Badrabbit Ransomware Removal (+File Recovery)

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Welcome to our Badrabbit Ransomware removal guide. The following instructions will aid you in removing the unwanted software from your PC for free.

If your machine has been infected by a certain virus that has changed the file extensions to a large portion of the files on it to an unknown extension – you are under the attack of ransomware. Of course, the attack if already over and you’re just left with the aftermath at this point, and that’s partly what makes this specific malware category among the most dangerous of its kind. Ransomware viruses like Badrabbit are very stealthy and in the majority of cases, people don’t even realize their files are being encrypted until it’s too late for them to apprehend the process. Just like you, most victims learn about the attack after they’ve seen the disturbing ransom note on their computer screen and to their horror have found that none of their most-used files can be opened. Luckily, though, there might still be a chance for you to recover your files. We don’t want to lead you on and give you false hope, but we would like to offer all ransomware victims a helping hand in the form of a removal guide. With its help you should by the very least be able to remove Badrabbit, and in the best case scenario – also restore your files.

Ransomware: how to beat the unbeatable

Ransomware has garnered a reputation of being a massive threat – one that we, as a society, at the moment do not stand a chance against. That is because, on the one hand, it’s able to bypass most security software, such as your antivirus program. Most software of this type doesn’t recognize encryption as a malicious process and how could it? Encryption is widely used as a way to protect data and shield it from unwanted eyes – not destroy or damage it. So ransomware uses this loophole as a way to do its dirty work without being noticed or intercepted. In addition to that, encryption is also very difficult to fight. It’s a complex process, involving sophisticated algorithms that oftentimes just can’t be cracked. So, without the necessary decryption key a lot of times the files are doomed to remaining inaccessible.

That’s also why people often panic and rush to send the hackers their money, so as to regain access to their precious data. But this may also not be the answer to your troubles, as practice has shown. It’s not uncommon for the decryption key the victims receive not to work and to fail to decrypt the files. And guess what? Hackers don’t do refunds. Furthermore, they’re not the most trustworthy type to do business with either, as a large number of victim users don’t even get as far as even receiving a decryption key after they have duly paid the ransom amount. So all this leads to is people being robbed of their data and hackers getting richer and richer, while profiting at their expense. Thus, it’s really no wonder that ransomware viruses like Badrabbit have been popping up like mushrooms.

But are we really that helpless in the fight against this plague-like malware? We certainly don’t have to be. First of all, there are still a number of ways to prevent ransomware from even entering your system, let alone blackmailing you. You can learn to avoid its most common sources, like spam emails and messages on other platforms, malicious online ads and contaminated downloadable content (typically on various shady and illegal websites). Learn to only use trusted download sources and sift through the spam you receive as messages, so that you don’t happen to open one containing a virus. In addition, try to limit your interaction with popups, banners, in-text links and various other forms of online advertisings, as malvertsiements have become one of the leading ransomware sources out there.

Another great way of rendering any piece of malware like Badrabbit completely helpless is by creating and storing backups of your most necessary files on a separate drive that is not constantly connected to your PC. That way, once you delete the virus in question, you can simply recover your files from that location and have this whole ordeal behind you. But whatever you do, it is certainly very important that you delete the ransomware as soon as possible. We have provided detailed instructions on how to do that below, and in the same guide you will also find a few steps that may help recover your data from system backups.

Badrabbit Ransomware Removal

Here is what you need to do in order to remove a Ransomware virus from you computer.

1. Insert the DVD (or the USB) into the computer, then run the computer and choose to boot the OS from the DVD/USB. You may have to change Windows boot priorities from the bios by pressing Del
2. When Windows boots from the DVD/USB select Windows Repair
3. Open the Command Prompt and write the following commands inside:     enter: bootrec / fixmbr, bootrec / fixboot and bootrec / rebuildbcd
4. Your Windows OS should now be able to boot normally. You can proceed with the removal of the virus as usual.

I – Reveal Hidden files and folders and utilize the task manager

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1. Use the Folder Options in order to reveal the hidden files and folders on your PC. If you do not know how to do that, follow this link.
2. Open the Start Menu and in the search field type Task Manager.
   
3. Open the first result and in the Processes tab, carefully look through the list of Processes.
4. If you notice with the virus name or any other suspicious-looking or that seems to consume large amounts of memory, right-click on it and open its file location. Delete everything in there.
   

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• Make sure that the hidden files and folders on your PC are visible, else you might not be able to see everything.

5. Go back to the Task Manager and end the shady process.

II – Boot to Safe Mode

• Boot your PC into Safe Mode. If you do not know how to do it, use this guide/linked/.

III – Identify the threat

1. Go to the ID Ransomware website. Here is a direct link.
2. Follow there in order to identify the specific virus you are dealing with.
   

IV – Decrypt your files

1. Once you have identified the virus that has encrypted your files, you must acquire the respective tool to unlock your data.
2. Open your browser and search for how to decrypt ransomware, look for the name of the one that has infected your system.
3. With any luck, you’d be able to find a decryptor tool for your ransomware. If that doesn’t happen try Step V as a last ditch effort to save your files.

V – Use Recuva to restore files deleted by the virus

1. Download the Recuva tool. This will help you restore your original files so that you won’t need to actually decrypt the locked ones.
2. Once you’ve downloaded the program, open it and select Next.
   
3. Now choose the type of files you are seeking to restore and continue to the next page.
4. When asked where your files were, before they got deleted, either use the option In a specific location and provide that location or choose the opt for the I am not sure alternative – this will make the program look everywhere on your PC.
   
5. Click on Next and for best results, enable the Deep Scan option (note that this might take some time).
   
6. Wait for the search to finish and then select which of the listed files you want to restore.

• Keep in mind it is possible that not all files might be fully recovered. You can check in what condition the files are from the State column in the list of deleted files.