I wrote this article to help you remove FunFact Ransomware. This FunFact Ransomware removal guide works for all Windows versions.
The FunFact Ransomware is anything but fun. It is the most dreaded cyber infection you could possibly get stuck with. If you have never dealt with such a parasite before, prepare yourself. These pests are incredibly dangerous and they need to be tackled ASAP. FunFact is no different. Like all ransomware pieces, it follows a pretty standard pattern to make your life miserable. The first step is Invasion. The pest sneaks into your system completely undetected. And for that, it uses tricks. Ransomware programs need your permission to enter and it relies on tricks to get it. Otherwise, you will never give it green light. What are those tricks, though?
When it comes to ransomware, don’t expect any originality. It uses the same tactics as other infections. Like, spam email messages. Sometimes the crooks send a pest directly into your inbox, disguised to look like a legitimate email. Don’t open messages from unknown senders. Delete them right away. Or, the ransomware could be attached to a freeware bundle. Or, it could use the help of a Trojan to get it. It can hide behind corrupted links/pages/torrents or pose as a program update. However, none of these tactics will work without your carelessness. This is what crooks pray for the most. If you are negligent you are practically helping hackers. Don’t. Be more cautious and don’t make yourself an even easier target.
Once FunFact is in, it is time for its second move – encryption. First, the parasite scans your system, searching for files to lock. And usually, it finds them all. Pictures, music, videos, MS Office documents, files, presentations, etc. They all fall victim to the pest. It uses a combination of EAS and RSA encryption to lock everything. When it is done, you are no longer to open any of them. They are inaccessible, empty icons. FunFact also appends its pesky extension to each locked file solidifying its hold. Seeing your data renamed means the –file locking process is over and that your files have been turned into unreadable gibberish. Aside from denying you access to everything, FunFact also drops several files – clsign.dll, trc.dll, rar.exe, wallet.jpg and note.ini. You can see them in each folder containing encrypted data. In addition, your wallpaper gets modified as well.
What is this necessary? Well, note.ini, for example, is the crooks` ransom note. It explains your unpleasant situation. According to it, you “had bad luck” and all of your files are locked. Of course, the hackers offer you a way out. Isn`t that ironic? The people who are responsible for locking your data are now offering you a solution. Obviously, this is a scheme. You are asked to contact them via funfacts11@tutanota.com or worldfunfact@sigaint.org so they could give you detailed payment instructions. You have to purchase a special tool which the crooks will send you after you make the payment. The problem is that you have zero guarantees. Hackers only care about your money. Most of the times they don’t deliver what you pay for. And the sum they demand is not small at all – 1.2 Bitcoins which equals almost $1200. Are you willing to pay so much money for nothing? Do you want to help crooks expand and not receive anything in return?
As we said, the chances are they won`t give you what you paid for. Or, they may send you a decrypter which doesn’t work. Or, even if they send you the right one, you still lose because the tool only removes the encryption, not the infection. Your precious data can be re-encrypted again in a couple of hours? And then what? Are you going to pay again? How many times are you willing to jeopardize your privacy? As that is exactly what you do by paying. You are giving hackers access to your personal and financial details. Don’t make deals which these people. There is no scenario in which you can win. Ignore all the threats crooks make and don’t give them even a cent of your money. Instead, use our removal guide below. It is easy to follow, free of charge and it will help you deal with FunFact in a couple of steps.
FunFact Ransomware Removal
Method 1: Restore your encrypted files using ShadowExplorer
Usually, FunFact Ransomware deletes all shadow copies, stored in your computer. Luckily, the ransomware is not always able to delete the shadow copies. So your first try should be restoring the original files from shadow copies.
- Download ShadowExplorer from this link: http://www.shadowexplorer.com/downloads.html.
- Install ShadowExplorer
- Open ShadowExplorer and select C: drive on the left panel
- Choose at least a month ago date from the date field
- Navigate to the folder with encrypted files
- Right-click on the encrypted file
- Select “Export” and choose a destination for the original file
Method 2: Restore your encrypted files by using System Restore
- Go to Start –> All programs –> Accessories –> System tools –> System restore
- Click “Next“
- Choose a restore point, at least a month ago
- Click “Next“
- Choose Disk C: (should be selected by default)
- Click “Next“. Wait for a few minutes and the restore should be done.
Method 3: Restore your files using File Recovery Software
If none of the above method works, you should try to recover encrypted files by using File Recovery Software. Since FunFact Ransomware first makes a copy of the original file, then encrypts it and deletes the original one, you can successfully restore the original, using a File Recovery Software. Here are a few free File Recovery Software programs:
