Remove RensenWare Virus and Restore .RENSENWARE Files

How to Remove RensenWare Ransomware?

RensenWare is the name of a recently-discovered cyber menace. It’s an infection, part of the ransomware family. In case, you haven’t come across such a tool before, brace yourself. They are quite a handful. Once the program slithers into your system, it doesn’t take long for it to strike. And, it acts in a plague-like manner. We mean that, in the sense that it spreads its influence throughout your system in no time. And, just as you had no idea it was even there, you find it has complete control over your system. The program spreads its clutches, and encrypts everything you keep on your PC. You no longer have access to any of your files. Pictures, documents, videos, music. All falls into the clutches of the cyber plague. Then comes the ransom note. It’s not a groundbreaking scheme. The tool steals your data from you, and demands money for its release. Don’t get it wrong, though. RensenWare does not move your files. They remain where you left them. You cannot open them because it locked them via a special encryption algorithm. It also adds an extension that renames them. Thus, rendering them useless to you. That is, until you comply. The ransomware promises that compliance leads to the release of your files. Don’t buy that. It’s smoke and mirrors. Don’t believe cyber extortionists to keep their words. Do you honestly believe these people will hold their end of the bargain? Criminals, who invaded your system, corrupted it, and extorted you for money. Don’t give into naivety. Don’t follow the instructions, the infection leaves for you to find. They take you down a worse path with even graver consequences.

How did I get infected with?

RensenWare turns to the usual trickery to access your system. The tool has a myriad of ways to choose from. It can hide behind corrupted sites or links. Or, hitch a ride with spam email attachments. Or, pretend to be a fake system or program update. But the most common method, it turns to, remains freeware. Why? Well, it provides, arguably, the easiest entry point. For reasons unknown, users throw caution to the wind during their install. That’s a colossal mistake. By the time these users realize that, the damage is already done. Don’t choose carelessness over caution. One leads to infections. The latter avoid them. When installing tools or updates, always be thorough. Take the time to read the terms and conditions. Better safe than sorry. Don’t give into gullibility, distraction, and haste. They are a one-way street to cyber threats. Remember that next time you’re dealing with freeware, or anything else. Even a little extra attention goes a long way.

Why is RensenWare dangerous?

Let’s get into what happens after the RensenWare tool settles on your PC. One day, you turn on your PC, and find a surprise on your screen. And, not the pleasant kind. The picture on your Desktop contains a ransom message. It’s usually a brief explanation of your predicament. It states that your computer harbors a ransomware threat. That the infection has locked your data. And, if you wish to unlock it, it will cost you. If you look through your folders, you find that to be true. All your files have the same extension at the end – “.RENSENWARE.” You can’t seem to open any of them, and renaming them does nothing. You find a TXT file in every affected folder, as well as on your Desktop. It’s the full version of the ransom note. It has complete instructions on what the tool demands from you. Don’t follow them! Ignore the promises! They are lies. Don’t make the mistake of relying on criminals to do what they promise. They won’t. These are people, who infected your system with a dangerous cyber threat. Then held your files hostage, and demand payment for their release. Do you think they’re trustworthy? No! They WILL double-cross you. What do you deem as your best-case scenario? You follow their instructions to the letter. Pay the ransom. Then, get the decryption key, and unlock your data. But, even in this magical reality where all goes well, what happens next? You may have decrypted your data, but for how long? The key only removes the encryption. Not the infection. The RensenWare tool remains. It’s still somewhere on your PC, ready to strike again at any given moment. It could be five minutes after decryption. An hour. A day. A week. Understand you have zero guarantees that payment solves anything. But it most definitely worsens your predicament. How? Well, if you pay the money, you provide private information. You give your personal and financial details to cyber criminals to exploit as they wish. Do you think there’s even one possible outcome, where that ends well for you? Don’t fool yourself. It’s a tough call to make, but you have to make it. Forsake your files for the sake of your privacy. Data is replaceable. And, it’s not worth exposing your private life.

RensenWare Removal Instructions

STEP 1: Kill the Malicious Process

STEP 2: Reveal Hidden Files

STEP 3: Locate Startup Location

STEP 4: Recover RensenWare 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 RensenWare 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 RensenWare 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.