Taargo Ransomware

Taargo Ransomware is one of those malware infections that can seriously spook the infected users. As you can tell from its name, this program holds your files “hostage,” and it expects you to pay a ransom fee. You should never pay a single cent to these criminals because there is no guarantee that they would issue the decryption tool in the first place. What you have to do however, is remove Taargo Ransomware from your system today, and then make sure that your system is protected against other dangerous threats. Please note that there is a chance you might need to start building your file library anew.

In order to avoid that, you should always maintain a file backup. A file backup refers to a storage where you keep copies of your files. For instance, it could be a hard drive where you regularly save your files. You might also automatically back up your files on a cloud drive. Most of the operating systems these days offer to set up cloud storage, so that you could protect your files from malicious exploitation. If you have copies of your important documents, you don’t have to worry about such things as Taargo Ransomware.

As far as the origins of this program are concerned, we know for sure that Taargo Ransomware is another version of the Globe Imposter Ransomware infection. Does that mean you can apply the same decryption methods for both programs? Hardly. Although there are some ransomware families that share encryption keys, for the most part, the encryption keys used by different programs are unique, and thus, they require individual decryption keys, too. Once again, we would like to emphasize how important it is to have a file backup. It doesn’t look like ransomware programs will disappear any time soon, so a file backup could be a very wise choice.

Our research suggests that Taargo Ransomware employs the most common ransomware distribution methods. In other words, it probably spreads through spam attachments, unsecured RDP, and malicious downloads. Please bear in mind that this program cannot enter your computer unless you allow it to. You have to open the downloaded ransomware installer yourself. Of course, no one in their right state of mind would open such a file willingly. It means that users get tricked into opening such files because they often look like legitimate documents. Therefore, security experts recommend scanning the received files with a security tool before opening them.

On the other hand, let’s say Taargo Ransomware has already entered your system. What happens then? Well, this program displays the usual ransomware behavior patterns. It first scans the system looking for the files it can encrypt. Of course, users are not aware of that process. They can only see the result when their files get encrypted. All the encrypted files get a filename extension ‘.[taargo@olszyn.com].taargo’. This extension allows you to exactly see which files were affected by the ransomware. It also drops the ransom note in every single folder that contains encrypted files.

The ransom note is how_to_back_files.html. Note that it’s not a TXT format note like what some of the most popular ransomware programs would use. Instead, it opens a browser window, where you can read the following:

Your files are encrypted!
Don’t worry, you can return all your files!
All your files like photos, databases, documents and other important are encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key.
The only method of recovering files is to purchase decrypt tool and unique key for you.
This software will decrypt all your encrypted files.

The ransom note goes on to tell you more about what you should do to recover your files. Needless to say, you should never follow those instructions because you would only encourage the criminals to make more dangerous programs.

Check out the manual removal guidelines below this description and remove Taargo Ransomware from your system. You can also delete the infection automatically using a powerful antispyware tool. If you have no idea how to restore your files, do not hesitate to address a local professional. But please be aware that sometimes file recovery is not possible, and that once again, emphasizes the importance of a file back-up.

How to Remove Taargo Ransomware

1. Delete unknown files from Desktop and the Downloads folder.
2. Press Win+R and type %LOCALAPPDATA%. Click OK.
3. Delete an EXE file with a random name. Press Win+R.
4. Type regedit into the Open box. Click OK.
5. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce.
6. On the right pane, right-click and delete the BrowserUpdateCheck value that has the random EXE file in its path.
7. Scan the system with SpyHunter.