Remove Promorad Virus Ransomware (+File Recovery)

How to Remove Promorad Ransomware?

Promorad is a nasty ransomware menace. It infiltrates your PC via trickery, then encrypts all your data. After the infection strikes, it requests you pay a ransom. If you do, you’ll regret it. Payment guarantees you nothing. Compliance guarantees you nothing. Shall we examine your options? Let’s! Once the ransomware locks your files, it claims that you can unlock them. All, you have to do, is pay a ransom. After you transfer the requested sum, you have to send an email verifying the payment. And, then, you’ll get a response that contains the decryption key you need. The cyber kidnappers claim that, when you apply it, your data gets unlocked. That all sounds fine and dandy, but there aren’t enough ways to stress that you have NO guarantees. Say, you choose to follow the instructions to the tee. You pay, reach out via email, and then what? The extortionists can choose to ignore you. They can decide not to send you the key you need. Then, you’re left with less money, and your files still locked. And, even if you do get sent a key, don’t rejoice yet. It can prove to be the wrong one. And, despite applying it, your files can still remain locked. Then, you are, again, left with encrypted files and less money. What’s your best-case scenario? You pay, get the right key, and decrypt your data? Well, even if that happens, you’re not in the clear yet. Think about it. You bought the right to remove a symptom, not the infection itself. With the key you get rid of the encryption, not the encryptor. So, the Promorad threat remains on your PC, ready to strike again. Then, you’re back to square one, with less money and locked files. Don’t pay. Don’t comply.

How did I get infected with?

Ransomware tools turn to trickery, when it comes to invasion. They use the old but gold methods to slither into your PC, and so does Promorad. The program resorts to deception and finesse, and sneaks in, unnoticed. That is, if you’re careless enough to allow that. You see, the ransomware preys on your carelessness. It’s essential for its successful infiltration. The infection needs you to rush, and skip doing due diligence. To rely on luck, and leave your fate to chance. It needs you to choose carelessness over caution. Don’t oblige. Don’t ease its invasion. Be cautious enough to catch it in the act of attempting invasion. Don’t allow it to slip past you, undetected. The most common methods include the usual antics. Spam email messages, freeware, corrupted links, sites, or torrents. And, the list continues. Fake system or program updates, peer-to-peer file sharing, and so on. The ransomware has an array of tricks up its sleeve. It’s up to you to be cautious enough to prevent its successful invasion. Choose caution over the lack thereof. It helps to keep your system free of threats. Carelessness invites them in.

Why is Promorad dangerous?

Promorad acts up, not long after it invades. It uses cryptography algorithms to lock all your files. Music, videos, pictures, documents, everything falls under its grasp. The tool encrypts them, and then demands payment for their release. It makes that clear in the ransom note, it leaves you. You can discover the text file on your Desktop. It contains pretty standard information. The note explains your predicament, and gives you a way out. It claims that if you follow instructions, you’ll free your files from Promorad’s clutches. You’re expected to pay the ransom, in Bitcoin. Then, provide proof, via email, that you did. Once that happens, you’ll get the decryption key that removes the encryption. Supposedly, your compliance fixes everything. And, all you have to go on, is the word of cyber extortionists. Remember that you’re dealing with malicious individuals, who lust for your money. Untrustworthy strangers with questionable intentions. Not people, you can trust to keep their word. Don’t make that mistake. Don’t comply.

Promorad Removal Instructions

STEP 1: Kill the Malicious Process

STEP 2: Reveal Hidden Files

STEP 3: Locate Startup Location

STEP 4: Recover Promorad 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 Promorad 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 Promorad 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.