I wrote this article to help you remove Stampado Ransomware. This Stampado Ransomware removal guide works for all Windows versions.
Stampado is one of the relatively new additions to the ransomware family. It is also available as a RaaS (ransomware as a service) for the price of 39 USD. For this amount of money, wannabe crooks can purchase and use the ransomware in a customized manner. In this article, we provide information on the threat as well as a detailed removal guide for its deletion.
As you probably know, ransomware pests are among the most dangerous and destructive infections you can encounter. Being stuck with a ransomware is horrible. The parasite locks all of your files thus denying you access to any of them. Why? For money, of course. The ransomware industry has proven itself quite lucrative and that’s why hackers are creating newer and more advanced pieces every single day. They make money at victims` expense. And so does Stampado.
This ransomware gets distributed mainly through huge spam waves. Hackers attach its executable to a seemingly legitimate email which they send directly to your regular inbox. It may be a word file, an excel file, etc. If you download it, you let the ransomware loose. That’s why we advise against opening messages from unknown senders. Sometimes the crooks write on the behalf of some well-known company in order to dupe you. Be on the alert.
Another method involves Trojan horses. Trojans often serve as a backdoor to other infections but mostly to ransomware. It will be good to check your machine for other infections. For the purpose, you could get yourself a reliable anti-malware program and perform a thorough scan of your computer.
Once Stampado is on board, it doesn’t waste time. It locates all of your private files and encrypts them with a strong cipher. Everything is now inaccessible to you. The ransomware deleted the original files and made copies. But these copies are encrypted. They also have the “.locked” extension appended to them and when you try opening a file, it says that your computer is unable to access it due to an encryption. Yes, seeing this new appendix means that the file-locking process is over and you are left with a pile of unusable data. Your own data.
You probably have some very important information locked as well. It this situation it would be pretty easy to panic. Don’t. Try to remain calm as the crooks want you to be scared. If you are scared, you will be more willing to comply with their demands. Needless to say, their demands include money.
After the encryption is complete, Stampado drops its ransom note, according to which the only way to free your data is by purchasing a decryptor. Yes, you have to pay for your own files. This is how hackers make money. They take something of yours and then blackmail you. Don’t fall into that trap. Even if you pay, there are no guarantees that you will receive the special key. These people are only after your money. They don’t care about your files. After all, they were the ones to encrypt them in the first place.
If you pay, there is a good chance that you will end up double-crossed. Not to mention that when you use your machine to make the payment, you are giving hackers access to your billing address and identifiable data. You should know better than to make deals with this type of people. You will lose. Not only that, you will help them expand their business with your money and create more infections. Do you want to sponsor crooks? We doubt it. Forget about paying and use our instructions below to help you remove Stampado for good.
Stampado Ransomware Removal
Method 1: Restore your encrypted files using ShadowExplorer
Usually, Stampado 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 Stampado 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:
