Pr0tector Ransomware

Is there a new extension .pr0tect appended to files stored on your PC? Have you found it impossible to open them? If both answers are yes, Pr0tector Ransomware must be inside your computer. This computer infection illegally enters systems and, like other ransomware-type infections do, it encrypts users’ files by appending a new filename extension to all of them. Ransomware infections usually use strong encryption keys, so users, in most cases, cannot unlock their files easily. Cyber criminals do that on purpose, of course. They know that they will not get money from users easily, so they lock users’ files and then offer to purchase an unlock key which can decrypt files in the blink of an eye. Of course, this key for unlocking files might be extremely expensive, so sometimes users better lose their files than pay thousands of dollars to cyber criminals. In this case, we suggest keeping your money in your pockets too because nobody knows whether the “private key” will be sent to you after you transfer money to the developer of Pr0tector Ransomware. The final decision is in your hands, but, no matter you decide to send them money or not, do not forget to fully delete Pr0tector Ransomware. This ransomware infection will not be removed from your computer even if you pay money and get the key for unlocking files, which suggests that it might lock files one more time if its executable is opened accidentally by a user again.

Pr0tector Ransomware might differ from similar ransomware-type infections the way it looks, but it definitely does not differ from them the way it acts. First of all, as you already know, this computer infection locks pictures, images, documents, and other important files it manages to find on the system. Following the successful encryption of files, it drops a ransomware note (READ ME ABOUT DECRYPTION.txt) on Desktop. This document contains all the information users need to know. It first explains to users why they cannot access a bunch of their personal files: “Your files were encrypted.” Second, users are told that they can buy the private key for unlocking files by writing and email to pr0tector@india.com or pr0tector@tutanota.com with a unique ID provided in the ransom note. Undoubtedly, nobody is going to give you that “private key” for free. You will, actually, have to pay money to the author of Pr0tector Ransomware to get it. You will get payment instructions and find out how much you have to pay for the decryption key if you write an email to cyber criminals, as instructed. It will not be cheap to get files back, and you have no guarantees that you will get an answer from cyber criminals after sending money to them. As a consequence, you should not pay them money, but try to recover the encrypted data for free.

If you have found your files containing .pr0tect extensions and now are sure that you have encountered Pr0tector Ransomware, you should know that there might still be a way to get those files back. Specialists say that users can easily recover their files if they have backed up their files before the entrance of the ransomware-type infection. Of course, if this backup is located on the computer, it, most probably, has been encrypted too, so only a backup located outside the system can help you to get files back. If you are sure that copies of your files do not exist, you should let those encrypted files stay on your PC for a little bit longer because there is a possibility that a free decryptor will be released very soon.

Most probably, you have allowed Pr0tector Ransomware to enter your PC by opening an attachment from a spam email. Of course, it could have found other ways to enter your computer too, for example, it could have been dropped by a serious malicious application. In any event, do not let Pr0tector Ransomware stay on your PC. You will not need to do much because this program does not drop any of its files and does not make any modifications. It just works from the place it has been launched, so your only job is to find and erase a recently downloaded/launched malicious file.

Delete Pr0tector Ransomware in a manual way

1. Launch the Windows Explorer (tap Win+E).
2. Check the following directories one after the other with the intention of finding the malicious file (type the directory at the top of the page to open it):

• %USERPROFILE%\Download
• %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
• %TEMP%
• %APPDATA%

3. Delete the malicious recently downloaded file found there.
4. Empty the Trash bin.
5. Scan your PC with SpyHunter (an automatic malware remover) to delete other active malicious applications from your computer.