What is Prnds Ransomware?
Prnds Ransomware is one of the ransomware infections that have been terrorizing users around the globe. It comes from a notorious ransomware family, and so, it makes it easier for us to predict how this infection is going to behave. Of course, it doesn’t mean that we can decrypt all the affected files just because we know where this program comes from, but that shouldn’t be the downside of this situation. You should focus on removing Prnds Ransomware from your system. For that, you can refer to the manual removal guidelines below or invest in a security tool of your choice.
Where does Prnds Ransomware come from?
As mentioned, Prnds Ransomware comes from a notorious ransomware family. It belongs to the Crysis/Dharma Ransomware group, and it is practically identical to BOMBO Ransomware, 8800 Ransomware, GTF Ransomware, and many other similar infections. It sometimes looks like the people who develop and release these infections simply change the name of the program and then rerelease it into the wild again.
Unfortunately, just because all of these programs are so similar, we cannot expect the same decryption key to fit all. The truth is that every single infection encrypts target files with a unique encryption key, and so it differs from a program to a program. Due to the fact that it is often so challenging to restore the files affected by ransomware programs, it is very important to learn how to avoid these programs.
Most of the time, ransomware spreads through spam email attachments, and users tend to download these attachments accidentally. But if you receive an email from an unfamiliar party, and if it comes with an urgent message, you clearly need to double-check. Maybe receiving and opening various documents is part of what you do every single day. But that’s even more dangerous because you wouldn’t notice that something is off! Hence, it would be a good idea to start scanning received files with a security tool before opening them. It might seem bothersome, but it would help you avoid all sorts of infections.
What does Prnds Ransomware do?
On the other hand, not everyone is that lucky to avoid this threat. When Prnds Ransomware enters the target system, it launches a full system scan and detects the files it can encrypt. Most of the files that users access and use on a daily basis can and will be locked up by this infection. You will see that all the affected files receive a long extension to the file name with the infection ID. It’s almost like a stamp by the infection that says, “I did this.”
Of course, that’s not everything. Prnds Ransomware also displays a ransom note that supposedly should tell you how to restore your files. Here’s an extract from it:
YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED
Don’t worry, you can return all your files!
If you want to restore them, follow this link: email prndssdnrp@mail.fr <…>
Do not rename encrypted files.
Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.
The note also says that if you address other parties about decryption, they will only pay the ransom for you and then will ask you to pay even more for the supposed decryption tool. All in all, Prnds Ransomware tries to make it seem as though the only way out of this situation involves paying the ransom.
We would like to strongly discourage that because there is no guarantee these criminals would issue the decryption key. Also, paying would make them create more dangerous infections, so you would only be pouring more gasoline into the fire.
How do I remove Prnds Ransomware?
The manual removal instructions for Prnds Ransomware can be quite complicated because this program drops a few additional files on the target system. Removing the infection automatically with a security tool of your choice is more efficient.
However, please don’t forget that you should also consider creating a file backup because that’s the best remedy against ransomware infection. And learning more about ransomware distribution would also increase your chances of avoiding similar threats in the future. It is a multifaceted problem that requires several approaches to solve it.
Manual Prnds Ransomware Removal
- Remove unfamiliar files from Desktop.
- Delete unfamiliar files from the Downloads folder.
- Press Win + R and type %TEMP%. Click OK.
- Remove the latest files from the directory.
- Use the Win + R command to access the following locations:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
%WINDIR%\System32\
%APPDATA%\ - Remove the Info.hta file from them.
- Use the Win + R command to access these locations:
%WINDIR%\System32
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ - Delete a random EXE format file from the directories above.
- Press Win + R again and type regedit. Click OK.
- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
- On the right side, delete the value with the same EXE file in its path.
- Scan your computer with the SpyHunter free scanner.
100% FREE spyware scan and
tested removal of Prnds Ransomware*
0 Comments.