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Guardware@india.com Ransomware Removal Guide
Guardware@india.com Ransomware is a new malware infection that can pose a major threat to your personal files. Once this ransomware program manages to slither onto your operating system, it encrypts your media and program files and virtually takes them hostage. Since there is not yet a free tool on the web that could recover your files, the only real chance you have at ever using your files again is to have a backup copy on a removable hard disk. Of course, the authors of this dangerous ransomware will offer you a way out of this attack, too; however, you should know that it is always risky to transfer money to cyber criminals who have encrypted your files because they may not bother to send you anything in return. Unfortunately, without the decryption key, there is no way to restore your files. Keep in mind that even if you remove Guardware@india.com Ransomware from your system, your files will remain encrypted. But even so, we suggest that you do not hesitate but delete this ransomware immediately.
There are two ways in general for this kind of malware infection to spread over the web. We have found that this particular threat may only use the most frequently applied method, which is spamming campaigns. This method is favored by most cyber criminals because it still seems quite easy to manipulate and trick masses of inexperienced computer users. This spam e-mail that could have infected you, too, contains a file attachment that may pose as a document (.docm) or an image (.jpg or .bmp). However, it is actually an executable file that initiates this malicious attack. Therefore, it is essential that you avoid clicking on random or questionable e-mails even if they show up in your inbox. These spam mails might evade detection by your spam filter. Caution should be taken every time you scan through your unread mails. The most critical step is when you open the downloaded attachment since this is the moment you activate this ransomware.
Another possible method – although we cannot confirm it in this particular case – is the use of so-called Exploit Kits, such as Blackhole. This means that cyber criminals create infected webpages that use malicious content hidden in Java or Flash contents, including banner ads. The real danger in these malicious pages is that you do not even need to engage with the content or do anything apart from landing on this page, i.e., load it in your browser. This can happen when you click on questionable third-party ads or modified search results. One click is enough in this case to cause devastating damage to your files. This is why prevention is so important when it comes to ransomware infections. We suggest that you always keep your browsers and drivers updated from official sources to be on the safe side. Because when you get to the point that you can finally delete Guardware@india.com Ransomware from your computer, the damage will be done already; and, it may be irreversible.
Our tests show that this ransomware infection uses the usual AES-256 built-in algorithm to encrypt the targeted files. This can take less than a minute, which gives you an impossible time frame to be able to act and remove Guardware@india.com Ransomware before it accomplishes its vicious mission. One way to identify this threat is to notice a “.id-B4500913.guardware@india.com.xtbl” extension added to the affected file names. However, it is most likely that you will see the ransom note first, which changes your background image once the encryption is over. This is not the usual lengthy message that explains your situation trying to convince you that the only chance to get your files back is to pay the ransom fee. Most ransomware programs even give you tips and information about how and where you can buy Bitcoins, for example; but not Guardware@india.com Ransomware. This note is rather concise and simply informs you that if you want to decrypt your files, send an e-mail to guardware@india.com. You will obviously get a reply because otherwise you would not know how, where, and what amount you are supposed to transfer in order to get your decryption key. We must warn you that there is little chance that these criminals send you anything after your transfer. It is more likely that you will never hear of them again. This is why we emphasize the importance of having a backup of your files on a removable drive. Right now, you could simply delete Guardware@india.com Ransomware and copy all your clean files back without all the headache and nightmare of losing all your files.
If you are ready to act and you want to remove Guardware@india.com Ransomware manually, please use our guide below as a reference. It is not too complicated to eliminate this dangerous infection, but you need to be able to identify the executable file since it has a random name, i.e., it could be different for all victims. If you do not trust your IT skills and want proper protection for your computer, we advise you to find a reliable anti-malware program that you can install, and keep it updated and active so that it can automatically tackle all known malware infections. If you still need assistance regarding the removal of Guardware@india.com Ransomware, please leave us a comment below.
How to remove Guardware@india.com Ransomware from Windows
- Press Win+Q and type regedit. Press Enter.
- Remove these registry entries that can have random names (“*”):
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\* (value data: “%WINDIR%\Syswow64\*.exe”) (64-bit)
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\* (value data: “%WINDIR%\System32\*.exe”) - Exit your registry editor.
- Press Win+E.
- Delete the file you downloaded from the spam e-mail.
- Bin the random-name executable file (“*”) from these locations if found:
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\*.exe
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\*.exe
%USERPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\*.exe
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\*.exe
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\*.exe
%WINDIR%\Syswow64\*.exe (64-bit)
%WINDIR%\System32\*.exe - Delete the ransom note image, "decryption instructions.jpg"
- Empty your Recycle Bin.
- Reboot your PC.
