What is LockOn Ransomware?
LockOn Ransomware is a typical ransomware infection that has been developed for money extortion. Luckily, it is not distributed actively yet because it is still in development, so the chances are not very high that you will ever find this infection on your computer. If you are reading this article not out of curiosity, i.e., LockOn Ransomware has already infiltrated your computer, you should go to delete this infection right away. The first symptom showing that this threat has been installed on the system is a window placed over Desktop. Also, if you have a “test” folder with files located in %HOMEDRIVE%\Users\Exploits\Desktop, you will find them all encrypted. Currently, this infection affects files located in this directory only, but, of course, it might be updated one day, so its behavior might change. No matter which version of this ransomware infection you find on your computer, you must delete it as soon as possible. The version specialists at anti-spyware-101.com have analyzed is not sophisticated at all, so it should not be hard to remove this malicious application. You will find more about its removal in the second half of this report.
What does LockOn Ransomware do?
Although LockOn Ransomware is still in development and encrypts files located in only one folder, it is a typical ransomware infection, specialists say. The first activity it performs on victims’ machines is the encryption of files. Names of these affected files are changed to a random string of letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, their original extensions are changed to .lockon. Additionally, it places a screen-sized window on Desktop – it can only be closed by killing the process of the ransomware infection in Task Manager. It informs users that their entire computers have been encrypted. Also, they find out that they could decrypt their files only if they send money to the provided Bitcoin address. As has already been mentioned, the chances are high that your files are fine because LockOn Ransomware affects only one folder called “test” and does not touch others. Well, at least the version analyzed by our specialists acted like this. This beta version even drops a decryption key (Key.txt) for free when the user presses Fake paye (test) on the main ransomware window. Of course, if its author ever starts distributing it to obtain money from users, it will not give the decryptor for free, we can assure you, and, most likely, it will affect files located in other directories as well. You are not allowed to send money to cyber criminals behind this ransomware infection in this case as well.
Where does LockOn Ransomware come from?
The chances to discover LockOn Ransomware on the system are very low because it is not one of those actively distributed threats. Of course, we cannot promise that this will not change soon. Specialists say that this threat should also be spread via spam emails if cyber criminals ever start distributing it actively seeking to get easy money. According to them, they might also place it on file-sharing websites, so be very careful. If it is already too late for prevention, delete this threat from your computer as soon as possible even if you have encountered its beta version because it might receive updates and lock all the most valuable files on your computer one day. It is not an easy job to prevent ransomware infections from entering PCs, so if you consider yourself one of the inexperienced users, you should install a security application on your computer to protect it from these threats.
How to remove LockOn Ransomware
You must delete LockOn Ransomware as soon as possible no matter your files have been encrypted or not. Before you take action, you will have to close its main window by killing its process in Task Manager. This is a necessary step so that you could access Desktop. Then, you will need to remove all suspicious files downloaded recently. Of course, you can eliminate it quicker from your system with an automated malware remover too. If your files have been encrypted by LockOn Ransomware, they will, unfortunately, not be unlocked even if you erase this threat, but, needless to say, it does not mean that it can stay.
LockOn Ransomware removal guide
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Open the Processes tab.
- Locate the LockOn Ransomware process and kill it.
- Close Task Manager.
- Press Win+E.
- Check two directories where malicious files users download usually hide: %USERPROFILE%\Desktop and %USERPROFILE%\Downloads.
- Remove all suspicious files.
- Empty Recycle bin.
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