Remove Auinfo16@gmail.com Ransomware

How to Remove Auinfo16@gmail.com Ransomware?

The auinfo16@gmail.com email address is something you must stay away from. To put it mildly, your current cyber situation is quite unpleasant. And, to put It harshly, you’ve installed the most devastating type of infection imaginable. You’re dealing with ransomware. The Web is filled with these parasites because they are impressively effective. Ransomware is aiming precisely at your bank account. While some viruses use sneaky, indirect methods to steal your money, ransomware is straightforward. The nuisance you’re now stuck with is no exception. Immediately after your machine gets infected, this pest performs a thorough scan. You may notice that something is off with your PC because the machine all of a sudden becomes sluggish. That is because the virus takes up a lot of CPU memory. In this case, shut down the computer in order to prevent further damage. Trust us when we say, the harm ransomware brings along must be prevented. Ransomware is considered to be among the most dreaded kinds of viruses online for a reason. Couple of reasons, actually. Once the scan is complete, encryption begins. By using a complicated encrypting algorithm, the virus successfully locks your files. Yes, you heard right. Ransomware takes down ALL YOUR PERSONAL FILES. That includes your favorite music, pictures, important MS Office documents, presentations, videos, etc. The virus encrypts everything of value it finds on your PC. As you could imagine, there might be some precious files there. The ransomware doesn’t discriminate, though. It locks all of it. Your encrypted data is renamed and now has some random file extension added to it. Actually, your files were firstly copied; the parasite then deleted the originals. That means you’re now left with the copies. The encrypted, unreadable, unusable copies. Hackers do know how do wreak havoc, don’t they? In your particular case there’s an email address added to the new names of your locked files – auinfo16@gmail.com. It is key for your further safety that you never use this email. If you do, you’ll contact the ransomware’s dishonest developers so they could scam you. Furthermore, crooks will gain access to some personal data of yours. The virus provides this email address so you could, supposedly, restore your encrypted files. Are you willing to make a deal with hackers, though? If not, keep on reading.

How did I get infected with?

There are many plausible explanations of this program’s presence on board. Ransomware usually gets installed via spam email-attachments. Thus, restrain yourself from clicking suspicious-looking messages you might find in your inbox. One single click could result in a serious headache later on so be cautious. You never know what might be disguised as a perfectly legitimate email. Don’t neglect your safety and don’t be careless online. Hackers are full of ideas when it comes to spreading malware; for example, the virus might have been attached to a bundle. Yes, the convenient freeware/shareware bundles you often download could be hiding a threat. Stay away from unverified websites. Same piece of advice goes for illegitimate torrents, third-party pop-ups, questionable software updates, etc. Those have to be avoided as well. Watch out for parasites. Preventing malware installation is a lot easier than removing malware afterwards.

Remove auinfo16@gmail.com

Why is Auinfo16@gmail.com dangerous?

The virus locks out your access to your own files. Then it demands that you use the questionable auinfo16@gmail.com in order to free your encrypted data. However, hackers’ “service” never comes for free. As mentioned already, ransomware-type programs are aiming for profit. While encrypting your files, the virus drops .txt and .html files which contain payment instructions. Yes, you’re supposed to PAY the cyber criminals who locked your personal files. What do you think about that? Ransomware’s impudence knows no limits. According to the ransom note, you’ll receive a unique decryption key in exchange for your Bitcoins. However, you simply cannot believe hackers’ bogus promises. The sole reason why ransomware exists is so crooks could blackmail gullible, panicked PC users. Don’t let hackers deceive you; this is a mistake you will regret for a long time. Instead of falling right into crooks’ trap, delete the nasty ransomware infection that is messing with you. The sooner, the better. To get rid of this pest manually, please follow our detailed removal guide down below.

Auinfo16@gmail.com Removal Instructions

STEP 1: Kill the Malicious Process

STEP 2: Reveal Hidden Files

STEP 3: Locate Startup Location

STEP 4: Recover Auinfo16@gmail.com 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.

end-malicious-process

  • Locate any suspicious processes associated with Auinfo16@gmail.com 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 Auinfo16@gmail.com encryption Virus startup location

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

win-plus-r

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]

delete backgroundcontainer

  • 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.

windows system restore

  • 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.

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