ABOUT FILES! Ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
'ABOUT FILES!' is a serious notification that may show up on your computer's screen out of nowhere. At the moment of writing, it has appeared only on Windows systems, but there is no guarantee that this virus is not capable of hijacking Mac OS X and other operating systems.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Start the stepsABOUT FILES! Ransomware: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Ransom note | Not named in our report; the text of the note is not in our records |
| Contact | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Encrypted file extension | Not recorded in our earlier report |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 8 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | ABOUT FILES! Ransomware |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 19 June 2015 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
From our report of Jun 2015 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on ABOUT FILES! Ransomware
- Besides, Kaspersky Lab has also presented a tool for decrypting encrypted files, so you should also try Kaspesky Ransomware Decryptor.
How ABOUT FILES! Ransomware behaves
From our report of Jun 2015 · not reviewed since
What 'ABOUT FILES!'?
'ABOUT FILES!' is a serious notification that may show up on your computer's screen out of nowhere.
At the moment of writing, it has appeared only on Windows systems, but there is no guarantee that this virus is not capable of hijacking Mac OS X and other operating systems. If such warning has just showed up on your computer, the first thing that you should try is to open one of your files.
It can be a video file, a photo, an important document and similar file. If you can't reach any of them, it means that your computer is infected with the serious crypto-ransomware that has already managed to encrypt your files.
Typically, this virus scans the system and blocks each of of predetermined files right after infiltrating it. In addition, it starts showing a huge warning message that asks to pay a ransom in exchange for the special decryption key.
Unfortunately, but this decryption key is almost the only thing that can help you in this situation. You can try using such programs as R-Studio or Photorec but there is no guarantee that they will work for you. In this case, you should think about extra copies of your files..
However, you should still try to ignore a requirement, which is given in 'ABOUT FILES!' notification, because there is no guarantee that its owners will give you the decryption key that you need.
Of course, each of these blocked files can be important for you because that's the main aim of 'ABOUT FILES!' ransomware but it might be that you will receive a useless combination that won't help you to recover your files.
Typically, 'ABOUT FILES!' virus requires to pay 3 Bitcoins what is equal to $700. This amount of money should be payed within 72 hours. If you think that your PC has already been affected by this threat, you should run a full system scan with . If this threat has infected your Mac OS X, make sure you use , which is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
From our report of Jun 2015 · not reviewed since
How can 'ABOUT FILES!' infect my computer?
It is known that this ransomware, just like Cryptolocker, CTB Locker, CoinVault or Cryptowall, is spread with a help of trojans.
Typically, they are hidden in spam and malicious attachments that are usually added to such messages for trying to trick users into downloading viruses straight to their computers. In order to stay safe, you should ignore all unknown senders and email messages that may appear in your email's inbox.
However, sometimes ABOUT FILES!' is spread by trojan downloaders like Ajuxery and Shanabim, so you should also make sure that you have an updated anti-spyware installed on your computer.
Otherwise, you may find out that each of your important files is blocked and that they only way to recover them is to buy bitcoins and pay the ransom. Please, consider using trustworthy backup solutions to avoid unwanted effects of ransomware viruses.
If you think that 'ABOUT FILES!' ransomware has already infected your machine, you should try using this guide:
The ABOUT FILES! Ransomware note
We did not record the full text of the ransom note in our report.
How to remove ABOUT FILES! Ransomware
Tools you'll need
All of these are free except where noted. Download them on a clean device if the infected PC is offline.
- A USB stick: to keep the ransom note, two or three encrypted files and screenshots off the infected PC.
- Microsoft Defender Offline: built into Windows 11 and Windows 10; scans before Windows starts, so running malware cannot hide.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a second, portable scanner with current signatures; each download works for 10 days.
- ID Ransomware: identifies the family from the note and one encrypted file and says whether a decryptor exists.
- No More Ransom: the free decryptors from police and security companies; check it again every few months.
- Fortect (optional): scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. The free scan is in the box above.
How to remove ABOUT FILES! Ransomware and get your files back
Work in this order.
Disconnecting comes first, removal comes before any restore, and nothing here asks you to contact the attackers.
Step 1: Disconnect the PC and unplug backup drives
ABOUT FILES! Ransomware encrypts everything it can reach, including drives and shares you connect later. Cut the network first: cable out, or Wi-Fi off from the taskbar.
Then unplug every USB stick and backup disk and pause cloud sync, so the encrypted versions do not replace your online copies. Do not reconnect any of them until the ransomware is removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: turn off Wi-Fi to take the PC offline. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 2: Save the ransom note and identify the family
Find the ransom note, usually a
.txt,.htmlor .hta file in every folder or on the desktop, and copy it with one or two encrypted files to a USB stick.From another device, upload them to ID Ransomware or No More Ransom's Crypto Sheriff, which name the family from the note and the file extension. Write down the contact address and your personal ID from the note for the report.
Warning: Never contact the attackers from the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Windows 11: the ransom note and encrypted files to copy for identification. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 3: Check for a free decryptor
For ABOUT FILES! Ransomware, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Search the family name in the No More Ransom decryption tools list and in the free decryptors of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, because new tools appear years after an attack.
Important: Keep the encrypted files even if nothing works today, and do not pay before every free option is ruled out: payment does not guarantee a working key.
Decryptors run on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but only after the ransomware itself is removed.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Restoring or decrypting files while ABOUT FILES! Ransomware still runs lets it encrypt them again. Run a Full scan in Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan).
If the ransomware blocks Windows Security, start Safe Mode with Networking and scan from there. Some families install a password stealer as well, so let both scans finish on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 5: Look for shadow copies of the files
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run
vssadmin list shadows. If it lists copies dated before the attack, right-click a folder with encrypted files in File Explorer, choose Properties > Previous Versions, and open or restore a version from before that date.ShadowExplorer, a free tool, shows the same copies when the tab is empty or hidden. Most current families delete shadow copies, so an empty list is normal, but the check takes two minutes on Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Windows 11: vssadmin list shadows shows whether shadow copies exist. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 6: Restore the files from a backup or recover deleted originals
Restore from an external backup, File History or OneDrive's version history, choosing a date before the attack. Connect the backup drive only after the scans are clean, or the ransomware encrypts it too.
If there is no backup, file recovery software can sometimes find the deleted originals, because some ransomware writes an encrypted copy and deletes the original file.
Stop writing to the drive and try recovery on Windows 11 or Windows 10 before new files overwrite the space.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
From our report of Jun 2015 · not reviewed since
How to remove 'ABOUT FILES!' virus?
Mac OS X users should try .
If you want to restore connection to your files, you should try using their backups or, if you don't have them, try to run one of these file recovery tools as R-Studio or Photorec.
Warning: Please, do NOT pay a fine because this doesn't guarantee that you will receive a key required for the decryption of your files.
We highly recommend thinking about the prevention of such infections like About files! ransomware. For that you can use previously mentioned programs. Besides, don't forget to think about the immunity of your files and backup.
For that you can use USB external hard drives, CDs, DVDs, or simply rely on online backups, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Flickr and other solutions. More information about backups can be found in this post: Why do I need backup and what options do I have for that?
Report it and recover your files
Report it
Report the attack even if you do not expect the files back: insurers and banks ask for the report number, and police use the contacts in the note to link cases.
- United States
- FBI IC3 · FTC ReportFraud
- United Kingdom
- Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) · NCSC
- Australia
- ReportCyber (ASD)
- EU countries
- Europol: national reporting sites
Give the victim ID, the note and the date the files were encrypted. A business that holds personal data may also have to notify its data protection authority, in the EU within 72 hours.
Backups: the 3-2-1 rule
Keep three copies of files that matter, on two kinds of storage, with one copy offline or off-site.
A disk that stays plugged in is reached by malware like ABOUT FILES! Ransomware together with the PC; one you connect only for the backup is not.
On Windows 11, File History keeps versions on an external drive, and OneDrive keeps earlier versions of synced files. Before restoring anything, make sure the PC no longer shows ABOUT FILES! Ransomware in the list of installed apps.
Setting it up step by step: 3-2-1 backups on Windows 11 and 10.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about ABOUT FILES! Ransomware
When will a decryptor for ABOUT FILES! Ransomware be released?
Nobody can promise a date. When we last checked, on 7 October 2026, no free decryptor is known. Decryptors usually appear after one of three events:
- police seize the attackers' servers and keys
- the authors leak or publish the master keys
- researchers find a mistake in how the ransomware generates keys
Some families got a tool within weeks, others never. Keep the encrypted files and the note on an external drive, check No More Ransom every few months, and follow news about the ABOUT FILES!
Ransomware family. A decryptor may need an original file, so keep any unencrypted copies too.
Should I pay the ransom?
We advise against it, and so do the FBI, Europol and national cyber agencies. Payment does not guarantee a working tool: some attackers never reply, some tools damage files, and some variants have no decryptor at all. Paying also funds further attacks and can make you a target again.
Before considering payment, try every recovery option in this guide and report the attack. Companies must involve their legal adviser and insurer, because payments to sanctioned groups can be illegal. If files are truly irreplaceable, store the encrypted copies and wait; decryptors sometimes appear later.
Can a data-recovery company decrypt my files for a fee?
Only if a decryptor already exists or the company pays the attackers for you. Some "ransomware recovery" services advertise that they can decrypt families with no known flaw; in practice they negotiate with the attackers and add their own fee. Others use the same free tools listed on No More Ransom.
Before you hire anyone, ask in writing how they will recover the files, whether they will contact the attackers and what happens if they fail. A legitimate service answers clearly. If a free decryptor exists for your family, you can run it yourself.
How did ABOUT FILES! Ransomware get on my computer?
The way ABOUT FILES! Ransomware spreads has not been documented yet, so look at your own recent activity. On home PCs, ransomware most often comes with cracked programs, game cheats, key generators and fake updates, or with an e-mail attachment that was opened.
On business networks, attackers usually log in through Remote Desktop with a stolen or guessed password. Think back to what was downloaded or installed in the days before ABOUT FILES!
Ransomware in the list of installed apps, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Did ABOUT FILES! Ransomware steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by ABOUT FILES! Ransomware, but the only confirmed sign is ABOUT FILES!
Ransomware in the list of installed apps, which says nothing about what happened before. Many current ransomware attacks copy files or run a password stealer first, so it is wise to act as if they did.
From a clean device, change the passwords that were saved in the browsers on this PC, starting with e-mail and banking, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification. Watch bank statements and account activity for the next few weeks.
Is ABOUT FILES! Ransomware the same as other ransomware with a similar name?
Not necessarily. Ransomware names come from the file extension, the note or a word in the code, so unrelated families often end up with similar names, and one family can appear under several names. The difference matters: a decryptor or advice for one family does not fit another and can damage files.
Compare the ending added to your files and the exact name of the note with the summary table at the top of this guide, then upload the note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware from a clean device. If the result names another family, follow the guide for that family instead.
Why is Previous Versions empty after the attack?
Because most ransomware deletes the shadow copies before encrypting, using a built-in Windows command, exactly so that victims cannot roll back. It is also possible that System Protection was never turned on for the drive; on many PCs it covers only drive C:. If the list is empty, look elsewhere:
- an external backup
- OneDrive version history
- copies on other devices
Recovery software can sometimes find deleted originals on hard disks, but chances on SSDs are low. For the future, keep a backup that the PC cannot reach all the time.
How do I open my .docx, .jpg and other files locked by ABOUT FILES!?
You cannot open locked files normally while they stay encrypted, and renaming them will not help. Our earlier report did not record the extension that ABOUT FILES! adds, so check one locked file name and the ransom note for it.
No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates. Do not rename the files, change the extension or edit them, because that can make recovery harder. Copy the locked files to an external drive before you clean the system, so a decryptor released later still has them.
Will Fortect remove ABOUT FILES! Ransomware?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For ABOUT FILES! Ransomware, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)