The year 2020 left many things, especially for computers; one of them was the malware known as regret locker. Learn a little more about it.
The year 2020 saw several advances in the world of computing and technology; after all, thanks to the pandemic many activities were no longer conducted in person; but online. And it is thanks to this boom in online activities that there are new threats to people’s digital security; among the most important are the new malwares; such as the regret locker.
Effects of Regret Locker
The regret locker is a type of malware that affects people’s data and information, so the computer’s hard drive ends up being damaged. It is specifically a type of cryptographic/extortionist malware that was discovered not long ago; more precisely, in the mid-2020s. Although this virus does not seem so dangerous; it can be very harmful to our information; to the point that we may even have to lose all of it.
In the majority of cases; this malware enters computers undetected and usually comes from many sources. It can be from downloading files; or through emails from an unknown sender. Although this malware usually enters when visiting an insecure website; or downloading a file or application from an unofficial source.
Once this malware enters the computer; it infects and encrypts all our documents and valuable information; using a type of algorithm known as AES that is almost impossible to decipher. The most efficient way to find out which files have been infected is to check that they do not have the extension “.mouse”.
In this sense; we should know that when we are infected by this virus, the responsible hackers will try to contact you, through a message that tells you where the information is; and, once we contact the hackers; they will ask us for a sum of money in exchange for our information.
We must bear in mind that if we become infected and decide to cancel the money they ask for; in 99% of the cases the payment must be made in cryptographic currencies; so it is a good idea to be familiar with this type of electronic payments.
How to remove this malware from our computer?
As we all know; the “regret locker“ is a type of malware that infects our PC and causes damage to files. It does this by encrypting all our important files: PDFs, documents, videos, photos; among others. And although; it may seem like a simple problem;in reality the difficult thing is that it uses a rather complex type of encryption. For us; this task ends up being practically impossible to perform. And because of this; people end up getting desperate and contacting criminals.
So; in general. People choose to cancel the money hackers ask for, in exchange for the return of their files. Other people; simply give up and decide to format their computer, to remove the virus from the root.
However; for many of us; it is difficult to simply part with the easy information; let alone cancel the exorbitant amounts of money criminals ask for the return of our documents. Such amounts can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars; so for a normal person, as well as a company; it is an impractical choice.
In this sense; if we don’t want to have a bad time, the best way is to prevent it; so having good antivirus software to help us identify possible threats before they enter our computers is the best way to be protected. However; if we have already acquired this malware and have no access to our data.
We will have to learn how to remove it without losing our information…
Some resources for removing malware
In this case; we should know that there is more than one solution to this problem; so we will review which ones are the most popular and recommended:
- Backup: Our most feasible option in the fight against malware is to have a backup of all the information we store. Either in the cloud or on a USB memory stick or external hard drive; The best way to prevent data loss is to back up your data constantly and regularly.
- Eliminate threats manually: This is one of the most efficient options for getting rid of this annoying malware. However; we must be aware that to do this we need to have at least some basic computer knowledge; as it is a somewhat complicated process. We must start Windows in “safe mode”; and then find and delete all the files and documents that are infected; as well as those that are connected to the malware.
- Using software to eliminate threats: Although the “regret locker” is a relatively new type of malware; some websites offer software specifically designed to combat this type of virus.
- Decryption tools: Different types of software have been created to try to combat this type of encryption. This may seem like a difficult task; but there are many sites that offer us the opportunity to recover our information.
- Restoring your information: There are many tools on the Internet that allow us to restore our documents; even if they are infected with this type of malware; so this may also be one of the best options in the fight against Regret Locker. However; for this option to be successful; it is best to choose the right software or tool that will help us to carry out our task successfully.
Concluding…
In conclusion; we must avoid at all costs websites and pages that are not totally secure; we must also know all the tools that we can use to combat and eliminate both Regret Locker; as well as other types of viruses and malware.
As we all know; Regret Locker is a type of malware that can give us a hard time; and can even cause financial losses. So the most effective way to combat this enemy is always to avoid it and prevent it. Although; we have already discovered many ways to eliminate malware; we must emphasize that the most effective way to do this is to be careful with the websites we enter and/or download files from. Also; if your computer becomes infected; don’t panic. Think about these tips and find the best solution for your needs.