Do you know what INFOWAIT Ransomware is?
INFOWAIT Ransomware is your regular ransomware infection that demands that you pay a ransom fee for the files you want to recover. Although the infection itself is dangerous, there is no need to panic because you can always remove INFOWAIT Ransomware from your computer. Simply follow the manual removal guidelines below this entry, and you will be able to wave this program bye-bye.
On the other hand, if manual removal is not your cup of tea, you can always rely on a powerful antispyware application that will scan your PC and remove all the dangerous files automatically.
What do we know about INFOWAIT Ransomware? We know that it was released quite a while ago. It means that its main operational server might be down by now, and trying to contact these criminals would not help you recover your files in any way. Not that you should ever try to contact these criminals in the first place. Paying the ransom only pushes these people to create more dangerous programs. To put it simply, by paying the ransom, users fund their hobbies.
How can you prepare yourself for a ransomware infection? Well, no preparation is ever enough because the shock of the going through this infection is quite big. However, you can always back up your files to come out unscathed. There are lots of cloud drives out there that allow you to back up your most important files on the cloud. If you do not trust online storages, you can also save your files on an external hard drive that will keep them safe offline. It’s better to back up your files in advance because sometimes there might be nothing left to save after a serious infection.
INFOWAIT Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Our research lab team has found that INFOWAIT Ransomware comes from the STOP Ransomware family. So it is very similar to Savefiles@india.com Ransomware and KEYPASS Ransomware. They also share the same distribution tactics, so we can assume that INFOWAIT Ransomware also comes via spam email messages.
Spam email campaigns are the most common ransomware distribution method. Users receive emails that look like legitimate messages either from online stores, financial institutions, or even other individuals. These messages often adopt a rather urgent tone that says users have to open the attached file immediately. Needless to say, the attached file is the ransomware installer, although it often looks like your regular PDF or DOC document.
So, if INFOWAIT Ransomware manages to enter your system, what does it do? It works like all the other ransomware programs out there. It scans your system looking for the types of files it can encrypt. When the encryption starts, INFOWAIT Ransomware displays a pop-up that looks like it launches a Windows update. It might confuse some users, and they won’t notice that they have been infected with ransomware. Nevertheless, once the encryption is complete, they will see at once that most of their file icons have changed. The ransomware also adds the .INFOWAIT extension to all the affected files, and it also drops a ransom note in every single affected folder.
Here’s the ransom note has to say:
Your databases, files, photos, documents and other important files are encrypted and have the extension: .INFOWAIT
The only method of recovering files is to purchase an decrypt software and unique private key.
After purchase you will start decrypt software, enter your unique private key and it will decrypt all your data.
<…>
Price for decryption $290 if you contact us first 72 hours.
It is common for ransomware to give its victims a limited time offer, but even so, you should not contact these criminals. As mentioned, the program is rather old, so the chances are they wouldn’t reply. Also, since INFOWAIT Ransomware is quite an old program, it is very likely that a public decryption tool is available out there.
You can also restore your files from a backup if you have most of your data stored someplace else. If not, do not hesitate to address a professional to explore other possible file recovery options. Remove INFOWAIT Ransomware from your system today, and then safeguard your data and your computer against similar infections in the future.
How to Delete INFOWAIT Ransomware
- Remove the file that launched the infection.
- Remove all the !readme.txt ransom notes.
- Press Win+R and the Run prompt will open.
- Type regedit into the open box and click OK.
- Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
- On the right pane, right-click and delete the SysHelper value.
- Exit Registry Editor and press Win+R again.
- Enter %LocalAppData% into the Open box and click OK.
- Remove the two folders with long random-character names.
- Remove the script.ps1 file from the directory.
- Use SpyHunter to run a thorough system scan.
In non-techie terms:
INFOWAIT Ransomware will enter your computer to encrypt your files. It will lock up your files and the system will not be able to read them anymore. This infection wants you to pay money for the file recovery. You should never pay these criminals. It’s a lot better to invest in a security application that will help you remove INFOWAIT Ransomware for good, and then protect your system from other threats.