Screenlocker Hacking18

Posted by Lisa Blanc on October 31, 2016

What is Screenlocker Hacking18?

Screenlocker Hacking18, according to Anti-Spyware-101.com research team, is an infection that is still being developed. Of course, by the time you are reading this, the situation might have changed already, and the malicious infection might have gained more features. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict how this malware could be enhanced, but we have to consider all possibilities. At the time of research, the main feature of this infection is the locking of the Desktop. That is done using a notification that covers the entire screen, and that is what protects the infection from being deleted. Luckily, there is a way to unlock your PC and remove Screenlocker Hacking18. Needless to say, there is no time to dilly dally. If you wait, the infection could be updated, and you might experience much worse consequences. Read the report carefully, and, if any questions come up, use the comments section below to communicate with us. test test test

How does Screenlocker Hacking18 work?

According to the information we have gathered, the malicious Screenlocker Hacking18 spreads via spam emails. That is not surprising at all, considering that most ransomware infections – such as Screenlocker Cuzimvirus and Princess Locker Ransomware – are distributed using the same security backdoor. Of course, not all users who receive a corrupted spam email are tricked, but many users are very careless, and so they might execute the infection without even suspecting anything bad happening. In general, if the file you open does not display the content you expect, there is a great chance that malware has been executed. Even if nothing bad happens right away, it does not mean that malware is not hiding and waiting for the right moment to strike. It is most likely that you will discover Screenlocker Hacking18 only after it locks your Desktop screen. When it does, a screen carrying the ransom note appears. This note includes your computer name and username, and it displays a bar that is meant to represent the encryption or removal process of the files stored on your PC.

The screen warning represented by Screenlocker Hacking18 suggests that your personal computer is being destroyed by a virus. It also suggests that you have 24 hours to complete the 7-step instructions. These instructions order you to create a Bitcoin account, purchase 1 Bitcoin (or 700 USD), transfer it to the provided Bitcoin address, and confirm the transaction by emailing t@torgourd.tg. If you pay the ransom successfully, the cyber criminals behind Screenlocker Hacking18 should provide you with the so-called “access code” that allegedly can unlock your computer. It is possible that this ransomware will lock your operating system in some other way, but the lockdown that is initiated right now can be circumvented in just a few simple steps. Do not worry about your files either because this ransomware does not encrypt them. Have you already paid the ridiculous ransom? If you have, there is nothing you can do. Obviously, even if you paid the ransom and the screen was unlocked (which is highly unlikely to happen), the malicious components of the infection would remain active. Do not forget to delete them.

How to delete Screenlocker Hacking18

There is no doubt that every victim must remove Screenlocker Hacking18 from their infected operating systems. The good news is that anyone can do it without having to communicate with cyber criminals. According to our research and tests, the screen-locking notification can be disabled with the Alt+Tab keys combination on Windows 10. The users of previous Windows versions will have to reboot their PCs in Safe Mode to eliminate the malicious components of this dangerous ransomware. Although we believe that most users will be able to delete Screenlocker Hacking18 manually, we strongly recommend employing anti-malware software. This software is capable of automatically erasing malware and reinforcing the system’s protection to prevent malware from slithering in. Even if you dedicate your time to eliminate all threats active on your PC manually, you will still need to think about Windows security. Needless to say, if you do not take care of that, malware could attack again.

Reboot Windows in Safe Mode

N.B. Windows 10 users can tap Alt+Tab keys and choose the close function to close the ransom screen, after which the elimination of the ransomware should be straightforward.

Windows XP:

Restart the computer by pressing the power button on the machine.
As soon as BIOS loads, start tapping the F8 key to access the Windows Advanced Options Menu.
Using arrow keys on the keyboard choose Safe Mode and then tap Enter.
Click Yes on the Windows is running in safe mode notification.
Use the Removal Instructions guide.

Windows Vista or Windows 7:

Restart the computer by pressing the power button on the machine.
As soon as BIOS loads, start tapping the F8 key to access the Windows Boot Options menu.
Using arrow keys on the keyboard choose Safe Mode and then tap Enter.
Use the Removal Instructions guide.

Windows 8 or Windows 8.1:

Move the cursor to the bottom right corner to access the Charm bar.
Click Settings and then click the Power button.
Tap and hold the Shift key and simultaneously click Restart.
Open the Troubleshooting menu.
Click Advanced options and then move to Startup Settings.
Click the Restart button and wait for the reboot options menu to appear.
Tap F4 for Safe Mode and wait for the PC to boot.
Use the Removal Instructions guide.

Removal Instructions

Tap Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to launch Task Manager (the ransomware blocks it in normal mode).
Move to the Processes tab and select the process named Ransomware 2.0(32bit).
Click the End Task/End Process button below and exist Task Manager.
Now, find and delete the malicious launcher ({unknown name}.exe). According to our research, it is usually placed on the Desktop or Download and Temp folders.
Tap Win+R to access RUN and enter regedit.exe into the dialog box.
In Registry Editor move to HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
Right-click and Delete the value named Ransomware 2.0.
Reboot your PC in normal mode and immediately perform a full system scan so as not to overlook leftovers.