How to remove CrypMIC ransomware virus

How dangerous is CrypMIC?

CrypMIC ransomware is a seriously dangerous virus which has already become a painful experience to hundreds of computer users. This nasty infection was first noticed in the middle of July, when it was spotted using the same Neutrino Exploit Kit for spreading around. The same exploit kit was used by another ransomware called CryptXXX. It should be added that these viruses are almost identical: they both use the same user interface for their payment site, rely on the same protocol for the communication with their C&C servers and deliver almost identical ransom notes explaining how to access their creators. Once security experts took down Neutrino, they both started using fake ad campaigns for spreading around and infecting systems undetected. Nevertheless, no matter how identical these viruses may look at first, they still feature separate source codes and display different capacities when it comes to the file encryption procedure. Beware that CrypMIC virus and its developers can try to make you pay for the encrypted files and disappear when the payments are made. Also, by leaving related files on the system, they can encrypt your data again after its decryption procedure. That’s why you must remove CrypMIC from the system before starting looking for data decryption techniques. To remove each of its files and stop its malicious code before it damages your files in the future, you should carry out a thorough system analysis with the help of FortectIntego. No it is time to visit our “Data recovery” section.

To decrypt over 900 types of files on the victim’s computer, CrypMIC ransomware uses a complex AES-256 encryption algorithm. And it is not only the data on the hard drive that can be encrypted. Any removable storage, network drives, and cloud services are vulnerable too, so there is virtually no directory on the computer that this virus cannot reach. Although, if the network shares have not been mapped to a computer drive, the virus will not be able to affect them. Naturally, the virus is also incapable of reaching the external storage drives which have been unplugged from the device before it was infected. That’s more or less all of the good news when talking about this virus. After the system infiltration, the shadow copies of the computer data are deleted prohibiting the victims of recovering it. Soon after, the virus creators offer their solution to this problem and demand to pay 1.2 to 2.4 BitCoin for the file decryption. Of course, as we have already mentioned, trusting the criminals is the last thing you should do. Think of it from their perspective: all that they are interested in is your money. So it is no wonder that the users files remain encrypted even after paying up. A better way to deal with this situation is to delete the virus from your computer. It will sure make the virus creators angry, and you will be able to safely store new data on your computer again. More recommendations on the CrypMIC removal are provided at the end of the article.

How can I get infected with this virus?

The best ransomware prevention can be achieved by investigating where and how this virus is usually distributed. We have done the research for you. Here are the most common ways users get infected with the CrypMIC ransomware:

• Email. Most users are surprised to hear that a malicious ransomware script can arrive directly into their Inbox. In fact, it is the most common way ransomware viruses are distributed. Hackers send legitimate-looking letters, informing about a supposed speeding fine or job application and attach a document carrying the malicious script in the attachment section of the email. When the users download and open such files, the virus becomes activated, and file encryption begins.
• Insecure websites. Ransomware might be unintentionally obtained from sites which involve in malicious software distribution as well. The virus might be hiding under a lottery winning announcement, fake download button or some corrupted ad. You should always be aware of the dangers and try to stay alert at all times.
• Software downloads. It is important not to download software from the already mentioned insecure sites. Ransomware may be bundled with the regular programs, and you might not even notice when your files become inaccessible. Peer-to-peer networks may be a good virus distribution platform too. Thus, it is important to check whether the software you are downloading does not include some dangerous additions.

CrypMIC removal and data recovery recommendations:

The CrypMIC removal can be completed in several minutes if you use a reliable antivirus utility for this purpose. But it will not eliminate the encryption from the locked data. There are two options you can go for if you want to retrieve your files but do not have a backup. You can wait until the virus experts come up with a decryption tool, but this might take a while. Or, you can try using data recovery tools such as PhotoRec, R-Studio or Kaspersky virus-fighting utilities. Either way, you choose, make sure you remove CrypMIC first!