Do you know what Crypt1 Ransomware is?
Crypt1 Ransomware is a new ransomware that might enter your system and cause much harm. There is, of course, a reason why this computer infection is called like that. According to our team of specialists, Cryp1 Ransomware encrypts files users keep on their computers and immediately assigns a new filename extension to each of them. It will add the .crypt1 filename extension, and you can be sure that you have encountered Cryp1 Ransomware and need to remove it if you see that all your files contain this extension and your screen is locked. Ransomware infections act the way they do in order to get easy money from innocent computer users who just wish to gain access to their files. You are the only one who can make decisions here; however, we suggest that you do not pay money for cyber criminals who hide behind this ransomware infection even though you desperately need your files back.
Once Crypt1 Ransomware finishes encrypting files, it creates a window with the ransom note. It will lock your screen, so that you could no longer access Desktop and thus remove it from your computer. Fortunately, the window will disappear after the system reboot (tap Ctrl+Alt+Del and select Restart); however, nothing will really change because files you store on your computer will stay locked, and you will see .bmp, .html, and .txt files with the ransom note on Desktop. If you open any of these files, you will find an explanation why your files are locked and contain the new extension .crypt1. You will also find out that Crypt1 Ransomware uses a stronger encryption algorithm RSA-4096 if compared to similar threats. We do not know whether it is really true or cyber criminals simply want to scare users into paying money; however, we still do not recommend paying money to cyber criminals because nobody knows whether files will be really unlocked for you.
Yes, Crypt1 Ransomware asks users to pay a ransom in Bitcoins. The price of the decryption tool is really high (it might even reach $500), so we do not think that it is a very good idea to make a payment, especially when nobody can guarantee that files will be unlocked. At the time of writing, paying a ransom is the only way to decrypt files because Crypt1 Ransomware is a new ransomware infection. We believe that the free decryption tool will be created by software developers in the future, so you should wait patiently instead of paying a ransom. The good news is you can recover your files easily from a backup. Sadly, you cannot do anything if you do not have copies of files. Do not forget that you need to remove Crypt1 Ransomware fully first before trying to decrypt files yourself.
Our researchers have carried out research and found that Crypt1 Ransomware does not differ much from its predecessor CryptXXX Ransomware that adds .crypt extensions to encrypted files; however, it still has several unique features. It has been observed that this ransomware uses the SMB protocol to reach as many computer users as possible. In addition, it has been noticed that it constantly exhibits scans on port 445, which is used for the SMB. What’s more, unlike other ransomware infections, it drops the .dll file instead of the .exe file and creates the CLSID folder in the %TEMP% directory. You will find the .dll file with a random name there. Even though this ransomware is quite sophisticated, our specialists say that it will not be very difficult to remove it. Of course, your files will still be locked, and you could not open them.
It is not a huge problem if you have no idea how to eliminate Crypt1 Ransomware from the system because we have provided the removal instructions for you (see below). You can also scan your system with the SpyHunter antimalware scanner and thus eliminate all the existing infections, including Crypt1 Ransomware, from your computer faster.
Remove Crypt1 Ransomware
- Reboot your PC to make the screen-locking window disappear.
- Tap Win+E simultaneously.
- Type %TEMP% in the address bar and tap Enter.
- Find the random CLSID folder, e.g. {C3F31E62-344D-4056-BF01-BF77B94E0254}.
- Locate the .dll file with the random name and delete it.
- Go to %ALLUSERSPROFILE% and remove .bmp and .html files.
- Go to %USERPROFILE%.
- Locate .bmp, .html, and .txt files and remove them one by one.
- Empty the Recycle bin.
In non-techie terms:
Ransomware infections are very prevalent these days, so there is a chance that you might encounter any of them too if you surf the web on a daily basis and do not have a security tool installed on the system. It is not only very important to be cautious on the web, but you should also stay away from questionable websites. Last but not least, you should not click on suspicious advertisements, download software from unreliable sources, e.g. file-sharing websites, and open spam email attachments.