PayCrypt ransomware virus: what it is and how to remove it
Recently a new ransomware, called PayCrypt virus, has been launched. If you are unfamiliar of what it is capable of, then we are glad to deliver current news about it since the virus might attack your computer as well.
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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PayCrypt ransomware virus: 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 | PayCrypt ransomware virus |
| 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 April 2016 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
How PayCrypt ransomware virus behaves
From our report of Apr 2016 · not reviewed since
The important information about PayCrypt virus
Recently a new ransomware, called PayCrypt virus, has been launched.
If you are unfamiliar of what it is capable of, then we are glad to deliver current news about it since the virus might attack your computer as well. The malware is able to slither into a computer, scan for documents, reports, private photos and then lock them out with the help of an exquisite algorithm.
Regarding the data collected about this rasnomware, it seems that PayCrypt acts as a virus-encoder. Thus, like other notorious ransomware, it uses algorithm to encode the files. On the other hand, it is unknown what particular algorithm is used. The virus uses a key to lock out the data.
The only way to access it seems to be the receipt of the original key. The developers of this malware propose you to acquire decoder along with the key in order to retrieve all the files. In comparison with other ransomware, the cyber criminals use another method to communicate with victims and obtain the money.
Other developers prefer using anonymous Tor browser to get the money, while the creators of PayCrypt virus seem to exclude this possibility. They provide two emails for communication with victims. This feature might be used by cyber security specialists as a drawback for locating the source domain of the threat.
Furthermore, the virus tends to inject specific scripts into the registry and wreck the browser settings. Due to this, the virus blocks access to some security websites. As a result, you might struggle to find a solution online for this seemingly hopeless situation. Later on, a pop-up window appears to inform of the connection error.
Additionally, it has been noticed that once the virus finds its way into victim's computer, it also places (identification number)paycrypt@aol file. A high number of users all around the world have been infected with PayCrypt ransomware. Thus, the identification number of the file varies each time. All in all, if you have , then it is time to use it to initiate PayCrypt removal.
From our report of Apr 2016 · not reviewed since
How does the virus infect PCs?
The malware has been spotted spreading via malware and trojans.
Thus, one of them called Trojan.Ransomcrypt.L might be directly related with this particular ransomware. After it passes your security system, it drops these files:
%DriveLetter%\PAYCRYPT_GMAIL_COM.txt %UserProfile%\Desktop\PAYCRYPT_GMAIL_COM.txt %DriveLetter%\Users\Public\Desktop\PAYCRYPT_GMAIL_COM.txt C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Desktop\PAYCRYPT_GMAIL_COM.txt
Though the trojan itself was released a few years ago, we should not exclude the possibility that it is employed as a bearer of PayCrypt malware. As you may know, trojans, in general, cause shivers for users who have been once infected with either one of its kind.
Trojans have a hideous peculiarity to pass themselves as legitimate files. Thus, they might be overlooked by security software. As a result, once they slide into your computer, they start enfolding their menace – a virus. Moreover, they can disguise themselves in a different form:
- macro codes
- scripts
- minor files
That is why it is a necessity to keep a reputable anti-spyware program to block their attacks.
The PayCrypt ransomware virus ransom note
We did not record the full text of the ransom note in our report.
How to remove PayCrypt ransomware virus
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 PayCrypt ransomware virus 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 PayCrypt ransomware virus 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 PayCrypt ransomware virus, 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 PayCrypt ransomware virus 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 PayCrypt ransomware virus 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
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
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.
From our report of Apr 2016 · not reviewed since
How you can remove PayCrypt virus?
Due to the peculiar behavior of this ransomware, we do not recommend meddling with the threat on your own.
Thus, if you decide to choose manual removal recommendations, we strongly advise you to use the guidelines created by cyber security specialists. You can also find our PayCrypt removal guide below. Alternatively, there is even a faster and perhaps more convenient way to terminate the virus. You should install an anti-spyware program which will take care of PayCrypt virus.
In general, such program should operate in every Internet user's computer as it is essential to stay protected not only from ransomware but highly damaging malware, such as trojans, as well. We discourage you from paying the money as you may fail to retrieve the encypted data. Finally, after your system returns to its status quo, you need to back up your files right immediately.
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.
Protect the files you restore
Restore only after the scans are clean and the PC no longer shows payCrypt ransomware virus in the list of installed apps; otherwise the restored copies can be damaged again.
Then build a backup that survives the next infection:
- one copy in the cloud with version history
- one on an external drive that is disconnected between backups
- the working copy on the PC
Version history matters because a backup that syncs damaged files overwrites the good ones.
How to do this with the tools built into Windows: the 3-2-1 backup rule on Windows.
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 PayCrypt ransomware virus
Is there a free PayCrypt ransomware virus decryptor?
We last checked on 7 October 2026, and for PayCrypt ransomware virus 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 "PayCrypt ransomware virus 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.
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.
Did PayCrypt ransomware virus steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by PayCrypt ransomware virus, but the only confirmed sign is payCrypt ransomware virus 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.
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.
How did PayCrypt ransomware virus get on my computer?
The way PayCrypt ransomware virus 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 payCrypt ransomware virus 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.
Is PayCrypt ransomware virus 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.
How do I open my .docx, .jpg and other files locked by PayCrypt?
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 PayCrypt 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.
How can I protect my files from PayCrypt and similar ransomware?
Keep tested backups, update the system and treat unexpected attachments as unsafe. Keep at least one backup copy offline, because ransomware also encrypts drives that stay connected. Install system and browser updates soon after they appear, and turn off remote desktop if you do not use it.
Do not open attachments or links from senders you did not expect, even when the message looks urgent. Use a standard user account for daily work instead of an administrator account. Restore a few files from your backup now and then to prove that it works.
Will Fortect remove PayCrypt ransomware virus?
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 PayCrypt ransomware virus, 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)