Do you know what ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is?
Although the name for this program is quite funny, there is nothing funny about the program itself. ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is a malicious computer infection that holds your files hostage, hoping you would pay a ransom fee. We always emphasize that paying the ransom should not be on your options list. The main objective is to remove ShutUpAndDance Ransomware from your computer because you cannot and should not tolerate this infection. You can find the manual removal instructions right below this description, but it is also possible to destroy this infection with a licensed antispyware tool.
When we battle ransomware programs, we have to understand how they spread. If you prevent this malicious program from entering your computer, you will save yourself a lot of trouble. Hence, we should talk more about ransomware distribution methods.
Most of the time, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware and other similar programs use spam email campaigns to reach their victims. It means that users open the malicious infection file themselves. Of course, they do not realize that they infect their computers with malware because the infection file uses a disguise.
After all, these days, most of the spam messages get filtered into the Junk folder, right? So we do not even need to worry about the mails that end up there immediately. The problem is that there are still spam messages that manage to get into the main inbox, especially when it comes to corporate email service providers. After all, ransomware programs usually target small businesses and companies, rather than individual users.
ShutUpAndDance Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
So what do we have to do to avoid ShutUpAndDance Ransomware and other similar programs? Well first, it is important to break that habit of opening every single file you receive automatically. Think before you launch the file you have just downloaded. Perhaps the email message said that the file contains important documents, but have you really been waiting for these documents? Wasn’t the message random? Double-check before you open something, especially if it came from an unknown sender. You can also use a legitimate security tool to scan the file in question, and if the file is malicious, the program will let you know.
However, if you are reading this description, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware must have entered your system already. That is highly unfortunate, but panicking would not solve anything. We will briefly discuss the main infection symptoms and then will move over to the ransomware removal.
ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is based on the Hidden Tear ransomware. It means that the malicious code is available as an open source code, and anything who knows where to look for it can get the code and customize it. There are multiple infections out there based on the same code. However, the code gets modified by each criminal to the point that the same decryption key does not work on different infections.
When this program enters target system, it runs a full system scan, locates all the files it can encrypt, and then launches the encryption. Our research shows that the program encrypts files in the %UserProfile% directory, so if you keep some of your files in another partition or another directory (that is not the default file storage folder), it is very likely that those files will remain intact.
Once the encryption is complete, ShutUpAndDance Ransomware will display a ransom note. The ransom note just says that your files are encrypted, and you need to contact these criminals via the given email for further instructions. It does not say how much you need to pay for the decryption key, but you can be sure that these people want to rip their victims off.
As mentioned, paying is not an option, so you need to close the ransom note and delete ShutUpAndDance Ransomware from your computer. If you have a file backup in an external hard drive, it will not be difficult to restore your files. You may also have a lot of data saved on your mobile device, so you might retrieve quite a lot of your files even if you do not have an external backup drive. The point is that you should never succumb to these malicious demands. Do not let these criminals win because they will never stop then.
How to Remove ShutUpAndDance Ransomware
- Open your Downloads folder.
- Delete the most recently downloaded files.
- Scan your computer with SpyHunter.
In non-techie terms:
ShutUpAndDance Ransomware is a program that encrypts your files. It means that you can no longer open them. You need a decryption key to unlock your files, and ShutUpAndDance Ransomware wants you to pay for it. However, you must remove this infection from your computer without paying these criminals. No one can guarantee that they would issue the decryption key, so it would be a good idea to look for other ways to restore your files. Please address a professional for further advice.