Crying ransomware / virus (Virus Removal Guide) - Decryption Methods Included

Crying virus Removal Guide

What is Crying ransomware virus?

Crying ransomware demands to pay 0.5 BTC for data recovery

Crying ransomware is a Hidden Tear-based crypto-malware. It arrives on the system as the ECRYING.exe file. Once executed it makes modifications to the system in order to run on Windows startup. Then it starts encrypting files using AES cryptography. To each of the encrypted record, the file-encrypting virus appends .crying file extension that prevents users from accessing their personal files. Following data encryption, it drops a ransom note in READ_IT.txt and runs a program window called “Crying.” Here people are informed that the only way to restore files is to pay 0.5 Bitcoins. Ransomware is designed to lock the most popular files, such as .txt, .docx, .xlsx, .pdf, .pptx, .psd, jpg, .html, .mp3, etc. Ransomware aims at 59 different file types and might be capable of deleting Shadow Volume Copies that are important for data recovery. Nevertheless, crooks are telling that paying the ransom is the only option to restore files and tries to scare that your files will be deleted if you do not follow these orders; you should not let them trick you. Close this ransom-demanding message and scan the computer with reputable malware removal immediately. Remove Crying ransomware using FortectIntego or SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and then use backups or alternative recovery methods. Relying on crooks promises may lead to money loss. There’re better ways how to spend your money.

Ransom note by Crying ransomware virus

According to the cyber criminals, Crying ransomware virus is not a joke. In the ransom note, they clearly state what might happen if victims refuse to follow the instructions. The ransom-demanding window provides a Bitcoin wallet address where people have to send the money. There’s no surprise that hackers try to scare and blackmail people by telling that files will be deleted if users close this window. The program also has a big “What Happend?” button. Clicking on it opens a new “Info.” window that provides frequently asked questions related to data encryption and decryption. Here cyber criminals claim that computer has been infected with Cry ransomware, but it’s not entirely correct. What is more, the whole “crying” theme might resemble the current biggest cyber threat WannaCry, but the research has shown that they are not related. We want to remind that after ransomware attack, you should not act desperately. Instead of rushing to redeem your files, you should evaluate the risk. Crooks are not obligated to decrypt data. It’s up to them whether they keep their promise, or not. By paying the ransom, you might enlarge your damage. Thus, please, focus on the most important task – Crying removal. Not only this crypto-malware corrupted your files, but it might also open the backdoor to other cyber infections that might steal sensitive or private information as well. Therefore, even if chances to recover your files freely are low, you should no take the risk and deal with criminals.

Picture of Crying ransomware virusCrying ransomware asks to pay 0.5 BTC in order to get back access to encrypted files.

Infiltration methods of the ransomware

In the ransom note, authors of Crying virus tell that computer got infected because they downloaded a leaked or cracked. Indeed, this malware cannot enter the system without user’s participation. The most common ways how ransomware is distributed are malicious email attachments and bogus software updates or downloads. Thus, once you click on the infected email attachment, malware executable is dropped on the system immediately. The problem is that such files do not look dangerous; they seem important. For this reason, you have to learn to separate secure and insecure emails.[1] Crying malware might also enter the system as a fake software update or bogus program. Such programs are usually distributed in P2P networks, file-sharing sites, and torrents. Undoubtedly, a malicious program is presented as a useful tool. Thus, it might easy to get tricked. For this reason, you should always choose reliable sources for downloads. Finally, crypto-malware might be hiding under online ads[2] that inform about detected viruses or suggest scanning the system with unknown security tool. Thus, clicking on them may lead to a cyber attack.

Removal of the Crying ransomware virus

The only safe way to remove Crying ransomware is to scan the device with reputable malware removal program. The file-encrypting virus makes modifications in a system and might affect legitimate processes. Thus, terminating malicious files manually is too risky. Security software is designed to detect dangerous components and eliminate them from the system safely. However, ransomware might prevent from installing anti-malware programs. Thus, you may need to reboot the computer to the Safe Mode with Networking. Once you do that, install FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes or your preferred tool. Run a full system scan several times to perform Crying removal successfully.

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What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of Crying virus. Follow these steps

Manual removal using Safe Mode

Follow the steps below to reboot the computer and launch automatic malware removal.

Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.

Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking

Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment. 

Windows 7 / Vista / XP
  1. Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
  2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. – it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
  3. Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list. Windows 7/XP
Windows 10 / Windows 8
  1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
    Settings
  2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
    Update and security
  3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
  4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
  5. Click Restart now.
    Reboot
  6. Select Troubleshoot. Choose an option
  7. Go to Advanced options. Advanced options
  8. Select Startup Settings. Startup settings
  9. Press Restart.
  10. Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking. Enable safe mode

Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes

Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details.
    Open task manager
  3. Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
  4. Right-click and select Open file location.
    Open file location
  5. Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
    End task
  6. Delete the contents of the malicious folder.

Step 3. Check program Startup

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Go to Startup tab.
  3. Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
    Startup

Step 4. Delete virus files

Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:

  1. Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
    Disk cleanup
  2. Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
  3. Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:

    Temporary Internet Files
    Downloads
    Recycle Bin
    Temporary files

  4. Pick Clean up system files.
    Delete temp files
  5. You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):

    %AppData%
    %LocalAppData%
    %ProgramData%
    %WinDir%

After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.

Remove Crying using System Restore

It’s the second method that helps to disable the virus and run automatic elimination procedure.

  • Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
    Windows 7 / Vista / XP
    1. Click Start Shutdown Restart OK.
    2. When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
    3. Select Command Prompt from the list Select 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt'

    Windows 10 / Windows 8
    1. Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
    2. Now select Troubleshoot Advanced options Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
    3. Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window. Select 'Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt'
  • Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
    1. Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter. Enter 'cd restore' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    2. Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again.. Enter 'rstrui.exe' without quotes and press 'Enter'
    3. When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of Crying. After doing that, click Next. When 'System Restore' window shows up, select 'Next' Select your restore point and click 'Next'
    4. Now click Yes to start system restore. Click 'Yes' and start system restore
    Once you restore your system to a previous date, download and scan your computer with FortectIntego and make sure that Crying removal is performed successfully.

Bonus: Recover your data

Guide which is presented above is supposed to help you remove Crying from your computer. To recover your encrypted files, we recommend using a detailed guide prepared by 2-spyware.com security experts.

Even if you do not have data backups, you should not pay the ransom for cyber criminals. Instead of that try alternative recovery options and wait for official decryption software.

If your files are encrypted by Crying, you can use several methods to restore them:

Data Recovery Pro might help to restore files encrypted by Crying ransomware

This tool has already helped numerous victims of ransomware to recover at least the most important files. Thus, you should give this tool a try too.

  • Download Data Recovery Pro;
  • Follow the steps of Data Recovery Setup and install the program on your computer;
  • Launch it and scan your computer for files encrypted by Crying ransomware;
  • Restore them.

Take advantage of Windows Previous Versions feature

If System Restore has been enabled before Crying ransomware virus attack, you could travel back in computer’s time and copy previously saved versions of encrypted files.

  • Find an encrypted file you need to restore and right-click on it;
  • Select “Properties” and go to “Previous versions” tab;
  • Here, check each of available copies of the file in “Folder versions”. You should select the version you want to recover and click “Restore”.

Crying decryptor is not available yet.

Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Crying and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes

How to prevent from getting ransomware

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.

Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important – recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

About the author
Gabriel E. Hall
Gabriel E. Hall - Passionate web researcher

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