I wrote this article to help you remove AiraCrop Ransomware. This AiraCrop Ransomware removal guide works for all Windows versions.
AiraCrop is a ransomware and, as such, it is dreaded. If you have it on board you are in for a very unpleasant situation. Ransomware pieces totally deserve their reputation of being the absolute worst kind of cyber infections out there. Why? Because they lock all of your files and then blackmail you for money. AiraCrop is no different. As a classic member of the ransomware family, it is only interested in your bank account. However, unlike other infections which snoop around and steal what they need, AiraCrop makes you give it what it wants. That’s the difference. Anyway, we wrote this article to help you remove this nasty parasite from your machine. Our detailed removal guide, you can find below. But first, you may want to read more about AiraCrop`s way of operation and how to protect yourself in the future.
AiraCrop enters your system in complete silence. It uses tricks to get in and to leave you oblivious to it. For example, very often a ransomware lands directly in your regular inbox (not even in the spam one). It is attached to an email which poses as a legitimate one and if you click it open you get the infection. Don’t open messages which look suspicious or which you don’t know who are from. Delete them right away as most of the time they deliver infections. Also, AiraCrop might have gotten in with the help of a Trojan horse so you definitely need to check your PC for more threats.
Freeware and shareware bundles are another tactic parasites use. Especially if you use unverified sources to download them. And last but not least, a ransomware can also hitch a ride with exploit kits or use malicious pages/links/ads. However, none of this methods is good enough to get AiraCrop in without your personal approval. That’s what the tricks are for. To dope you into agreeing on the threat`s installment. Always be on the alert while online as you single click is enough to invite a cyber infection which will wreck your PC completely.
Once the invasion part is complete, AiraCrop proceeds to step number two. The file-locking process. The ransomware performs a quick scan of your computer looking for all the important files that you have stored. It doesn’t take long to find them all and, when it does, it locks them. All of your pictures, videos, music, files, Word docs, work-related data, etc. They all get encrypted with the AES 256-bit and RSA 2048-bit algorithm and become inaccessible to you. Moreover, AiraCrop changes their names so your PC is unable to recognize them. Each of the encrypted files is added the malicious “._AiraCropEncrypted!” extension. Seeing your data renamed like this means that it is being kept hostage by the ransomware. You cannot open/watch/listen to any of it. But this is not all. The worst part is yet to come.
While locking your files, AiraCrop creates a ransom note for you and, when the locking is complete, it drops it in every folder containing encrypted data as well as on your desktop. This note is usually in a “txt” or an “html” format and it is called “How_to_decrypt_your_files”. According to the note, the only way of getting your files back is by using a specially developed decryption tool. As you can imagine, this tool doesn’t come for free. You are supposed to pay a hefty amount of money for it (usually between 0.5 and 1.5 Bitcoins as 1 Bitcoin equals around $550).
Don’t give in to panic as that is exactly what the crooks want. They want to scare you and make you think that if you don’t pay your files will be gone forever. They even give you a 24 hours deadline within you must pay. All if these are scare tactics. It goes without saying that you may have some incredibly important files on your PC for which you may consider paying. Don’t! Not only will you lose a lot of money but you won`t get what you paid for. As we said, cybercriminals only care about getting paid. They couldn’t care less about your locked data. Besides, if you pay, you give them access to your personal and financial details. And, you are supporting their business. Yes, the money you give them they will use for nothing but more malware creation and distribution. Do you want do end up with no money, no files and the thought you helped these crooks? Of course not. End this now.
Use our removal guide to clean your PC and then try recovering your files. Also, now you know what kind of trouble cyber infection cause, so make sure you protect yourself. First, get a good anti-malware program to help you with that. Second, always create backups of your most important data. And third, remember that a little extra attention online can save you a ton of issues.
AiraCrop Ransomware Uninstall
Method 1: Restore your encrypted files using ShadowExplorer
Usually, AiraCrop 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 AiraCrop 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:
