Do you know what WininiCrypt Ransomware is?
It is quite possible WininiCrypt Ransomware is no longer being distributed, but if you received this malicious program, we could help you get rid of it manually as we will place a step by step removal guide below the article. It is important to mention, the malware’s deletion cannot and will not decrypt the files that were enciphered by the threat. However, you could try other options, for example, special recovery tools, although it might be most effective to replace damaged data with unaffected backup copies. If you continue reading our report, we will tell you more about WininiCrypt Ransomware, it's working manner, the ways you could eliminate it, and so on. You are welcome to leave us questions or messages below the text too if you want to know anything else related to this malicious program.
For starters, we would like to say that the malware’s sample we tested was inactive, but even so, we managed to extract some information. According to our researchers, the sample might have failed to initialize because the infection’s server could have been taken down or because its creators decide to drop this project. This is why we are not sure if the threat is still being distributed. In any case, it appears to be WininiCrypt Ransomware was coded with .NET Framework. It is a software framework created by a well-known company called Microsoft, and so it is mainly compatible with Windows operating systems. In other words, the ransomware may not work on other operating systems as well.
Once WininiCrypt Ransomware infects the computer, it should encrypt targeted files with the AES cryptosystem. Each damaged file should be marked by an additional extension called .[cho.dambler@yandex.com], e.g., picture.jpg.[cho.dambler@yandex.com], text.docx.[cho.dambler@yandex.com], and so on. It seems cho.dambler@yandex.com is the hackers' contact address for users who wish to write to them. Besides being mentioned on the malware’s extension, the email should be mentioned in the threat’s displayed ransom note too. The text document should be called HOW_TO_BACK_FILES.html. We have no doubt the message it provides would demand to pay a ransom.
Like many other similar infections the malicious program should most likely target user’s personal data since it could be irreplaceable and as a result most valuable to the user. In which case, the user might feel he has no other choice but to get the decryption tool from the hackers even if it means he would risk losing his money in vain. Needless to say, we advise against it. Paying the ransom might look like the easiest way to restore your data, but it is also the riskiest one. There are no guarantees the malware’s creators can provide decryption tools or the unique decryption key generated for your device, especially now when it is quite possible the threat’s server is down.
Plus, the people behind WininiCrypt Ransomware could appear to be greedier than you may expect as they could ask you for even more money after you make the payment. Users who do not want to risk losing their savings for nothing should ignore the ransom note and erase the infection immediately. One way to eliminate it is to carefully follow the removal guide available below and get rid of the malicious program’s data manually. The other way would be to get a reputable antimalware tool, let it perform a full system scan, and choose the deletion button afterward to remove all possible threats at the same time.
Erase WininiCrypt Ransomware
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
- Go to the Task Manager.
- Find a suspicious process associated with the malware.
- Select the questionable process and press the End Task button.
- Exit Task Manager.
- Press Windows Key+E.
- Get to the Desktop, Temporary Files, and Downloads folders.
- Look for a malicious file that got the system infected.
- Right-click the threat’s launcher and press Delete.
- Close the File Explorer.
- Empty the Recycle bin.
- Reboot the system.
In non-techie terms:
WininiCrypt Ransomware is a threat that may ruin all your personal files and even their shadow copies. Thus, it might leave the user with no hope to ever recover his data, unless he has backup copies. The malware’s creators might promise to restore them for a particular price, but you should keep it in mind, they cannot be trusted, and there is a chance you could end up being scammed. This is why we would recommend not to risk with savings and delete the malicious program instead. There are two ways to erase it. First, you could have a look at the removal guide located above and try to deal with the infection manually. Then, if the instructions seem too complicated or you want to be sure the deletion was successful you could additionally scan the computer with a reliable antimalware tool.