The Avast virus belongs under the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the computer (photos, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its own extension to every file, creating the RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt text files in each directory which contains the encrypted files.
This ransomware uses the name of a legitimate antivirus in order to confuse the search results of its victims. Trying to google the results without any specification on what do you want to receive you’d likely see the official site of that antimalware vendor.
What is known about the Avastvirus?
☝️ A strictly accurate denomination for the Avast is “a ransomware-type malicious agent”.
Avast appends its extra .avast extension to the name of each encrypted file. For example, an image named “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.avast”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet named “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.avast”, and so forth.
In each folder with the encoded files, a RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt file will be created. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information about the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. That is it.
Avast abstract:
| Name | Avast Virus |
| Extension | .avast |
| Ransomware note | RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt |
| Detection | MSIL/Spy.Agent.DSV, TrojanSpy:Win32/Delgent, Trojan.Ransom.Magniber |
| Symptoms | Your files (photos, videos, documents) have a .avast extension and you can’t open them. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Avast virus |
In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Avast looks like. Each filename has the “.avast” extension added to it.
That is how encrypted “.avast” files look.
How did my computer get infected with Avast ransomware?
There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware injection.
There are currently three most popular ways for tamperers to have ransomware working in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer networks.
If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, web-access providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a malware file enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even more dangerous to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model1. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your PC pretending to be something else. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unpacked turns out to be a harmful agent that corrupts your data. As the update package can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the resource of the things you’re downloading. The best way is to use the software companies’ official websites.
As for the peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never know what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy resources. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the antivirus as soon as the downloading is finished.
How to remove the Avast virus?
It is crucial to note that besides encrypting your files, the Avast virus will probably install the Azorult Spyware on your computer to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.
Sometimes criminals would decode some of your files so you know that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Avast virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures developers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. Nevertheless, the decryption tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.
Sure thing, if the tamperers do the job of encrypting victim’s essential data, the hopeless person will most likely fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying to racketeers gives no guarantee that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still dangerous. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the injured party. There were reports of ransomware developers just disappearing after getting the money without even writing back.
The best safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external storage. Of course, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that one you were working upon when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the anti-malware utility after the system restoration.
There are other ransomware products, besides Avast, that work similarly. For instance, Ooii, Fgui, Rtgf, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Avast are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is almost identical: documents become encrypted, their extensions altered, ransom notes are found in every folder containing encrypted files.
Some fortunate victims were able to decrypt the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the criminals mistakenly send the decoding code to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.
How сan I avoid ransomware injection?
Avast ransomware has no endless power, neither does any similar malware.
You can defend yourself from its infiltration within three easy steps:
- Ignore any letters from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the questionable letter carefully. A hoax letter will surely have mistakes.
- Avoid using cracked or untrusted programs. Trojan viruses are often spreaded as a part of cracked software, possibly as a “patch” preventing the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are difficult to tell from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try to find information on this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the optimal solution is not to use such software.
- And to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful armor for your system.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft2
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent ransomware than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft3.
Download Removal Tool.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
Run the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your system.
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your PC for Avast infections and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has finished, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
🤔 How can I open “.avast” files?Are the “.avast” files accessible?
Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.avast” files you will not be able to access them.
🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?
If the “.avast” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.
🤔 If GridinSoft deletes the Avast malware, will it also delete my files that were encrypted?
Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will remove active infections from your computer. The virus that has infiltrated your PC is must be still active and launching checks from time to time to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the infection. As it has already been said, the Avast virus comes with the company. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your system after some time.
🤔 What should I do if the Avast malware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.
In such a case, you need to have a flash memory drive with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to execute the procedure. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system boots and encrypts any new files created or brought into your system. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system start. Consider reading our manual on booting Windows in Safe Mode.
🤔 And what should I do now?
Some of the blocked files can be found elsewhere.
- If you sent or received your important files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
- You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to give those images back to you.
- If you have initially got any of your files from the Internet, you can try doing it again.
- Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud disks might have all those files as well.
- Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, phone, external storage, etc.
HINT: You can employ data recovery utilities4 to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.
Also, you can contact the following governmental fraud and scam sites to report this attack:
- In the United States: On Guard Online;
- In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
- In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
- In Australia: SCAMwatch;
- In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
- In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
- In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
- In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;
To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.
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Brendan SmithHow to Remove AVAST Ransomware & Recover PC
Name: AVAST Virus
Description: AVAST Virus is a ransomware-type infections. This virus encrypts important personal files (video, photos, documents). The encrypted files can be tracked by a specific .avast extension. So, you can't use them at all.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Virus
User Review
( votes)References
- You can read more on Trojans, their use and types in the Trojan-dedicated section of GridinSoft official website.
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site: https://howtofix.guide/gridinsoft-anti-malware/
- More information about GridinSoft products: https://gridinsoft.com/comparison
- Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.
