way to unlock files. Continue reading to find out what else you can do to decrypt your files without paying money to cyber crooks.

Users get infected with OzozaLocker Ransomware when they open a malicious file. The first symptom indicating the presence of a ransomware infection is the restricted access to files. This infection finds and encrypts them all no matter where they are located. Fortunately, it does not touch .exe, .log, .dll, and other important system files, which means that your Windows OS will not be affected. Also, system utilities, e.g. Task Manager will not be blocked. All encrypted files have a new filename extension .locked. The only way to remove this extension is to unlock files. The HOW TO DECRYPT YOU FILES.txt dropped by the ransomware infection on Desktop after the encryption of files tells users to transfer the ransom in Bitcoins and then send the unique key provided in the ransom note to Santa_Helper@protonmail.com. As has already been mentioned, it is a bad decision to transfer money to cyber crooks, especially when the free decryptor is available. It is not worth spending money on a key which cyber criminals might not even send to you when it is possible to decrypt files with a free tool that can be downloaded from the web (we are sure you could find it yourself using your search engine). Before you take action, make sure that the ransomware infection is fully deleted from the computer because you might accidentally launch the malicious file and thus find your personal data encrypted again.

Ransomware infection can rarely be downloaded from the web. As research has shown, these threats are usually distributed in spam emails. They do not enter computers the second users open those emails. These threats get on the system when users open attachments they find in them. These attachments are often made to look harmless. For instance, they might be made to look like important documents. Many users know that it might be dangerous to open spam emails, but they do that anyway because they believe that they have received an important email. We know that it is not always that easy to prevent malicious applications from entering the system. Therefore, we suggest installing a security application on the computer. It should protect your system from all kinds of infections that might try to slither onto your PC in the future.

It is not very hard to delete OzozaLocker Ransomware from the system if compared to the removal of similar file-encrypting threats. Of course, the removal process will not be very quick if you do not know where the malicious file you have opened is located. According to specialists, it can be found in %TEMP%, %USERPROFILE%\Downloads, or Desktop, so users should check these directories. When the malicious file is found, it has to be immediately deleted together with the ransom note left by OzozaLocker Ransomware on Desktop. If you find the manual method too complicated, you can go to delete this infection automatically with SpyHunter. Once you remove this infection from the system, you can go to decrypt your files with a free tool.

Delete OzozaLocker Ransomware

1. Open the Windows Explorer.
2. Pay a visit to %TEMP%, %USERPROFILE%\Downloads, and Desktop.
3. Locate the malicious file you have recently opened.
4. Delete it.
5. Remove the ransom note left by OzozaLocker Ransomware on Desktop.
6. Empty the Recycle bin.