CryLock Ransomware

Getting infected with CryLock Ransomware might indeed make you cry, but it won’t solve the situation. Ransomware infections are dangerous threats that can easily lock up your personal files. They try to make you pay the decryption, but please know that it might not be the end of it. It would only end if and when you remove CryLock Ransomware from your system. We do realize that some users have no other choice by to pay the ransom for the sensitive data that was encrypted, but if you can afford it, please refrain from giving your money to these criminals.

If you are responsible for a big system where several computers are connected under one server, or if you are working with vitally important data, you should see to it that the data is backed up. And it’s not just because of CryLock Ransomware or other ransomware infections. Keeping copies of your data is important, and it could prevent serious information loss if something happens to your software or hardware. Also, criminals who create things like CryLock Ransomware will not be able to bully you into spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on decryption tools that might not even work.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of smaller businesses that do not or simply cannot invest in file backups. Thus, CryLock Ransomware and other similar infections usually target those smaller businesses as opposed to individual users. After all, it is far more likely that a company will be more willing to pay to get their data back as opposed to one individual user (when they probably have a backup on their mobile device). Hence, you and your employees have to know enough about ransomware distribution to avoid all the potential attacks.

As far as we know, CryLock Ransomware is a new version of Cryakl Ransomware. Just as its predecessor, this new infection employs spam email attachments, corrupt RDP configurations, and bundled downloads to reach its targets. The bottom line is that the installer file reaches its target because users allow it to. Sometimes the installer file is masquerading as some important document that you supposedly receive from your business partner. Or maybe it comes as part of an installation package you downloaded from a file-sharing website. Whichever it might be, you should be careful about opening files received from unknown parties. If possible, please scan those files with a security tool of your choice, and only THEN open them.

Users who failed to check such files before opening them eventually got infected with CryLock Ransomware. This malicious program scanned the target system and located all the files it could encrypt. The encryption didn’t take long: soon, all important files were encrypted, and they were marked with the additional extension that contains the unique infection ID and the email address that can be used to contact the criminals about the ransom payment.

To make it more obvious, CryLock Ransomware drops a ransom note, too. Affected users can find the ransom note on their desktops in the HTA format file. Here’s an extract from the said ransom note:

All your documents, databases, backups, and other critical files were encrypted.
Our software used the AES cryptographic algorithm (you can find related information in Wikipedia).
<…>
The only way to recover your data is to buy a decryption key from us.
To do this, please send your unique ID to the contacts below.

Users and system administrators who do not have a file backup may feel inclined to contact the criminals about the decryption key. However, there is a good chance that the criminals would only collect the payments and then do not issue the decryption key at all.

We do understand that, in some cases, paying the ransom might be the only way to restore extremely important files. Nevertheless, removing CryLock Ransomware should be the main priority in this situation. Luckily, it is easy to terminate this infection, and you shouldn’t spend more than several minutes on it. To be absolutely sure that you’ve taken care of it properly, use a licensed antispyware tool to scan your PC. As for your files, do consider addressing a professional for other file recovery options.

How to Remove CryLock Ransomware

1. Remove recent files from Desktop.
2. Remove recent files from the Downloads folder.
3. Press Win+R and enter %TEMP%. Click OK.
4. Delete the most recent files from the directory.
5. Use SpyHunter to scan your system.