CryLock ransomware virus - removal and decryption options

What kind of malware is CryLock?

Discovered by Albert Zsigovits, CryLock is the name of a malicious program, which is a new variant of Cryakl ransomware. This malware is designed to encrypt data and demand payment for decryption.

During the encryption process, all affected files are renamed according to the following pattern: developer's email address; victim's unique ID, and; an extension consisting of three random characters. The extension is randomized for every file.

For example, files originally named "1.jpg", "2.jpg" and "3.jpg" would appear as something similar to "1.jpg[grand@horsef***er.org][512064768-1578909375].ycs", "2.jpg[grand@horsef***er.org][512064768-1578909375].wkm and "3.jpg[grand@horsef***er.org][512064768-1578909375].muc - respectively.

After completion of this process, CryLock ransomware displays a pop-up window that contains the ransom message.

Screenshot of files encrypted by CryLock ("[cyber_criminals'_email_address][victim's_ID].[3_random_letters]" extension):

Ransom note overview

The message in the pop-up states that all data has been encrypted, including files such as documents, databases, backups and so on. According to the message, the only way to recover them is to purchase a unique decryption key (generated individually for each victim).

The cost of the key is not mentioned, however, it is stated that this will depend on how quickly users establish contact with the cyber criminals behind the infection. Additionally, this window has two countdown timers, which represent the time remaining until the ransom increases and decryption becomes impossible.

Communication is to be initiated via email and victims are instructed to use reliable email clients (e.g. Gmail, ProtonMail, AOL, etc.). The criminals' email address is apparently temporary, and following 2-4 weeks, it will be blocked.

The messages users send must contain their External IP addresses and unique IDs (located in the messages and within filenames of compromised files). They can also include up to three encrypted files attached, should victims wish to test decryption free of charge.

The total size of these test files cannot exceed 5 MB (non-archived) and they must not contain valuable information (e.g. databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.). The message warns users that attempting to decrypt the files with third party software can result in permanent data loss.

More about ransomware

Unfortunately, in most cases of ransomware infections, file recovery is impossible without the involvement of the individuals responsible, unless the malware in question is still in development and/or has bugs/flaws. Whatever the case, you are strongly advised against contacting and/or meeting the demands of cyber criminals.

Despite paying, victims often receive none of the promised decryption tools/keys. Therefore, their files remain damaged beyond repair and they also experience significant financial loss. To prevent CryLock from further encryption, it must be eliminated from the operating system, however, removal will not restore already encrypted data.

The only viable solution is to recover files from a backup, provided one was made prior to the infection and was stored in a different location.

Ransomware in general

Picocode, Adhubllka, and Sivo are some examples of other ransomware infections. Malicious software under this classification encrypts data of infected systems and demands payment for the appropriate decryption tools. There are two main differences: cryptographic algorithm used (symmetric or asymmetric) and ransom size.

The latter ranges between three and four digit sums (in USD). Cyber criminals tend to prefer digital currencies (e.g. cryptocurrencies, pre-paid vouchers, etc.), since these transactions are difficult/impossible to trace.

To protect files from data encryption attacks, you are advised to store backups on remote servers and/or unplugged storage devices (ideally, in multiple locations).

How did ransomware infect my computer?

Ransomware and other malware is primarily spread through spam campaigns, trojans, software "cracking" (activation) tools, fake updaters and untrustworthy download sources. Spam campaigns are used to send deceptive emails by the thousand. These messages are usually disguised as "official", "important" or "urgent".

They have infectious files attached (or contain links leading to them). These attachments come in various formats (e.g. Microsoft Office and PDF documents, archive and executable files, JavaScript, etc.). Once opened, the infection process begins (i.e., they start downloading/installing malware).

Trojans are malicious programs capable of causing chain infections. Rather than activating licensed products, "cracking" tools can download/install malicious software. Fake updaters cause infections by abusing flaws of outdated programs and/or simply by installing malware rather than the updates.

Untrustworthy download channels such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.) and other third party downloaders present malicious software as normal content, or bundled with it.

Threat Summary:

Name	CryLock virus
Threat Type	Ransomware, Crypto Virus, Files locker.
Encrypted Files Extension	[cyber_criminals'_email_address][victim's_ID].[3_random_letters]
Ransom Demand Message	Text presented in the pop-up window
Cyber Criminal Contact	grand@horsef***er.org and horsef***er@tuta.io, raptorfiles@yahooweb.co, tomascry@protonmail.com, lock@consultant.com, lamaskara@mailfence.com, extremessd@decoymail.net, markcry@pm.me, bigbosscry@pm.me, uspex1@cock.li, flydragon@mailfence.com, reidcry@dr.com, dragonbutterfly@mailfence.com, balancebb@mailfence.com, contactcock@protonmail.ch, gilcry@inboxeen.com, vascry@mailbeaver.net, honestandhope@qq.com, greenoffer1@aol.com, velzevul@msgsafe.io, bedentis@mailfence.com, mustafazarif@onionmail.org, tiburontigre@mailfence.com, tiburontigre@startmail.com, paybackformistake@qq.com, taraxacum@startmail.com, taraxacum@mailfence.com, evilmosquito@onionmail.org, lightloo@mailfence.com, lordlourens@msgsafe.io, @assist_decoder (Telegram), @eyeball_1869 (Telegram), @Fileraptor (Telegram), @Helpdecrypt (Telegram)
Detection Names	Avast (Win32:Trojan-gen), BitDefender (Gen:Heur.Ransom.REntS.Gen.1), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/Filecoder.EQ), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Cannot open files stored on your computer, previously functional files now have a different extension (for example, my.docx.locked). A ransom demand message is displayed on your desktop. Cyber criminals demand payment of a ransom (usually in bitcoins) to unlock your files.
Distribution methods	Infected email attachments (macros), torrent websites, malicious ads.
Damage	All files are encrypted and cannot be opened without paying a ransom. Additional password-stealing trojans and malware infections can be installed together with a ransomware infection.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

How to protect yourself from ransomware infections

Do not open suspicious and/or irrelevant emails. Any attachments (or links) present in suspect mail must never be opened, due to the threat of potential malware infections. All downloads should be performed from official and verified sources.

Program activation and updating should be performed using functions/tools provided by legitimate developers, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third party updaters are high-risk. Have a reputable anti-virus/anti-spyware suite installed and kept up-to-date.

This software should be used for regular system scans and removal of detected threats. If your computer is already infected with CryLock, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this ransomware.

The appearance of CryLock ransomware pop-up (GIF):

Text presented in CryLock ransomware ransom message:

Price is raised! Your files have been encrypted... Price is raised!Your files will be lost after

What happened?
All your documents, databases, backups and other important files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. The only way to recover files is to purchase a unique private decryption key. If you want to recover files, write to us by e-mail: grand@horsef***er.org with the following details:
External IP
You unique ID [512064768-1578909375] [copy]
The price depends on how fast you write to us, on timers you can see how many time do you have before price increasing. After payment we will send you the tool that will decrypt all your files. In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to this e-mail: horsef***er@tuta.io [copy]

Any guarantees?
Before paying you can send us up to 3 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 5Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

Attention!

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.
Use trusted email clients (gmail.com, protonmail.com, aol.com, etc.) for communication; sometimes your letters do not reach us from corporate letters.
Communication with us lasts 2-4 weeks, then we block mail for communication
Your ID [512064768-1578909375] [copy] Write to grand@horsef***er.org [copy]

Screenshot of a message encouraging users to pay a ransom to decrypt their compromised data:

Another variant of CryLock ransomware pop-up window:

Text presented within this pop-up:

Payment will be raised after 1 day 23:34:57
Your files have been encrypted...

0001100010111011000

Your files will be lost after 4 days 23:34:57

What happened?
All your documents, databases, backups and other important files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. The only way to recover files is to purchase a unique private decryption key. If you want to recover files, write to us by e-mail: tomascry@protonmail.com with the following details:
External IP
You unique ID [-] [copy]
The price depends on how fast you write to us, on timers you can see how many time do you have before price increasing. After payment we will send you the tool that will decrypt all your files. In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to this e-mail: markcry@pm.me [copy]

Any guarantees?
Before paying you can send us up to 3 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 5Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases, backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

Attention!

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.
Use trusted email clients (gmail.com, protonmail.com, aol.com, etc.) for communication; sometimes your letters do not reach us from corporate letters.
Communication with us lasts 2-4 weeks, then we block mail for communication
Your ID [-] [copy] Write to tomascry@protonmail.com [copy]

Update April 6, 2020 - Criminals have recently released yet another variant of CryLock ransomware, which appends a different file extension ("[reddragon3335799@protonmail.ch][sel3].[victim's_ID]") and delivers a slightly different ransom message.

Screenshot of the pop-up window ("how_to_decrypt.hta"):

Text presented within:

Payment will be raised after
1 day 23:39:15
Your files have been encrypted...
0111100111101011001
Your files will be lost after
4 days 23:39:15
Decrypt files? Write to this mails: reddragon3335799@protonmail.ch or reddragon3335799@tutanota.com. Telegram @assist_decoder.
You unique ID [59436244-F9E4D68F] [copy]
Your ID [59436244-F9E4D68F] [copy]
Write to reddragon3335799@protonmail.ch [copy]

Screenshot of files encrypted by this CryLock variant:

Update April 8, 2020 - Crooks have released yet another variant of the latest CryLock ransomware. Instead of appending "[reddragon3335799@protonmail.ch][sel3].[victim's_ID]" extension it now appends "[reddragon3335799@protonmail.ch][sel4].[victim's_ID]" (notice "sel4" instead of "sel3"). Everything else is completely the same.

Update April 27, 2020 - Crooks have recently released yet another update of CryLock ransomware. The dropped "how_to_decrypt.hta" file now delivers a completely different ransom note and the appended file extension ("[jericoni@pm.me].[victim's_ID]") is also different.

Screenshot of the updated CryLock ransomware pop-up window ("how_to_decrypt.hta"):

Text presented within:

ENCRYPTED
What happened?
 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).

It happened because of security problems on your server, and you cannot use any of these files anymore. 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.
E-mail:jericoni@pm.me copy Unique ID:[-]copy
Right after payment, we will send you a specific decoding software that will decrypt all of your files. If you have not received the response within 24 hours, please contact us by e-mail crylock@danwin1210.me.During a short period, you can buy a decryption key with a
50% discount
2 days 23:54:14
The price depends on how soon you will contact us.All your files will be deleted permanently in:4 days     23:54:14 Attention!
! Do not try to recover files yourself. this process can damage your data and recovery will become impossible.
! Do not waste time trying to find the solution on the Internet. The longer you wait, the higher will become the decryption key price.
! Do not contact any intermediaries. They will buy the key from us and sell it to you at a higher price.
What guarantees do you have?
 
Before payment, we can decrypt three files for free. The total file size should be less than 5MB (before archiving), and the files should not contain any important information (databases, backups, large tables, etc.)

Screenshot of the files encrypted by this CryLock ransomware variant ("[jericoni@pm.me].[victim's_ID]" extension):

Update July 17, 2020 - Crooks have recently released an updated variant of CryLock ransomware, which appends a different file extension - "[bigbosscry@pm.me][1].[-]". The pop-up window, however, barely differs comparing to the last one.

Screenshot of the pop-up window ("how_to_decrypt.hta"):

Text presented within:

ENCRYPTED0010000110000011111101110001111001000100
What
 
happened?
 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).

It happened because of security problems on your server, and you cannot use any of these files anymore. 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.
E-mail:bigbosscry@pm.me copy Unique ID:[-] copy
Right after payment, we will send you a specific decoding software that will decrypt all of your files. If you have not received the response within 24 hours, please contact us by e-mail crylock@usa.com.During a short period, you can buy a decryption key with a
50% discount
4 days 23:25:02
The price depends on how soon you will contact us.All your files will be deleted permanently in:6 days     23:25:02Attention!
! Do not try to recover files yourself. this process can damage your data and recovery will become impossible.
! Do not waste time trying to find the solution on the Internet. The longer you wait, the higher will become the decryption key price.
! Do not contact any intermediaries. They will buy the key from us and sell it to you at a higher price.
What guarantees do you have?
 
Before payment, we can decrypt three files for free. The total file size should be less than 5MB (before archiving), and the files should not contain any important information (databases, backups, large tables, etc.)

Screenshot of files encrypted by this CryLock ransomware variant ("[bigbosscry@pm.me][1].[-]" extension):

Examples of files encrypted by other variants of CryLock ransomware:

Example 1 ("[omegawatch@protonmail.com[ferauto].[victim's_ID]" extension):

Example 2 ("[darkmask@mailfence.com[fervis].[victim's_ID]" extension):

Yet another variant of a pop-up window ("how_to_decrypt.hta") delivered by CryLock ransomware:

Text presented within:

All files will be devare on:
IF YOU READ THIS, ALL YOUR IMPORTANT DATA IS ENCRYPTED!
In case you attempt to recover it with any third-party software, the encryption algorithm will irreversibly corrupt your files!

We've copied all of your documents, databases, and other essential files.

The only way for you to save your data is to buy the unique decryption key. If you try to cheat us or do anything else besides our offer, we'll use the info we have against you. To get rid of any doubts regarding our words, contact us. You need to go through several steps:

Download the Tor Browser: hxxps://www.torproject.org/
Open it and proceed to the link: hxxp://d57uremugxjrafyg.onion/idFishEye
Enter your unique ID and email and press Enter
If you haven't received any reaction in 24 hours, please contact us via email: eyefish@msgsafe.io

You have only four days to make the right choice! If we won't receive your payment within this period, your domain network can be attacked again.

Hurry up!
Your Personal ID: COPY ID

CryLock ransomware removal:

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Video suggesting what steps should be taken in case of a ransomware infection:

Quick menu:

• What is CryLock virus?
• STEP 1. Reporting ransomware to authorities.
• STEP 2. Isolating the infected device.
• STEP 3. Identifying the ransomware infection.
• STEP 4. Searching for ransomware decryption tools.
• STEP 5. Restoring files with data recovery tools.
• STEP 6. Creating data backups.

Reporting ransomware to authorities:

If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we recommend reporting this incident to authorities. By providing information to law enforcement agencies you will help track cybercrime and potentially assist in the prosecution of the attackers. Here's a list of authorities where you should report a ransomware attack. For the complete list of local cybersecurity centers and information on why you should report ransomware attacks, read this article.

List of local authorities where ransomware attacks should be reported (choose one depending on your residence address):

•  USA - Internet Crime Complaint Centre IC3
•  United Kingdom - Action Fraud
•  Spain - Policía Nacional
•  France - Ministère de l'Intérieur
•  Germany - Polizei
•  Italy - Polizia di Stato
•  The Netherlands - Politie
•  Poland - Policja
•  Portugal - Polícia Judiciária

Isolating the infected device:

Some ransomware-type infections are designed to encrypt files within external storage devices, infect them, and even spread throughout the entire local network. For this reason, it is very important to isolate the infected device (computer) as soon as possible.

Step 1: Disconnect from the internet.

The easiest way to disconnect a computer from the internet is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the motherboard, however, some devices are connected via a wireless network and for some users (especially those who are not particularly tech-savvy), disconnecting cables may seem troublesome. Therefore, you can also disconnect the system manually via Control Panel:

Navigate to the "Control Panel", click the search bar in the upper-right corner of the screen, enter "Network and Sharing Center" and select search result:

Click the "Change adapter settings" option in the upper-left corner of the window:

Right-click on each connection point and select "Disable". Once disabled, the system will no longer be connected to the internet. To re-enable the connection points, simply right-click again and select "Enable".

Step 2: Unplug all storage devices.

As mentioned above, ransomware might encrypt data and infiltrate all storage devices that are connected to the computer. For this reason, all external storage devices (flash drives, portable hard drives, etc.) should be disconnected immediately, however, we strongly advise you to eject each device before disconnecting to prevent data corruption:

Navigate to "My Computer", right-click on each connected device, and select "Eject":

Step 3: Log-out of cloud storage accounts.

Some ransomware-type might be able to hijack software that handles data stored within "the Cloud". Therefore, the data could be corrupted/encrypted. For this reason, you should log-out of all cloud storage accounts within browsers and other related software. You should also consider temporarily uninstalling the cloud-management software until the infection is completely removed.

Identify the ransomware infection:

To properly handle an infection, one must first identify it. Some ransomware infections use ransom-demand messages as an introduction (see the WALDO ransomware text file below).

This, however, is rare. In most cases, ransomware infections deliver more direct messages simply stating that data is encrypted and that victims must pay some sort of ransom. Note that ransomware-type infections typically generate messages with different file names (for example, "_readme.txt", "READ-ME.txt", "DECRYPTION_INSTRUCTIONS.txt", "DECRYPT_FILES.html", etc.). Therefore, using the name of a ransom message may seem like a good way to identify the infection. The problem is that most of these names are generic and some infections use the same names, even though the delivered messages are different and the infections themselves are unrelated. Therefore, using the message filename alone can be ineffective and even lead to permanent data loss (for example, by attempting to decrypt data using tools designed for different ransomware infections, users are likely to end up permanently damaging files and decryption will no longer be possible even with the correct tool).

Another way to identify a ransomware infection is to check the file extension, which is appended to each encrypted file. Ransomware infections are often named by the extensions they append (see files encrypted by Qewe ransomware below).

This method is only effective, however, when the appended extension is unique - many ransomware infections append a generic extension (for example, ".encrypted", ".enc", ".crypted", ".locked", etc.). In these cases, identifying ransomware by its appended extension becomes impossible.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to identify a ransomware infection is to use the ID Ransomware website. This service supports most existing ransomware infections. Victims simply upload a ransom message and/or one encrypted file (we advise you to upload both if possible).

The ransomware will be identified within seconds and you will be provided with various details, such as the name of the malware family to which the infection belongs, whether it is decryptable, and so on.

Example 1 (Qewe [Stop/Djvu] ransomware):

Example 2 (.iso [Phobos] ransomware):

If your data happens to be encrypted by ransomware that is not supported by ID Ransomware, you can always try searching the internet by using certain keywords (for example, a ransom message title, file extension, provided contact emails, crypto wallet addresses, etc.).

Search for ransomware decryption tools:

Encryption algorithms used by most ransomware-type infections are extremely sophisticated and, if the encryption is performed properly, only the developer is capable of restoring data. This is because decryption requires a specific key, which is generated during the encryption. Restoring data without the key is impossible. In most cases, cybercriminals store keys on a remote server, rather than using the infected machine as a host. Dharma (CrySis), Phobos, and other families of high-end ransomware infections are virtually flawless, and thus restoring data encrypted without the developers' involvement is simply impossible. Despite this, there are dozens of ransomware-type infections that are poorly developed and contain a number of flaws (for example, the use of identical encryption/decryption keys for each victim, keys stored locally, etc.). Therefore, always check for available decryption tools for any ransomware that infiltrates your computer.

Finding the correct decryption tool on the internet can be very frustrating. For this reason, we recommend that you use the No More Ransom Project and this is where identifying the ransomware infection is useful. The No More Ransom Project website contains a "Decryption Tools" section with a search bar. Enter the name of the identified ransomware, and all available decryptors (if there are any) will be listed.

Restore files with data recovery tools:

Depending on the situation (quality of ransomware infection, type of encryption algorithm used, etc.), restoring data with certain third-party tools might be possible. Therefore, we advise you to use the Recuva tool developed by CCleaner. This tool supports over a thousand data types (graphics, video, audio, documents, etc.) and it is very intuitive (little knowledge is necessary to recover data). In addition, the recovery feature is completely free.

Step 1: Perform a scan.

Run the Recuva application and follow the wizard. You will be prompted with several windows allowing you to choose what file types to look for, which locations should be scanned, etc. All you need to do is select the options you're looking for and start the scan. We advise you to enable the "Deep Scan" before starting, otherwise, the application's scanning capabilities will be restricted.

Wait for Recuva to complete the scan. The scanning duration depends on the volume of files (both in quantity and size) that you are scanning (for example, several hundred gigabytes could take over an hour to scan). Therefore, be patient during the scanning process. We also advise against modifying or deleting existing files, since this might interfere with the scan. If you add additional data (for example, downloading files/content) while scanning, this will prolong the process:

Step 2: Recover data.

Once the process is complete, select the folders/files you wish to restore and simply click "Recover". Note that some free space on your storage drive is necessary to restore data:

Create data backups:

Proper file management and creating backups is essential for data security. Therefore, always be very careful and think ahead.

Partition management: We recommend that you store your data in multiple partitions and avoid storing important files within the partition that contains the entire operating system. If you fall into a situation whereby you cannot boot the system and are forced to format the disk on which the operating system is installed (in most cases, this is where malware infections hide), you will lose all data stored within that drive. This is the advantage of having multiple partitions: if you have the entire storage device assigned to a single partition, you will be forced to delete everything, however, creating multiple partitions and allocating the data properly allows you to prevent such problems. You can easily format a single partition without affecting the others - therefore, one will be cleaned and the others will remain untouched, and your data will be saved. Managing partitions is quite simple and you can find all the necessary information on Microsoft's documentation web page.

Data backups: One of the most reliable backup methods is to use an external storage device and keep it unplugged. Copy your data to an external hard drive, flash (thumb) drive, SSD, HDD, or any other storage device, unplug it and store it in a dry place away from the sun and extreme temperatures. This method is, however, quite inefficient, since data backups and updates need to be made regularly. You can also use a cloud service or remote server. Here, an internet connection is required and there is always the chance of a security breach, although it's a really rare occasion.

We recommend using Microsoft OneDrive for backing up your files. OneDrive lets you store your personal files and data in the cloud, sync files across computers and mobile devices, allowing you to access and edit your files from all of your Windows devices. OneDrive lets you save, share and preview files, access download history, move, delete, and rename files, as well as create new folders, and much more.

You can back up your most important folders and files on your PC (your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders). Some of OneDrive’s more notable features include file versioning, which keeps older versions of files for up to 30 days. OneDrive features a recycling bin in which all of your deleted files are stored for a limited time. Deleted files are not counted as part of the user’s allocation.

The service is built using HTML5 technologies and allows you to upload files up to 300 MB via drag and drop into the web browser or up to 10 GB via the OneDrive desktop application. With OneDrive, you can download entire folders as a single ZIP file with up to 10,000 files, although it can’t exceed 15 GB per single download.

OneDrive comes with 5 GB of free storage out of the box, with an additional 100 GB, 1 TB, and 6 TB storage options available for a subscription-based fee. You can get one of these storage plans by either purchasing additional storage separately or with Office 365 subscription.

Creating a data backup:

The backup process is the same for all file types and folders. Here’s how you can back up your files using Microsoft OneDrive

Step 1: Choose the files/folders you want to backup.

Click the OneDrive cloud icon to open the OneDrive menu. While in this menu, you can customize your file backup settings.

Click Help & Settings and then select Settings from the drop-down menu.

Go to the Backup tab and click Manage backup.

In this menu, you can choose to backup the Desktop and all of the files on it, and Documents and Pictures folders, again, with all of the files in them. Click Start backup.

Now, when you add a file or folder in the Desktop and Documents and Pictures folders, they will be automatically backed up on OneDrive.

To add folders and files, not in the locations shown above, you have to add them manually.

Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of the folder/file you want to backup. Select the item, right-click it, and click Copy.

Then, navigate to OneDrive, right-click anywhere in the window and click Paste. Alternatively, you can just drag and drop a file into OneDrive. OneDrive will automatically create a backup of the folder/file.

All of the files added to the OneDrive folder are backed up in the cloud automatically. The green circle with the checkmark in it indicates that the file is available both locally and on OneDrive and that the file version is the same on both. The blue cloud icon indicates that the file has not been synced and is available only on OneDrive. The sync icon indicates that the file is currently syncing.

To access files only located on OneDrive online, go to the Help & Settings drop-down menu and select View online.

Step 2: Restore corrupted files.

OneDrive makes sure that the files stay in sync, so the version of the file on the computer is the same version on the cloud. However, if ransomware has encrypted your files, you can take advantage of OneDrive’s Version history feature that will allow you to restore the file versions prior to encryption.

Microsoft 365 has a ransomware detection feature that notifies you when your OneDrive files have been attacked and guide you through the process of restoring your files. It must be noted, however, that if you don’t have a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, you only get one detection and file recovery for free.

If your OneDrive files get deleted, corrupted, or infected by malware, you can restore your entire OneDrive to a previous state. Here’s how you can restore your entire OneDrive:

1. If you're signed in with a personal account, click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Options and select Restore your OneDrive.

If you're signed in with a work or school account,  click the Settings cog at the top of the page. Then, click Restore your OneDrive.

2. On the Restore your OneDrive page, select a date from the drop-down list. Note that if you're restoring your files after automatic ransomware detection, a restore date will be selected for you.

3. After configuring all of the file restoration options, click Restore to undo all the activities you selected.

The best way to avoid damage from ransomware infections is to maintain regular up-to-date backups.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How was my computer hacked and how did hackers encrypt my files?

Malicious programs are commonly distributed through various methods, including drive-by downloads, online scams, spam emails, deceptive advertising, untrustworthy download sources like freeware and third-party websites, peer-to-peer networks, deceptive software updates, pirated software, and unauthorized tools for software activation.

How to open encrypted files?

Your files have been encrypted due to a ransomware infection, and you will need to perform a decryption process in order to regain access and use them.

Where should I look for free decryption tools for CryLock ransomware?

In case of a ransomware attack you should check the No More Ransom project website (more information above).

I can pay you a lot of money, can you decrypt files for me?

We are unable to offer decryption services for files encrypted by ransomware. Typically, decrypting files without the involvement of threat actors is extremely difficult, if not impossible, unless there are flaws in the ransomware's encryption. Therefore, it is important to be cautious of third-party services claiming to provide paid decryption, as they may act as intermediaries or engage in fraudulent activities.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove CryLock ransomware?

Combo Cleaner is a trusted tool that effectively detects and removes ransomware infections. However, it is crucial to understand that decrypting encrypted files requires specialized decryption tools specifically designed for the particular ransomware variant involved.

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