What is VapeLauncher?
VapeLauncher is a file-encrypting program created for money extortion, so naturally, it is classified as ransomware. The good news about this malicious application is that it does not encrypt all data on the computer. Apparently, the infection targets a particular directory on the user’s C disk. Thus, if you do not keep a lot of data there, the malware might not cause you much trouble. In such case, we recommend you not to take any chances and refuse to pay the ransom. Further, in the text, we will explain to you why paying it could be risky. Additionally, we will talk about the ransomware’s working manner, so if you wish to know more about VapeLauncher, it is advisable to continue reading. Users who have already made up their mind about the infection deletion could slide below the article and try to eliminate the threat manually.
Where does VapeLauncher come from?
One of the most popular ways to distribute malicious applications like VapeLauncher is to send victims infected email attachments. It is enough to open it, and the malware may enter the system even without you noticing anything. Therefore, if you do not want to make this mistake again, we recommend staying away from suspicious files sent via email. Of course, it might be too complicated if you receive attachments quite often. If that is the case, we would suggest using legitimate antimalware software. With a reliable security tool, you could scan suspicious files before opening them. Checking files would not take a lot of your time, and it could help you protect data on the computer from threats like this ransomware.
How does VapeLauncher work?
First of all the malware should place its data in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files and C:\Windows\System32\Tasks locations. The file in the first directory might be a copy of the file that was downloaded and launched just before the system got infected. The one in the second path is a task that allows the ransomware to auto start with the operating system. According to our researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com, after dropping the mentioned files, VapeLauncher should locate data found in the C:\Users\{user name} directory and its subfolders, for example, Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. Files that were placed in these directories at the time the malicious application showed up should be encrypted with a secure cryptosystem.
Furthermore, right after VapeLauncher locks all targeted data, it should place a pop-up window on your screen containing a message from the infection’s developers. It says the user’s files were encrypted and the only way to recover them is to pay the cyber criminals 200 US dollars. As you probably already realize, to unlock data you need to get a decryption key. Usually, malware’s creators store these keys on their servers. Unfortunately, the connection to such server might be unstable or lost, so you might not get the key even after paying the ransom. In other words, the money you transfer could be lost in vain and the damaged files would still be encrypted. This is why we advise you not to take any chances and remove the ransomware instead.
How to get rid of VapeLauncher?
More experienced users could erase the malicious application manually. If you want to try it yourself, take a look at the instructions placed below as they will tell you where to find files belonging to VapeLauncher and how to remove them. Users who find the manual deletion too difficult could simply download a legitimate antimalware tool and let it deal with the ransomware. All you have to do is set the tool to do a full system scan. During it, the software should detect the malware along with other possible threats. Then, you could just click the removal button, and the detected threats should be erased automatically.
Eliminate VapeLauncher
- Press Windows key+E.
- Locate the malicious file that infected your system.
- Select it and press Shift+Delete to get rid of it permanently.
- Look for this directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
- Locate a suspicious executable file with a random title, mark it and click Shift+Delete.
- Search for this path: C:\Windows\System32\Tasks
- Find the malware’s created task (its name might be from ten random digits), select it and press Shift+Delete.
- Exit the Explorer and restart the computer.
tested removal of VapeLauncher*
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