ERRORWINDOWS Ransomware 🔐 (.ERRORWINDOWS File) — Removal Guide

The Errorwindows virus belongs under the Xorist ransomware family. Malware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, documents, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, creating the КАК РАСШИФРОВАТЬ ФАЙЛЫ.txt text files in every directory containing encrypted files.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer’s work, the proverb “Forewarned is forearmed” describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware 6-day trial available.
EULA | Privacy Policy | 10% Off Coupon

Subscribe to our Telegram channel to be the first to know about news and our exclusive materials on information security.

What is Errorwindows virus?

☝️ Errorwindows is a Xorist family ransomware malicious agent.

Errorwindows adds its specific .errorwindows extension to the title of each encoded file. For instance, an image entitled “photo.jpg” will be turned into “photo.jpg.errorwindows”. In the same manner, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.errorwindows”, and so on.

In each folder containing the encrypted files, a КАК РАСШИФРОВАТЬ ФАЙЛЫ.txt text file will be created. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. That is how they do it.

Errorwindows Summary:

In the screenshot below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Errorwindows looks like. Each filename has the “.errorwindows” extension added to it.

That is how encrypted “.errorwindows” files look.

How did my computer get infected with Errorwindows ransomware?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most popular ways for malefactors to have ransomware planted in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer file transfer.

• If you open your inbox and see emails that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is strange to you, be wary of opening those emails. They are very likely to have a malicious file attached to them. Thus it is even riskier to open any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan file model. A Trojan is an object that gets into your computer disguised as something different. For instance, you download an installer for some program you want or an update for some service. But what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful program that encodes your data. As the installation file can have any title and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the stuff you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software companies’ official websites.
• As for the peer-to-peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, the danger 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 files with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your data, the Errorwindows virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your credentials from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Remove Errorwindows with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common Ransomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Errorwindows as well as other malware hiding on your computer.

To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.

2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.

3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.

4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.

Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.

5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.

6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.

8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.

Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.

Trojan Killer for “Errorwindows” removal on locked PC

In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.

There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.

Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.

Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:

1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.

2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.

3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.

4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.

Step 2: Update Signature Databases:

5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.

Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:

7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.

8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.

9. Insert the USB flash drive.

10. Run tk.exe

11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.

Step 4: Remove Found Threats:

12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.

13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.

14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer:

15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.

16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.

Congratulations on effectively removing Errorwindows and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.

Often racketeers would unblock some of your files so you know that they really have the decryption program. As Errorwindows virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware developers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the decryption tools are frequently updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the evildoers succeed in encrypting someone’s critical files, the desperate person will most likely fulfill their demands. Despite that, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your blocked information back. It is still risky. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about racketeers simply vanishing after getting the money without even writing back.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Obviously, that might be insufficient. Your most important thing could be that one you were working upon when it all went down. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the system restoration.

Errorwindows is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. For instance, Nzqw, Nzer, Nzoq, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Errorwindows are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: documents become inaccessible, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate people were able to decode the arrested files with the aid of the free software provided by anti-ransomware experts. Sometimes the racketeers mistakenly send the decoding key to the victims in the ransom note. Such an epic fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How сan I avoid ransomware attack?

Errorwindows ransomware doesn’t have a endless power, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your computer from its attack taking several easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (how can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are waiting for, check all elements of the questionable email carefully. A fake email will surely contain mistakes.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often shared as a part of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy ones, because trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information on this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the objects you downloaded, scan them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This program will be a perfect shield for your personal computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.errorwindows” files?Are the “.errorwindows” files accessible?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.errorwindows” files are decrypted.

🤔 I really need to decrypt those “.errorwindows” files ASAP. How can I do that?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. 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.

🤔 You have advised using GridinSoft Anti-Malware to get rid of the Errorwindows virus. Does it mean that all my files, currently encrypted, will be removed too?

Absolutely not! Your encrypted files are no threat to your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware will delete the malware from your PC. The virus that has attacked your system is most likely still functional and running scans periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your PC after the attack. As it has been said above, the Errorwindows virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can take your account passwords by trespass and provide criminals with easy access to your PC after some time.

🤔 What should I do if the Errorwindows virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

If that happened, you need to prepare a flash memory card with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to do the cleaning. The point is that the ransomware runs automatically as the system launches and encodes any new files created or brought into your PC. To suppress this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. 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 through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Just ask them to post those images back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social media pages, and cloud disks might have all those files too.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery programs² to retrieve your lost information since ransomware blocks the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you can do it only after you kill the virus with an antivirus program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here are Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.