FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld is a fake dutch warning that must be ignored.
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 stepsFBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld ransomware: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Ransom note | help09.html; 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 | FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld |
| Type | File-encrypting ransomware |
| Symptoms | A ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 26 April 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
- Note file:
help09.html
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
What FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld is
FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld is a fake dutch warning that must be ignored. If you see it, you should be aware that you are infected with one of FBI virus versions, which attacks PC users living somewhere in this region. While FBI is a governmental authority that belongs to USA, it seems that scammers don't even care.
They expect that people will fall for their trickery and will share some money with them. In order to make users pay the money, FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld firstly blocks the system down and disconnects PC from the Internet. In addition, it covers the entire computer's desktop with its fake alert that includes such details as FBI's logo, computer's IP address, Windows version and similar.
This alert reports about various illegal activities, like the use of pornographic material or distribution of spam, and then demands to pay the fine in order to remove the block of the system. Please, never do that! Instead of that you have to remove FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld virus.
How FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld ransomware behaves
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
HOW CAN I GET INFECTED WITH FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld?
FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld enters the system secretly. Similarly to other ransomwares, its distribution relies on spam, illegal sites and misleading pop-up ads that offer freeware. As soon as it enters the PC, this dutch threat starts claiming that user's online activity has violated the laws of the Netherlands.
Please, do NOT fall for that because this virus doesn't act the same as real FBI department in USA. You have to ignore FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld fake notification as soon as you start seeing it on your PC's desktop. In addition, you have to eliminate this ransomware.
The FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld ransomware note
The note is called help09.html.
We did not record the full text of the ransom note in our report.
How to remove FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld 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 FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld 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
Unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi, and disconnect USB drives, external disks and network shares, so FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld cannot reach more files. Pause OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox sync, because synced folders upload the encrypted copies over the good ones.
Leave the PC on but offline while you read the next steps, since a restart can let the ransomware run again. This applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.

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
The name of the family decides whether a free decryptor can help. Copy the ransom note and two small encrypted files to a USB stick, and check them on another device with ID Ransomware or Crypto Sheriff.
Note the extension added to the files, the contact address and the victim ID shown in the note. Keep the originals on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC untouched.

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
Our last check found that for FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026).
Look again yourself in the No More Ransom list and the free decryptor pages of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, which add new families every year.
A decryptor needs the ransomware gone first, or it encrypts the files again. Keep at least one copy of the encrypted files on an external drive, even if no tool works yet.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Removing FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld does not bring the files back, but it has to come first. Start with Defender's Full scan, then the offline scan from the same Scan options page, which checks the disk before Windows loads.
If the scan cannot start, use Safe Mode with Networking. Delete the ransom notes only after you have saved a copy, because removal tools sometimes leave them behind on Windows 11 and 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
Windows keeps shadow copies for restore points and backups, and some ransomware fails to delete them.
vssadmin list shadowsin an administrator Command Prompt tells you at once whether any exist.If they do, right-click the folder that held your files, open Properties > Previous Versions, select a version from before the attack, and click Open to check it before you Restore or copy the files out. Windows 11 and Windows 10 both have the tab.

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
A backup made before the attack is the surest way back. Connect it only once the PC is clean, then restore from File History, Windows Backup, OneDrive's Restore your OneDrive or your own external copies.
Without a backup, try file recovery: the originals that FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld deleted may still be on the disk until something overwrites them. Install nothing new on the drive you want to recover from on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
HOW TO REMOVE FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld?
When trying to get rid of FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld, you have to remember that you need to unblock your PC first in order to get ability to to run a full system scan with anti-spyware. For that, you can follow these steps. Of course, you should check whether you can get on Safe Mode with Networking or Safe Mode with command prompt:
Flash drive method:
1. Take another machine and use it to download or other reputable anti-malware program. 2. Update the program and put into the USB drive or simple CD.
3. In the meanwhile, reboot your infected machine to Safe Mode with command prompt and stick USB drive in it.
4. Reboot computer infected with FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld virus once more and run a full system scan.
Manual FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld removal:
If you see a screen locker when on these modes, you can also rely on these tips:
* Users infected with FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld are allowed to access other accounts on their Windows systems. If one of such accounts has administrator rights, you should be capable to launch anti-malware program.
* Try to deny the Flash to make your ransomware stop function as intended. In order to disable the Flash, go to Macromedia support and select 'Deny': http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/help09.html. After doing that, run a full system scan with anti-malware program.
- Reboot you infected PC to 'Safe mode with command prompt' to disable thisI virus (this should be working with all versions of this threat)
- Run Regedit
- Search for WinLogon Entries and write down all the files that are not explorer.exe or blank. Replace them with explorer.exe.
- Search the registry for these files you have written down and delete the registry keys referencing the files.
- Reboot and run a full system scan with updated , or to remove remaining files.
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.
Make the next attack harmless
FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld could only hurt the files that had no second copy, and the signs (ransom notes called help09.html in every folder) showed exactly which ones those were. The 3-2-1 rule fixes that:
- three copies
- two media
- one disconnected
A practical version for a home PC: OneDrive or another cloud backup with version history, plus an external disk that you plug in once a week for File History and then unplug. Test a restore now and then by opening a few files from the backup on another device.
Details, schedules and what not to back up are in our 3-2-1 backup guide for Windows.
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 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 can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
Questions about FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld ransomware
Should I pay the ransom in help09.html?
Not before you have tried everything else. Identify the family from help09.html and one encrypted file, check No More Ransom for a free decryptor, and look for clean copies in OneDrive, backups and Previous Versions.
Paying funds further attacks, may be illegal if the group is sanctioned, and is no promise of a working key: many victims get partial or broken decryption. If you consider paying for business-critical data, involve the police and a professional incident responder first, and never pay through intermediaries who promise their own decryption.
Is there a free FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld decryptor?
We last checked on 7 October 2026, and for FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld no free decryptor is known. We check No More Ransom, which collects free tools from police and security companies, and the decryptor pages of the major antivirus vendors.
A working decryptor exists only when the encryption has a flaw or the keys were leaked or seized. Ignore sites and videos that offer a "FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld decryptor" for download or for a fee: these are usually scams or malware. Real decryptors are free and come from known security companies or law enforcement. Keep the encrypted files in case a tool appears later.
Are ransomware recovery services legitimate?
Some are, but read the offer carefully. Genuine data-recovery firms recover deleted originals from disks or rebuild damaged files, and they say so. Others promise to "decrypt any ransomware" for a fixed price, which is impossible without the key; they quietly pay the attackers and keep a margin, sometimes without telling the victim.
Be especially careful with services that contact you after you post about the attack online. Ask for references, a written method and a no-result-no-fee clause, and check the free tools on No More Ransom first.
Did FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld, but the only confirmed sign is ransom notes called help09.html in every folder, 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.
How did FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld get on my computer?
The way FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld 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 ransom notes called help09.html in every folder, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Is FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld 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.
Should I open help09.html?
Reading it is fine if you open it in Notepad. A plain text help09.html cannot harm the PC. Be careful with notes in HTA or HTML format: double-clicking those runs them in a window that can contain scripts, so right-click and choose Open with > Notepad instead.
The note tells you the contact addresses, the claimed amount and the deadline. Do not visit links or write to the addresses from this PC. Use the note to identify the family and check for a free decryptor first.
Why did my antivirus not stop FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld?
New ransomware is often changed just enough that antivirus programs do not recognise it in its first days. Attackers test their builds against popular scanners before release, and some switch off protection or add exclusions before encrypting. That is how a PC can end up with ransom notes called help09.html in every folder while Windows Security shows no warning.
Run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan now: definitions are updated several times a day, and the offline scan starts before Windows, where the ransomware cannot interfere. Then check Windows Security for exclusions you did not add.
How do I open my .docx, .jpg and other files locked by FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld?
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 FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld 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 FBI Waarschuwing! Uw computer is vergrendeld?
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 FBI Waarschuwing!
Uw computer is vergrendeld, 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)