AnonPop ransomware / virus (Free Guide)
AnonPop virus Removal Guide
What is AnonPop ransomware virus?
AnonPop ransomware virus does not encrypt files – it deletes them
A new ransomware has been discovered, and it is called AnonPop virus, alias AnonPop fake ransomware. This interesting variant of such computer virus seems to be poorly programmed since it does not function as a typical crypto-ransomware virus; besides, flaws in its code allow victims to recover their files quite easily. In this report, we are going to discuss how to remove AnonPop, how to restore your files and what to do in order to protect your computer from ransomware attacks.
This virus attempts to look scary by calling itself a ransomware, although it does not function like one. Once installed, it finds files located in predetermined folders and simply deletes them. Luckily, it fails to delete them successfully, as it leaves Volume Shadow Copies, which can be used to restore lost deleted or corrupted files. Once this fake virus “encrypts” data, it launches a ransom note, which looks like this:
As you can see, cyber criminals ask to pay 125 USD within 24 hours, and 199 USD when 24 hours elapses. The ransom note (Payment_Instructions) tells the victim to write down crooks’ email and bitcoin addresses, and Ransom ID. While the victim is reading this message, AnonPop virus downloads another piece of malware and sets it as a startup program. As a result, this malware triggers a pop-up message saying that the victim has to pay the ransom to get files back and that the computer is going to shut down automatically in 60 seconds, and again reminds what cyber criminals’ email address is (supportfile@yandec.com). We assume that this virus shuts the computer down in 60 seconds in order to prevent the user from restoring files for free. Luckily, there is a way to bypass tricks of this virus and fix your computer without paying the ransom. Use instructions provided below this article to stop this fake virus and then remove AnonPop completely by scanning the entire computer system with an anti-spyware program like FortectIntego.
Why is this malware on your computer?
AnonPop malware spreads via malicious email campaigns and malvertising. The developers of this virus send malicious emails that carry infectious attachments. According to our research, these attachments are called complaint376878.zip, but they can be named differently as well. Do not forget that you do not necessarily have to open this email to get this .zip file – you can also download it alongside other programs or software updates in case you download them from an unreliable web source. This .zip file contains a PDF document, which is the malicious one. If the user opens it, it downloads and launches virus’ executable file.
To protect your computer from ransomware and other malicious viruses, you must stay clear of suspicious emails, and try to avoid visiting questionable Internet websites. Careless Internet surfing can lead you to all sorts of websites, and you can never know where you can end up. For your sake, avoid downloading free programs from unknown Internet sites, as they can be bundled with untrustworthy programs or even malicious files. You should also add another layer of protection by installing a good anti-malware program. Also, don’t forget to update all your programs regularly, because cyber criminals tend to exploit vulnerabilities of outdated software.
How to remove AnonPop ransomware?
AnonPop virus is very dangerous, despite that its developers have left some unpatched flaws in its code. Just like any other ransomware, it masks and spreads its components on the computer system, and it becomes really hard to identify them. Therefore, we recommend you to use an automatic malware removal tool and implement AnonPop removal automatically. However, you will have to stop the virus from rebooting your computer every 60 seconds first; for that, follow instructions that we have prepared:
Getting rid of AnonPop virus. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
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
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- 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.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
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:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
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:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- 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).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- 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 AnonPop using System Restore
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Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Windows 7 / Vista / XP- Click Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
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Select Command Prompt from the list
Windows 10 / Windows 8- Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
- Now select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
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Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window.
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Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
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Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
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Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again..
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When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of AnonPop. After doing that, click Next.
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Now click Yes to start system restore.
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Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from AnonPop and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting ransomware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
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