ASN1 ransomware / virus (Mar 2017 update) - Recovery Instructions Included

Manual removal using Safe Mode

To disable ASN1 ransomware and initiate a full removal of its files, you can try the following steps. However, make sure you repeat the scan in normal mode as well.

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 10 / Windows 8

1. Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
   
   
2. Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
   
3. On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
4. Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
5. Click Restart now.
   
6. Select Troubleshoot.
7. Go to Advanced options.
8. Select Startup Settings.
9. Press Restart.
10. 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:

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

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.
   
   
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.
   
   
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 ASN1 using System Restore

If Safe Mode with Networking method does not help you launch your anti-spyware program, you can try System Restore option. For that, follow the steps given below.

• 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
  
  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.
• Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
  1. Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
  2. Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again..
  3. When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of ASN1. After doing that, click Next.
  4. Now click Yes to start system restore.
  Once you restore your system to a previous date, download and scan your computer with FortectIntego and make sure that ASN1 removal is performed successfully.

Bonus: Recover your data

If your files are encrypted by ASN1, you can use several methods to restore them:

Relying on Data Recovery Pro to recover files encrypted by ASN1 ransomware

If you are not willing to devote much time recovering your data, you should try out Data Recovery Pro. This tool works automatically, so you can sit back and watch as it recovers your data. Of course, there is no guarantee for 100% success, but you can still give it a try using the guidelines below.

• 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 ASN1 ransomware;
• Restore them.

Using Windows Previous Versions feature to recover encrypted files

For the users concerned with the recovery of some specific files, we recommend utilising the data recovery properties of the Windows Previous Versions feature. This tool only works with the System Restore function, so make sure it has been enabled before the ASN1 virus infiltration

• 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”.

ASN1 ransomware decrypter is not available yet