Remove CARLOS ransomware

What can be said about this CARLOS ransomware virus

The ransomware known as CARLOS ransomware is categorized as a very harmful infection, due to the possible damage it may cause. If ransomware was something you’ve never encountered until now, you are in for a surprise. Ransomware encrypts data using strong encryption algorithms, and once the process is finished, data will be locked and you’ll be unable to open them. This is why ransomware is categorized as dangerous malware, seeing as infection could mean you permanently losing access to your files.

Cyber crooks will give you the option to recover files if you pay the ransom, but that is not the recommended option. First of all, you may be just wasting your money for nothing because files aren’t necessarily recovered after payment. Why would people who locked your data the first place help you recover them when there is nothing to stop them from just taking your money. Moreover, the money you give would go towards financing more future data encoding malware and malware. It’s already estimated that ransomware did billions worth of damage to different businesses in 2017, and that is an estimation only. People also realize that they can make easy money, and when victims pay the ransom, they make the ransomware industry appealing to those types of people. Consider investing that requested money into backup instead because you could be put in a situation where you face data loss again. If backup was made before you got an threat, you can just eliminate CARLOS ransomware virus and recover data. We will discussed how data encrypting malware spreads and how to avoid it in the paragraph below.

How did you obtain the ransomware

Frequently, file encoding malware spreads through spam emails, exploit kits and malicious downloads. Since there are a lot of people who aren’t careful about opening email attachments or downloading files from unreliable sources, file encoding malware distributors do not have the necessity to use more sophisticated methods. That does not mean that distributors do not use more sophisticated methods at all, however. All cyber criminals need to do is use a famous company name, write a convincing email, attach the malware-ridden file to the email and send it to future victims. Money related issues are a frequent topic in those emails since users take them more seriously and are more inclined to engage in. Hackers also commonly pretend to be from Amazon, and alert possible victims about some suspicious activity noticed in their account, which would which would make the user less careful and they’d be more likely to open the attachment. You need to look out for certain signs when opening emails if you want to protect your device. What is essential is to check whether you are familiar with the sender before opening the attachment. And if you do know them, check the email address to make sure it matches the person’s/company’s legitimate address. The emails could be full of grammar errors, which tend to be rather easy to see. Another typical characteristic is the lack of your name in the greeting, if a legitimate company/sender were to email you, they would definitely use your name instead of a universal greeting, such as Customer or Member. Vulnerabilities on your computer Out-of-date programs might also be used to infect. Software has weak spots that can be used to infect a device but usually, they’re patched when the vendor becomes aware of it. Unfortunately, as as may be seen by the widespread of WannaCry ransomware, not everyone installs those patches, for one reason or another. It’s crucial that you regularly patch your software because if a weak spot is serious, all kinds of malware could use it. You can also choose to install updates automatically.

What can you do about your files

Your data will be encoded as soon as the ransomware gets into your computer. Even if what happened was not obvious initially, it will become rather obvious something is wrong when you can’t open your files. All encrypted files will have a file extension attached to them, which helps people label which ransomware specifically has infected their computer. It should be said that, file decoding might not be possible if the data encrypting malware used a strong encryption algorithm. After all data has been encrypted, a ransom note will appear, which should explain, to some extent, what happened to your files. If you believe the criminals, the only way to recover your data would be through their decryption utility, which will not be free. The note should show the price for a decryption software but if that’s not the case, you will have to email criminals through their provided address. For the reasons already discussed, paying the crooks isn’t the encouraged choice. Only think about giving into the demands when everything else is not successful. Maybe you simply don’t recall making backup. A free decryptor may also be an option. Security researchers can in some cases release decryptors for free, if the ransomware is crackable. Look into that option and only when you are sure a free decryption software is not an option, should you even consider complying with the demands. Purchasing backup with that sum might be more useful. If backup is available, just erase CARLOS ransomware virus and then unlock CARLOS ransomware files. Now that you realize how much damage this type of threat could do, try to dodge it as much as possible. Ensure you install up update whenever an update is released, you don’t open random files attached to emails, and you only trust safe sources with your downloads.

CARLOS ransomware removal

If the ransomware is still in the computer, a malware removal program should be used to get rid of it. It can be tricky to manually fix CARLOS ransomware virus because a mistake might lead to additional harm. So as to prevent causing more damage, go with the automatic method, aka a malware removal tool. An anti-malware software is made to take care of these threats, it might even stop an infection. Research which malware removal tool would best match what you require, download it, and perform a complete system scan once you install it. It should be said that an anti-malware software will only terminate the infection, it won’t unlock CARLOS ransomware files. When your device is free from the threat, begin to routinely back up your data.

Learn how to remove Remove CARLOS ransomware from your computer

• Step 1. Delete ransomware via anti-malware
• Step 2. Delete Remove CARLOS ransomware using System Restore
• Step 3. Recover your data

Step 1. Delete ransomware via anti-malware

• a) Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP
• b) Windows 8/Windows 10

a) Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP

1. Start menu -> Shut down -> Restart.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options loads.
3. Select Safe Mode with Networking and press Enter.
4. When your computer boots, download anti-malware software via your browser.
5. Launch the program, scan your computer and delete the infection.

b) Windows 8/Windows 10

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and click on the power icon.
2. Select Restart while holding the Shift key.
3. Choose Troubleshoot and then Advanced options.
4. In Advanced options, choose Startup Settings and select Enable Safe mode with Networking (or just Safe Mode).
5. Press Restart.

Step 2. Delete Remove CARLOS ransomware using System Restore

• a) Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP
• b) Windows 8/Windows 10

a) Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP

1. Start menu -> Shut down -> Restart.
2. Press and keep pressing F8 until Advanced Boot Options load.
3. Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and press Enter.
4. In Command Prompt, type in cd restore and press Enter.
5. Then type in rstrui.exe and press Enter again.
6. A new window will appear where you will have to choose a restore point. Choose one dating back prior to infection and press Next, and then Finish.

b) Windows 8/Windows 10

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and click on the power icon.
2. Select Restart while holding the Shift key.
3. Select Troubleshoot and then Advanced options.
4. In Advanced options, choose Startup Settings and select Enable Safe mode with Command Prompt.
5. In the Command Prompt window that appears, type in cd restore and press Enter.
6. Then type in rstrui.exe and press Enter again.
7. In the window that appears, you will have to select a restore point dating back prior to infection. Select one and press Next, then Finish.

Step 3. Recover your data

• a) Method 1. Data Recovery Pro
• b) Method 2. Windows Previous Versions
• c) Method 3. Shadow Explorer

When your files are encrypted by ransomware, you may be able to recover them. Below, you will find methods that could help you with file decryption. However, bear in mind that file decryption is not guaranteed. These methods are not always reliable, thus the best way to recover files would be via backup. And if you don't already have it, we suggest you invest in it.

a) Method 1. Data Recovery Pro

1. Download the Data Recovery Pro program.
2. Install and run the program.
3. Press Start Scan to see if data can be recovered.
4. If it finds recoverable files, you can restore them.

b) Method 2. Windows Previous Versions

If you had System Restore enabled prior to infection, your files should be recoverable through Windows Previous Versions.

1. Find a file you want to recover and right-click on it.
2. Properties -> Previous Versions.
3. Choose a version from the list and press Restore.

c) Method 3. Shadow Explorer

Some ransomware does not delete automatically created copies of your files, which are known as Shadow Copies. If they were not deleted, you should be able to recover them via Shadow Explorer.

1. Download Shadow Explorer from a reliable source.
2. Install and run the program.
3. Choose a disk that contains encrypted files and if it contains folders with recoverable files, press Export.