Do you know what JackSparrow Ransomware is?
JackSparrow Ransomware received its name from a pop-up window that it shows at the end of the encryption process during which the malicious application enciphers valuable files, such as photos and documents. The mentioned window should display a message from the malware’s creators. According to it, they have taken victim’s files as hostages, and the only way to get them back is to pay a ransom. At the moment of writing, the sum asked by hackers (100 XMR) is more than seven thousand US dollars. It is a significant sum, and we advise against paying it because there are no guarantees that the malicious application’s developers will hold on to their end of the deal. Also, we recommend erasing JackSparrow Ransomware because, as long as it stays, it could encrypt more files. To learn more about the threat and its deletion, we encourage you to read our full report and check the removal guide available below.
JackSparrow Ransomware could be distributed with malicious email attachments, software installers, fake updates, and other data that might come from harmful websites or spam emails. Coincidentally, most of ransomware victims happen to be users who open files that are downloaded or received from unreliable sources. To avoid making such a vital mistake, you should never interact with data that comes from untrustworthy sources. Even if a file does not look harmful because even a text document could be a malicious installer in disguise. If you have even the slightest doubt, it is best to scan data before opening it with a reputable antimalware tool.
JackSparrow Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
After getting in, JackSparrow Ransomware should create a task with a ransom name in the %WINDIR%\System32\Tasks directory. Also, it might place various malicious files in the %COMMONPROGRAMFILES% folder. All of this is to settle in and make the infected device load the malware automatically according to a specific schedule, for example, every day at 1 am. Moreover, once launched, the threat should start encrypting files that could be valuable to the victim. Our cybersecurity specialists say that the malicious application might target various types of documents, videos, pictures, and so on. Once the encryption process is over, the threat should mark enciphered files with the .encrypted extension.
Lastly, JackSparrow Ransomware should show the earlier described window called JackSparrow that ought to contain a ransom note. Again, we ought to stress that the asked sum might be huge, and if you do not want to risk losing it in vain, we advise against dealing with the hackers. Even though the note may claim that your backup systems were “neutralized,” you might still have backup copies on removable media devices or cloud storage. Naturally, we recommend accessing your backup only after you erase JackSparrow Ransomware from your device.
If you want to try to delete it manually, you could follow the removal guide available below. For users who prefer using security tools, we advise downloading a reputable antimalware tool that could eliminate JackSparrow Ransomware and protect their system from the threats that they may yet encounter in the future.
Eliminate JackSparrow Ransomware
- Restart your computer in Safe Mode with Networking.
- Click Windows Key+E.
- Navigate to the suggested paths:
%TEMP%
%USERPROFILE%Desktop
%USERPROFILE%Downloads - Identify a file launched when the system got infected, right-click the malicious file, and select Delete.
- Find these paths:
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES% - Look for randomly named files belonging to the malware (e.g., 1900996101, log.txt, ransomware.exe), right-click them, and select Delete.
- Navigate to: %WINDIR%\System32
- Look for a randomly named file (e.g., 1016990091), right-click it, and choose Delete.
- Exit File Explorer.
- Empty Recycle bin.
- Restart the computer.
In non-techie terms:
JackSparrow Ransomware ensures that you could not access your files by encrypting them with a robust encryption algorithm. Afterward, the malware should display a pop-up window called JackSparrow. The text on this window ought to say that files can be decrypted with a unique decryption key. Also, the note ought to ask to contact the hackers behind this malware and pay them a sum of 100 XMR. As mentioned in the main text, the demanded sum of the Monero cryptocurrency is huge, and there are no reassurances that you will receive the guaranteed decryption key even if you pay the whole sum. Thus, dealing with the malicious application’s creators could end hazardously. For users who do not want to risk their money, we advise concentrating on the malware’s deletion. If you need any help, you could check the removal guide placed below or eliminate JackSparrow Ransomware with a chosen antimalware tool.