Do you know Master Ransomware is?
Master Ransomware is a highly dangerous malware, and its victims are advised to learn more about it before taking any actions. It may sound strange, but the worst thing you can do to your computer after its gets infected with this malicious application is a restart. According to our researchers, the threat might be programmed to ruin some part of the operating system’s data when the device gets rebooted. As a result, the computer might not boot anymore. Therefore, if you are determined to get rid of Master Ransomware, we would advise you to avoid such mistake and read our full report first. Then, you could have a look at the removal guide placed below the main text; it will explain how to identify data related to the malware and help you delete it manually.
If you are not sure whether Master Ransomware is the malicious application that infected the system, you should investigate the files it damaged. All affected files should have a second extension called .master, e.g. forest.jpg.master, document.docx.master, and so on. The threat encrypts user’s data with a secure cryptosystem not just to make it unusable, but also to take it as a hostage. After the encryption process, the malware is supposed to display a ransom note. The message inside it may claim the hackers who developed the infection have the decryption tool the user needs for unlocking affected data. However, in return, the cyber criminals may demand to pay a ransom. The note does not say how much users are supposed to pay as it asks to contact the hackers first. It is quite possible the price could be different for each user, but it is difficult to say since the malicious application’s creators could name any price.
Needless to say, we do not recommend paying the ransom or contacting these hackers at all. You cannot expect these people to care about the damage the cause you and so you cannot be one hundred percent sure they will hold on to their promises. They may seem cooperative only until they convince you to make the payment, but as soon as the ransom is transferred their goal becomes accomplished and they may not see any reason to help you. Consequently, we do not think it would be wise to allow these hackers extort money from you. To recover encrypted files, users could employ copies from removable media devices or special recovery tools. Plus, our researchers inform us it is possible the volunteer IT specialists could release a free decryption tool quite soon.
Master Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
Furthermore, the mentioned ransom note should be titled as !#_RESTORE_FILES_#!.inf. The malicious application might place it in all directories congaing encrypted files. In case user deletes Master Ransomware, the infection is programmed to create a Registry Entry that would open the ransom note automatically even after the threat is no longer on the system. Besides this Registry Entry and numerous ransom texts, there should be another file belonging to the ransomware. What we have in mind is the malicious application’s installer or to be more precise the suspicious file the user had opened before the PC got infected.
As we mentioned before, if user restarts the computer without erasing the malware first, it may damage his operating system. In such case, the user might have no other option but to rewrite Windows. Thus, if you infected your device with Master Ransomware, we think it would be best to eliminate all data related to it as soon as possible. The removal guide located below this paragraph will show users how to get rid of it manually. If you do not think, you are experienced enough to complete these steps, just install a reputable antimalware tool and use its scanning feature to erase the threat automatically.
Eliminate Master Ransomware
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
- Open the Task Manager and select Processes tab.
- Locate the malicious process belonging to the threat; select it and click End Task.
- Leave the Task Manager.
- Then press Windows Key+E to open the Explorer.
- Go to %TEMP%, %USERPROFILE\Downloads, %USERPROFILE\Desktop, or other directories where you could have saved the malware’s installer.
- Find the malicious file, right-click it and select Delete.
- Exit the File Explorer.
- Press Windows Key+R, type Regedit and click OK.
- Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- Look for a value name called DECRYPTINFO; its value data should point to C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\!#_RESTORE_FILES_#!.inf
- Right-click this value name and press Delete.
- Close the Registry Editor.
- Remove all ransom notes (!#_RESTORE_FILES_#!.inf).
- Empty your Recycle bin.
In non-techie terms:
Master Ransomware is a recently developed file-encrypting malware. It can cause users a lot of trouble as the program might not only damage various personal files located on the infected device but also ruin data belonging to its operating system and make the computer unbootable. Therefore, if you want to keep using your computer normally, you should firstly clean up the system. Probably the easiest way to delete the malicious application would be to use a reliable antimalware tool, but if you feel up to the task, you could follow the removal guide located above and erase the infection manually.