b10cked File Virus Removal and Recover Files

How to Remove b10cked Ransomware?

Ransomware infections are the worst! Ask any user, who came across one, and he’d corroborate that, for sure. Th21ey invade your system under the guise of a tool or an update, and then put you through utter hell. Once the malicious program slithers into your system, it takes over. It locks every single file you have, and demands payment for their release. It’s a classic extortion scheme with an online twist. Nowadays, there’s a new ransomware, roaming the web, plaguing users. It goes by the name Blocked. That’s because, once it encrypts your data, it appends the ‘ b10cked’ extension. The tool is as much of a menace as the rest of the ransomware family members. If you ever have the misfortune of coming across it, you’ll find that to be quite true. The infection invades your PC via trickery, and then corrupts it. The infection spreads its clutches throughout, and in no time has control of your files. Pictures, documents, videos, everything. It adds the b10cked extension, and that’s it. You can no longer access anything. You can try to move or rename your files, but it doesn’t help. Its control is full. But, lo and behold, it provides an escape of your predicament. Compliance. The infection claims that if you comply, and follow its demands, you’ll regain your data. If you pay the requested ransom, it will send you a special decryption key. Apply it, and your data is free. It sounds pretty simple and painless, doesn’t it? Well, there’s more to it than meets the eye. It’s not as straightforward as the infection makes it out to be. Think about it. You find your files corrupted and inaccessible. An infection takes the ‘credit’ for that, and offer decryption for payment. You choose to comply, so you give these extortionists money. And, then what? There are countless ways the exchange can go wrong. Bottom line is, you”ll be relying on cyber criminals to keep their word. Are you that naive?

How did I get infected with?

The b10cked infection doesn’t just appear one day. The tool needs to ask whether you agree to install it on your PC. It can proceed with installment only after receiving your explicit okay. So, if you’re stuck with it now, you must have given it. Right? Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re unsure of how that occurred, and why you don’t remember it. It’s quite simple. You got duped. The infection tricked you into giving it the green light by using slyness. Via deception and finesse, the malicious program gets you to approve it in. All, while keeping you clueless. And, of course, it cannot succeed without a little assistance of the old but gold means of invasion. Freeware and spam email attachments are among the most commonly used ones. But, the tool can also hide behind corrupted sites and links. Also, it can pose as a fake system or program update. For example, you believe you’re updating your Adobe Flash Player, but you’re not. In actuality, you’re permitting the install of a horrendous ransomware. You can avoid that by turning to caution instead of carelessness! One leads to cyber trouble, the other helps you to avoid it. Always do your due diligence when installing tools or updates. Take that extra time to read the terms and conditions. Distraction, haste, and gullibility won’t lead to anything, you’d enjoy. Do yourself a favor, and choose vigilance. It goes a long way.

Why is b10cked dangerous?

Remember how we stated that, to believe compliance with extortionists solves everything, is naive? Here’s a few explanations why we stand by that statement. Let’s recap your situation once more. You turn on your computer, and come across a changed Desktop. You find a ransom note splattered on the screen, stating a ransomware tool has locked your data. You see a TXT file, containing instructions on what you’re expected to do. Pay a ransom if you wish to free your files of the encryption. Or, don’t, and lose it all. The Blocked tool paints your predicament pretty black and white. It’s either ‘pay and all will be well’ or ‘keep your money and lose your files.’ But it’s not that simple. Say, you choose to take a leap of faith, and pay the ransom. You transfer the requested amount, and wait for the key that was promised. What if you never get one? Or, receive a key that doesn’t seem to work? And, what’s your best-case scenario? You get the key, apply it, and release your files? Here’s why that’s a horrible outcome, as well. First of all, you have to realize something. The decryption key, you paid for, removes the encryption. Not the infection. The ransomware remains on your computer. It’s still there, ready to strike again, and lock your data once more. What if chooses to do that five minutes after decryption? Or, a day, a month, a year? It can put you back to square one at any given moment, because it continues to lurk somewhere on your PC. And, second and more important result of compliance, your privacy is no longer private. When you transfer the ransom, you leave personal and financial details. Information, which the extortionists have access to. You provide these cyber criminals with access to your privacy! Do you think that ends well? Don’t fool yourself. Protect your privacy. It’s better to lose your files than your private information. It’s the lesser of two evils.

b10cked Removal Instructions

STEP 1: Kill the Malicious Process

STEP 2: Reveal Hidden Files

STEP 3: Locate Startup Location

STEP 4: Recover b10cked Encrypted Files

STEP 1: Stop the malicious process using Windows Task Manager

• Open your task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Locate the process of the ransomware. Have in mind that this is usually a random generated file.
• Before you kill the process, type the name on a text document for later reference.

• Locate any suspicious processes associated with b10cked encryption Virus.
• Right click on the process
• Open File Location
• End Process
• Delete the directories with the suspicious files.
• Have in mind that the process can be hiding and very difficult to detect

STEP 2: Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

STEP 3: Locate b10cked encryption Virus startup location

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”
• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to:

Navigate to your %appdata% folder and delete the executable.

You can alternatively use your msconfig windows program to double check the execution point of the virus. Please, have in mind that the names in your machine might be different as they might be generated randomly, that’s why you should run any professional scanner to identify malicious files.

STEP 4: How to recover encrypted files?

• Method 1: The first and best method is to restore your data from a recent backup, in case that you have one.

• Method 2: File Recovery Software – Usually when the ransomware encrypts a file it first makes a copy of it, encrypts the copy, and then deletes the original. Due to this you may try to use file recovery software to recover some of your original files.
• Method 3: Shadow Volume Copies – As a last resort, you can try to restore your files via Shadow Volume Copies. Open the Shadow Explorer part of the package and choose the Drive you want to recover. Right click on any file you want to restore and click Export on it.