I wrote this article to help you remove Flotera Ransomware. This Flotera Ransomware removal guide works for all Windows versions.
Flotera ransomware is a win-locker of Polish origin. The insidious program targets different types of files, including text documents, images, videos, audios, databases, archives, and logs. It renders the vulnerable objects inaccessible. Flotera ransomware adds the .aes suffix to the names of the encrypted files. The appendix refers to the technology the infection uses to lock files. The clandestine program makes use of the 256-bit version of the AES (advanced encryption standard) algorithm. This cipher creates a strong code scheme. Some of the most successful win-lockers rely on this cryptosystem.
Historically, the AES algorithm is proven to be effective. The developers of Flotera ransomware have made a good choice and they seem confident in their abilities. The message they have put together leaves this impression. Most win-lockers leave a ransom note for the victim. This is how they let the user know what has happened and what he needs to do to have his files unlocked. The ransom note of Flotera ransomware is titled !!!-ODZYSKAJ-DANE-!!!.txt. The cyber criminals make bold claims, stating that you would not be able to remove the infection with an anti-virus program. They insist that the only solution is to collaborate and meet their demands.
The people behind Flotera ransomware demand a ransom of $199 USD. This sum has to be paid in 4 days’ time. If the victim does not pay up by then, he would have to pay double afterwards. All these firm statements act as scare tactics. The fraud artists try to push victims into paying the ransom by claiming they have no other alternative and giving them a limited amount of time to pay a smaller amount. They have decided to provide evidence that a functioning decrypter has been created. Users can send 2 files of their choice to have them decrypted for free.
The cyber criminals communicate with their victims through email and a messenger program. They have listed two email accounts: flotera@2.pl and flotera@protonmail.ch. As you can see, the second account is registered to a Czech mailing client. This leads us to believe that Flotera ransomware is a collaborative project. There is no evidence to support this theory, so we cannot confirm that it is true. The attackers require people to contact them for instructions on how to complete the payment. The ransom note does not disclose their bitcoin wallet address. Users have to send a message to both of their email accounts.
The hackers also use a Gadu-Gadu account to correspondence with people. Gadu-Gadu is the most popular messenger program in Poland. You can write for any inquiries you may have. If you try to reach an alternative agreement or plead your case, you would be wasting your time. The developers behind Flotera ransomware are cyber criminals. They have launched an attack on your computer, locking your private files. To restore them, they have the audacity to ask for a rather large payment. There is no point in trying to reason with the attackers.
Considering what they have done, you should not trust them. Their promises are just as firm as their demands. The ransom note states that after you pay the fee, not only will your files be decrypted, but Flotera ransomware will uninstall and delete itself from your HDD. This seems too good to be true. Keep in mind that making a deal with hackers is a great risk. Even if there are documented cases of people having their files recovered, there is no guarantee that the renegade developers will always make good on their end of the deal. For another thing, they could leave a backdoor for the nefarious program. Whether through files or registry entries, Flotera ransomware could get installed to your computer again.
The reason for the win-locker penetrating your system in the first place is a spam email. The shady program hides behind attachments from bogus email notifications. The sender behind the fake letter will try to convince you that the message comes from a legitimate entity, like the national post, the local police department, a courier firm, a bank, a government branch, or an e-commerce platform. To make the email appear genuine, he can use the logo and contacts of the corresponding organization. The best indication about the reliability of an electronic letter is the email address. Go to the official website of the entity in question to check whether the account matches.
Our advice is not to pay the ransom. Rather, look for an alternative solution. Contrary to the claims from the ransom note, Flotera ransomware can be removed with an anti-virus utility. Malware experts have yet to crack the code of the program. A custom decrypter may be created in the future, but there are other tools which could be of help. We have listed five applications below which you can use to attempt to recover your data. The recovery is done by extracting data from the shadow volume copies of the original files.
Flotera Ransomware Removal
Method 1: Restore your encrypted files using ShadowExplorer
Usually, Flotera 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 Flotera 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:
