Do you know what LOCKED_PAY Ransomware is?
LOCKED_PAY Ransomware is a threat that not only encrypts victims’ files but also threatens to destroy them permanently if a ransom is not paid. The cybercriminals behind this malicious application could demand payment of 0.005 Bitcoins or 800 Monero in twenty-four hours after a computer gets infected. It is said that once a payment is made and confirmed, users should be able to decrypt their files by pressing a particular button available on the malware’s window. However, the process of getting your files back may not be as easy as the hackers claim it to be. Our computer security specialists noticed that the sample they tested did not encrypt any data, which means the malicious application could be still in development. Thus, for those who may receive it, we advise checking their files before doing anything rash and unnecessary. To learn more about the malware, you should read the rest of this report, and if you need deletion instructions, you should check the removal guide available below the text.
There are a few things you ought to know about LOCKED_PAY Ransomware if you end up receiving it. For instance, if you want to avoid receiving such threats, you should know where they might come from and how to keep your computer protected. There are a few ways the malicious application could end up on your system. For instance, it could be distributed through unreliable file-sharing websites, suspicious pop-ups, email attachments, and so on.
It is quite possible that the malware’s launchers could look like software installers and data alike. As you see, once it gets installed, the malware should show a fake system notification saying: “Your Patch has been installed!” No matter what you download from the Internet, whether it would be an update, software installer, or a document, you should always make sure such content comes from legitimate websites, platforms, or senders. If you are ever unsure whether a file or its source is reliable or not, you should scan such data with a reputable antimalware tool first.
LOCKED_PAY Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
After entering a system, LOCKED_PAY Ransomware is supposed to encrypt files located on a victim’s device and append the .LOCKED_PAY extension to them, but the sample we tested was unable to perform this task. If the malware gets fixed, it should encipher pictures, documents, and other important files with a robust encryption algorithm. As a result, data that gets affected would become unreadable. Afterward, the malicious application is supposed to open a window that shows a ransom note. As mentioned earlier, the message from cybercriminals ought to demand a ransom.
In exchange for a particular sum of required cryptocurrencies, the hackers promise that victims will be able to restore all encrypted files. Since the version we encountered did not encipher any data, we recommend checking your files right away if your system becomes infected with LOCKED_PAY Ransomware. Even if your files become unreadable, we do not advise putting up with any demands as there are no guarantees the threat’s provided decryption tool will work.
If you want to restore your files from backup and forget about LOCKED_PAY Ransomware as soon as possible, we recommend removing it with no hesitation. To deal with it manually, we can offer our removal guide placed below this paragraph. Another way to eliminate the malicious application in question is to employ a reputable antimalware tool that would delete LOCKED_PAY Ransomware for you.
Erase LOCKED_PAY Ransomware
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
- Pick Task Manager and check the Processes tab.
- Locate a process belonging to the malware.
- Choose the process and click End Task.
- Exit Task Manager.
- Click Windows Key+E.
- Navigate to the suggested paths:
%TEMP%
%USERPROFILE%Desktop
%USERPROFILE%Downloads - Find a file opened when the device got infected, right-click the malicious file, and select Delete.
- Go to: %APPDATA%
- Locate a folder called Path (name might be random) that contains a malicious executable file, right-click the described folder, and press Delete.
- Exit File Explorer.
- Empty Recycle bin.
- Restart the computer.
In non-techie terms:
LOCKED_PAY Ransomware appears to be a malicious application that encrypts data and shows a note asking to pay for decryption. What’s even worse is that the threat’s note says a thousand files will be erased permanently every hour until a victim pays a ransom. Of course, if you do not plan on transferring required payment and you cannot decrypt files, it may not matter whether your files get erased or not. Besides decryption tools, you could restore your data with backup copies. If you have a backup, we recommend removing LOCKED_PAY Ransomware and replacing encrypted files with backup copies. To delete the threat manually, you could follow the instructions available a bit above this paragraph. Also, the malicious application can be deleted with a reliable antimalware tool, which we highly recommend doing if you find our provided instructions difficult and want to clean your system from other possible threats too.