Aieou Ransomware

Aieou Ransomware encrypts files available on the devices that it infects so that its victims could not open their documents, pictures, photos, and data alike. Afterward, the malware shows a ransom note, claiming that users who wish to decrypt their files have to contact the malicious application’s developers and pay a ransom. The sample we encountered asked for an enormous amount of money. However, we do not recommend paying even if cybercriminals ask you for a small amount of money. That is because there are no guarantees that they will keep up with their promises. Naturally, if you do not risk getting scammed, we advise moving onto the malware’s deletion. If you want to learn how you could erase Aieou Ransomware manually, you could use the instructions provided below the article. As for learning more about the malicious application, we encourage you to rea dour full text.

It is vital to know how threats like Aieou Ransomware are spread if you want to avoid them in the future. Our researchers say that there are a few ways how a user could come across such malware. Some ransomware applications travel with spam emails. In such cases, targeted victims may receive malicious email attachments or harmful links. Hackers can make their messages look like they are coming from reputable companies like Microsoft, which is why it might be so difficult to identify emails carrying malicious data. If you want to avoid opening malicious email attachments unknowingly, we advise scanning them with a reputable antimalware tool first. To avoid opening malicious links, make sure that you read their full URL addresses first and do not ignore your browser’s warning if you receive any.

Moreover, cybercriminals often spread threats like Aieou Ransomware via malicious file-sharing websites. Thus, users who want to keep away from ransomware threats should try to avoid visiting file-sharing sites that distribute torrents, pirated software, unknown freeware, and so on. Again, if you do not know whether your downloaded or received file is malicious or not, it is best to scan it with an antimalware tool that could tell you if it is safe to open it. Last but not least, cybersecurity experts advise keeping your operating system and all installed software up to date so that your computer would have fewer weaknesses. Another common weakness is unprotected Remote Desktop Protocol connections that can help hackers gain access to a targeted computer. Therefore, if your device has this weakness, we advise taking care of it as soon as possible.

What if Aieou Ransomware gets in? According to our researchers who tested a sample of this threat, it might not create any copies or data alike on the system. Therefore, it could start encrypting targeted files right away. The malware should be after personal files like pictures, photos, documents, etc. Once they get encrypted, the affected files should have a double extension as the malware marks all of its encrypted files with an extension of its own. For example, a picture called kitten.jpg would become kitten.jpg.aieou after being encrypted by Aieou Ransomware. The next thing that the malware ought to do is create a ransom note, which ought to be called README.txt.

Inside of this note, users should find a short message asking to contact the malicious application’s creators and pay a ransom. In our case, the demanded sum was 1 Bitcoin, which currently is more than eighteen thousand US dollars. We do not think a regular home user would be willing or able to pay such a large amount of money, which means our encountered sample may be a test version. In which case, the malware’s victims might receive different ransom notes. Not to mention, hackers could yet improve Aieou Ransomware. This is why the removal instructions we display below this article might not work. Therefore, it might be best to erase Aieou Ransomware with a reliable antimalware tool that could get rid of it for good. It is advisable to delete the ransomware because leaving it could endanger your personal files that you may create in the future.

Restart the computer in Safe Mode

Windows 8/Windows 10

1. Press Win+I for Windows 8 or open Start menu for Windows 10.
2. Click the Power button.
3. Tap and hold Shift, then click Restart.
4. Pick Troubleshoot and choose Advanced Options.
5. Go to Startup Settings and click Restart.
6. Click F5 to restart the PC.

Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7

1. Go to Start, select Shutdown options, and pick Restart.
2. Click and hold F8 when the PC starts restarting.
3. Select Safe Mode with Networking.
4. Press Enter and log on.

Erase Aieou Ransomware

1. Press Win+E.
2. Check these locations:
   %TEMP%
   %USERPROFILE%\desktop
   %USERPROFILE%\downloads
3. Look for the malicious file that infected the system; it might be any recently downloaded file.
4. Right-click the malicious launcher and press Delete.
5. Find the malware’s ransom notes, files called README.txt.
6. Right-click the threat’s ransom notes and press Delete.
7. Exit File Explorer.
8. Empty Recycle bin.
9. Restart the system.