{"id":46967,"date":"2015-12-15T06:54:52","date_gmt":"2015-12-15T06:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/?p=46967"},"modified":"2015-12-15T06:54:52","modified_gmt":"2015-12-15T06:54:52","slug":"remove-howto_restore_files-and-vvv-extension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/remove-howto_restore_files-and-vvv-extension\/","title":{"rendered":"Remove Howto_Restore_FILES and .VVV extension (Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If your pictures, videos and documents are encrypted with a <strong>.VVV<\/strong> extension, and you have the <strong>Howto_Restore_FILES.TXT, Howto_Restore_FILES.HTML and Howto_Restore_FILES.PNG<\/strong> documents on your desktop, then your computer has been infected with a new variant of the <em>TeslaCrypt<\/em> ransomware.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad3563994207\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309684--placement_360520\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3957935887\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>TeslaCrypt<\/strong> is a file-encrypting ransomware, which will encrypt the personal documents found on victim\u2019s computer using RSA-2048 key (AES CBC 256-bit encryption algorithm), appending the <em>.VVV<\/em> extension to encrypted files.<br \/>\nHowto_Restore_FILES then displays a message which offers to decrypt the data if a payment $300 ransom is made within 24 hours with Bitcoins. If the user does not pay within this time frame, the ransom will increase to $1000.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46968\" title=\"Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-malware.jpg\" alt=\"Howto_Restore_FILES malware\" width=\"1653\" height=\"862\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-malware.jpg 1653w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-malware-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-malware-768x400.jpg 768w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-malware-1024x534.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1653px) 100vw, 1653px\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 5px; padding: 10px; border-left: solid 5px #FFAE20;\">We cannot help your recover your files, apart from suggesting to use <strong>ShadowExplorer<\/strong> or <strong>(free) File Recovery Software<\/strong>. This guide was written to help you remove the infection itself, and if a 100% proven method to recover the encrypted files is found, we will update this guide.<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"#how\">1. How did the Howto_Restore_FILES (.VVV) virus got on my computer?<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong> <a href=\"#whatis\">2. What is Howto_Restore_FILES (.VVV) Ransomware?<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong> <a href=\"#infected\">3. Is my computer infected with Howto_Restore_FILES virus?<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong> <a href=\"#recovery\">4. Is it possible to decrypt files encrypted by Howto_Restore_FILES?<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong> <a href=\"#removal\">5. How to remove the Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware (Virus Removal Guide)<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong> <a href=\"#prevent\">6. How to prevent your computer from becoming infected by Howto_Restore_FILES<\/a><\/strong><\/p><div id=\"mwtad4159870614\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381396-ad_309691-placement_360566\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1471373341\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mwtad2329193529\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309746-ad_309691-placement_360521\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"4456629336\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"how\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1. How did the Howto_Restore_FILES (.VVV) virus got on my computer?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The TeslaCrypt malware is distributed through several means. Malicious websites, or legitimate websites that have been hacked, can infect your machine through exploit kits that use vulnerabilities on your computer to install this Trojan without your permission of knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>Another method used to propagate this type of malware is spam email containing infected attachments or links to malicious websites. Cyber-criminals spam out an email, with forged header information, tricking you into believing that it is from a shipping company like DHL or FedEx. The email tells you that they tried to deliver a package to you, but failed for some reason. Sometimes the emails claim to be notifications of a shipment you have made. Either way, you can&#8217;t resist being curious as to what the email is referring to &#8211; and open the attached file (or click on a link embedded inside the email). And with that, your computer is infected with the Howto_Restore_FILES virus.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46969\" title=\"Howto_Restore_FILES Email\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-Email.jpg\" alt=\"Howto_Restore_FILES spreading\" width=\"506\" height=\"395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-Email.jpg 506w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Howto_Restore_FILES-Email-300x234.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The threat may also be downloaded manually by tricking the user into thinking they are installing a useful piece of software, for instance a bogus update for Adobe Flash Player or another piece of software.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad1583708430\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309686-ad_309691-placement_360569\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"6935453015\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad1374759432\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309747-ad_309691-placement_360587\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"9589536513\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"whatis\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2. What is Howto_Restore_FILES (.VVV) Ransomware?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The TeslaCrypt ransomware targets all versions of Windows including Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. This infection is notable due to how it encrypts the user&#8217;s files \u2013 namely, it uses AES-265 and RSA encryption method &#8211; in order to ensure that the affected user has no choice but to purchase the private key.<\/p>\n<p>When the Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware is first installed on your computer it will create a random named executable in the %AppData% or %LocalAppData% folder. This executable will be launched and begin to scan all the drive letters on your computer for data files to encrypt.<br \/>\nHowto_Restore_FILES ransomware searches for files with certain file extensions to encrypt. The files it encrypts include important productivity documents and files such as .doc, .docx, .xls, .pdf, among others. When these files are detected, this infection will change the extension to <em>.VVV<\/em>, so they are no longer able to be opened.<br \/>\nFiles targeted are those commonly found on most PCs today; a list of file extensions for targeted files include:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>.sql, .mp4, .7z, .rar, .m4a, .wma, .avi, .wmv, .csv, .d3dbsp, .zip, .sie, .sum, .ibank, .t13, .t12, .qdf, .gdb, .tax, .pkpass, .bc6, .bc7, .bkp, .qic, .bkf, .sidn, .sidd, .mddata, .itl, .itdb, .icxs, .hvpl, .hplg, .hkdb, .mdbackup, .syncdb, .gho, .cas, .svg, .map, .wmo, .itm, .sb, .fos, .mov, .vdf, .ztmp, .sis, .sid, .ncf, .menu, .layout, .dmp, .blob, .esm, .vcf, .vtf, .dazip, .fpk, .mlx, .kf, .iwd, .vpk, .tor, .psk, .rim, .w3x, .fsh, .ntl, .arch00, .lvl, .snx, .cfr, .ff, .vpp_pc, .lrf, .m2, .mcmeta, .vfs0, .mpqge, .kdb, .db0, .dba, .rofl, .hkx, .bar, .upk, .das, .iwi, .litemod, .asset, .forge, .ltx, .bsa, .apk, .re4, .sav, .lbf, .slm, .bik, .epk, .rgss3a, .pak, .big, wallet, .wotreplay, .xxx, .desc, .py, .m3u, .flv, .js, .css, .rb, .png, .jpeg, .txt, .p7c, .p7b, .p12, .pfx, .pem, .crt, .cer, .der, .x3f, .srw, .pef, .ptx, .r3d, .rw2, .rwl, .raw, .raf, .orf, .nrw, .mrwref, .mef, .erf, .kdc, .dcr, .cr2, .crw, .bay, .sr2, .srf, .arw, .3fr, .dng, .jpe, .jpg, .cdr, .indd, .ai, .eps, .pdf, .pdd, .psd, .dbf, .mdf, .wb2, .rtf, .wpd, .dxg, .xf, .dwg, .pst, .accdb, .mdb, .pptm, .pptx, .ppt, .xlk, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xls, .wps, .docm, .docx, .doc, .odb, .odc, .odm, .odp, .ods, .odt<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Once your files are encrypted, the TeslaCrypt ransomware will create the <strong>Howto_Restore_FILES.txt<\/strong> text files ransom note in each folder that a file has been encrypted and on the Windows desktop. The ransomware will also change your Windows desktop wallpaper to <strong>Howto_Restore_FILES.png<\/strong>.<br \/>\nThis ransom virus leaves multiple files called <strong>how_recover<\/strong>+*.txt and how_recover+*.html on your computer with information on how to decrypt your files.<br \/>\nThese files are located in every folder that a file was encrypted as well as in the users Startup folder so that they are automatically displayed when a user logs in. These files will contain the informations on how to access the payment site and get your files back.<br \/>\nWhen the infection has finished scanning your computer it will also delete all of the Shadow Volume Copies that are on the affected computer. It does this so that you cannot use the shadow volume copies to restore your encrypted files.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad419799271\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381401-ad_309691-placement_360573\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"5315249587\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad1858255820\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_309748-ad_309691-placement_360588\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3906789406\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"infected\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">3. Is my computer infected with Howto_Restore_FILES virus?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If your computer is infected with the TeslaCrypt ransomware will display a red <strong>Howto_Restore_FILES.png<\/strong>\u00a0wallpaper that covers the entire desktop, and all your documents will have a <em>.VVV<\/em> extension. A <strong>Howto_Restore_FILES.txt<\/strong> text file will be placed on your desktop. Both files contain instruction on how or recover the encrypted files.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46970\" title=\".VVV ransomware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/VVV-File.jpg\" alt=\"VVV malware\" width=\"907\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/VVV-File.jpg 907w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/VVV-File-300x130.jpg 300w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/VVV-File-768x333.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px\" \/><br \/>\nThe messages displayed by this ransomware infection can be localized depending on the user\u2019s location, with text written in the appropriate language.<br \/>\nThis the message that the Howto_Restore_FILES\u00a0ransomware may display:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>NOT YOUR LANGUAGE? USE Google Translate<br \/>\nWhat happened to your files?<br \/>\nAll of your files were protected by a strong encryption with RSA-4096<br \/>\nMore information about the encryption RSA-4096 can be found here: http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RSA_(cryptosystem)<\/p>\n<p>What does this mean?<br \/>\nThis means that the structure and data within your files have been irrevocably changed, you will not be able to work<br \/>\nwith them, read them or see them, it is the same thing as losing them forever, but with our help, you can restore them.<\/p>\n<p>How did this happen?<br \/>\nEspecially for you, on our server was generated the secret key pair RSA-4096 &#8211; public and private.<br \/>\nAll your files were encrypted with the public key, which has been transferred to your computer via the Internet.<br \/>\nDecrypting of YOUR FILES is only possible with the help of the private key and decrypt program, which is on our Secret Server!!! *<\/p>\n<p>What do I do?<br \/>\nAlas, if you do not take the necessary measures for the specified time then the conditions for obtaining the private key will be changed.<br \/>\nIf you really need your data, then we suggest you do not waste valuable time searching for other solutions becausen they do not exist.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"mwtad1104929977\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_318930-ad_309691-placement_360589\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3818335085\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"removal\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">5. How to remove the Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware (Virus Removal Guide)<\/span><\/h2>\n<div style=\"border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 8px; border-color: #e51400; margin: 5px; padding: 10px;\">If you DO NOT\u00a0\u00a0plan on paying the ransom and want to try to restore your files, you can follow the below guide. It&#8217;s important to understand that by starting the removal process, you risk of losing your files, as we cannot guarantee that you will be able to recover them. Furthermore, your files may be permanently compromised when trying to remove this infection or trying to recover the encrypted documents.<\/div>\n<p>This page is a comprehensive guide, which will remove the Howto_Restore_FILES infection from\u00a0your computer, however we cannot guarantee that your personal files will be recovered. We cannot be held responsible for losing the\u00a0documents\u00a0during this removal process.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">A. Remove Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware from your computer<\/h3>\n<p>Malwarebytes and HitmanPro can detect and remove this infection, but <strong>these programs\u00a0cannot recover your encrypted<\/strong> files due to the nature of asymmetric encryption, which requires a private key to decrypt files encrypted with the public key.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad1634652658\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381404-ad_309691-placement_381406\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"8735619847\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<h3>STEP 1: Remove Howto_Restore_FILES virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free<\/h3>\n<p>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free uses industry-leading technology to detect and remove all traces of malware, including worms, Trojans, rootkits, rogues, dialers, spyware, and more.<br \/>\nIt is important to note that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware works well and should run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware<\/strong>\u00a0from the below link.<br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-malwarebytes-for-windows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK<\/a> <\/strong><em>(This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Once downloaded, close all programs, then double-click on the icon on your desktop named &#8220;<em>mbam-setup&#8221;<\/em> to start the installation of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38277\" title=\"Double-click on the mbam-setup to install Malwarebytes\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Setup.jpg\" alt=\"Start Malwarebytes Anti-Malware setup\" width=\"107\" height=\"107\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18096\" title=\"User Account Control icon\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/UAC-prompt.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of User Account Control\" width=\"13\" height=\"16\" \/> You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click \u201c<em>Yes<\/em>\u201d to continue with the installation.<\/li>\n<li>When the installation begins, you will see the <em>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard<\/em> which will guide you through the installation process.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38272\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Setup Wizard\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Installer\" width=\"550\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer.jpg 550w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Installer-300x231.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><br \/>\nTo install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your machine, <em>keep following the prompts<\/em> by clicking the &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38271\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Final Setup Screen\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware final screen\" width=\"544\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen.jpg 544w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Final-Screen-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Once installed, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically start and you will see a message stating that you should update the program, and that a scan has never been run on your system. To start a system scan you can click on the &#8220;<strong>Scan Now<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38275\" title=\"Click on the Scan Now button to scan with Malwarebytes\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scan Now\" width=\"661\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan.jpg 661w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scan-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 661px) 100vw, 661px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for malware. When Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is scanning it will look like the image below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38276\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware while performing a scan\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Scanning for Malware\" width=\"662\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware.jpg 662w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Scanning-For-Malware-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 662px) 100vw, 662px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes Anti-malware has found, click on the &#8220;<strong>Remove Selected<\/strong>&#8221; button.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38273\" title=\"Click on Remove Selected to remove malware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware.jpg\" alt=\"Remove Howto_Restore_FILES with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\" width=\"648\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware.jpg 648w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Removing-Malware-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px\" \/><br \/>\nPlease note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.<\/li>\n<li>Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now quarantine all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. When removing the files, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot your computer, please allow it to do so.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38274\" title=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware asking to restart PC\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC.jpg\" alt=\"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware asking to restart PC\" width=\"639\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC.jpg 639w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Malwarebytes-Restart-PC-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><br \/>\nAfter your computer will restart, you should open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform another &#8220;Threat Scan&#8221; scan to verify that there are no remaining threats<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>STEP 2: Double-check for the Howto_Restore_FILES malware infection with HitmanPro<\/h3>\n<p>HitmanPro is a second opinion scanner, designed to rescue your computer from malware (viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc.) that have infected your computer despite all the security measures you have taken (such as anti-virus software, firewalls, etc.). HitmanPro is designed to work alongside existing security programs without any conflicts. It scans the computer quickly (less than 5 minutes) and does not slow down the computer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>HitmanPro<\/strong> from the below link:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-hitmanpro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a> <em>(This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;HitmanPro&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Double-click on the file named &#8220;<strong>HitmanPro.exe<\/strong>&#8221; (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or &#8220;<strong>HitmanPro_x64.exe<\/strong>&#8221; (for 64-bit versions of Windows). When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38264\" title=\"HitmanPro startup screen\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro Installer\" width=\"635\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer.jpg 635w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Installer-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><br \/>\nClick on the &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38267\" title=\"itmanPro installation options (Click Next)\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"itmanPro while installing on PC\" width=\"641\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan.jpg 641w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Start-Scan-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for Howto_Restore_FILES malicious files.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38265\" title=\"HitmanPro scanning for malware\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro scanning\" width=\"636\" height=\"507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan.jpg 636w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-300x239.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the &#8220;<strong>Next<\/strong>&#8221; button, to remove Howto_Restore_FILES virus.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38266\" title=\"HitmanPro scan results (Click Next)\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results.jpg\" alt=\"HitmanPro detected malware\" width=\"642\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results.jpg 642w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Scan-Results-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Click on the &#8220;<strong>Activate free license<\/strong>&#8221; button to begin the <strong>free 30 days trial<\/strong>, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38263\" title=\"Click on the Activate free license button\" src=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License.jpg\" alt=\"Remove malware with HitmanPro\" width=\"631\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License.jpg 631w, https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/HitmanPro-Activate-Free-License-300x239.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"margin: 5px; padding: 10px; border-left: solid 5px #FFAE20;\">In some cases you may need to <a href=\"http:\/\/windows.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/change-desktop-background-wallpaper#1TC=windows-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">change your wallpaper<\/a>, and delete the harmless Howto_Restore_FILES.PNG, Howto_Restore_FILES.HTML and Howto_Restore_FILES.TXT files.<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">B. How (try) to restore your files encrypted by Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware<\/h3>\n<p>In some cases, it may be possible to recover previous versions of the encrypted files using System Restore or other recovery software used to obtain \u201cshadow copies\u201d of files.<\/p><div id=\"mwtad2455061428\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_360582-ad_309691-placement_360581\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"9971336976\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Option 1: Restore your files encrypted by Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware with ShadowExplorer<\/h3>\n<p>Howto_Restore_FILES will attempt to delete all shadow copies when you first start any executable on your computer after becoming infected. Thankfully, the infection is not always able to remove the shadow copies, so you should continue to try restoring your files using this method.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You can download <strong>ShadowExplorer<\/strong> from the below link:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.shadowexplorer.com\/downloads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <strong>SHADOW EXPLORER DOWNLOAD LINK<\/strong><\/a> <em>(This link will open a new web page from where you can download &#8220;ShadowExplorer&#8221;)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Once you have downloaded and installed ShadowExplorer, you can follow the below video guide on how to restore your files while using this program.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oaXtQ6rbvxA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Alternatively, you can use the <a href=\"http:\/\/windows.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows7\/products\/features\/system-restore\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">System Restore<\/a> to try to recover the encrypted documents.<\/p>\n<h3>Option 2: Restore your files encrypted by Howto_Restore_FILES ransomware with File Recovery Software<\/h3>\n<p>When Howto_Restore_FILES encrypts a file it first makes a copy of it, encrypts the copy, and then deletes the original. Due to this you can use file recovery software such as:<\/p><div id=\"mwtad3159209530\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_360567-ad_309691-placement_360771\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"6224621518\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.piriform.com\/recuva\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Recuva<\/a><br \/>\nYou can follow the below guide on how to use Recuva:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LeEICG0zWqY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.easeus.com\/datarecoverywizard\/free-data-recovery-software.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.r-studio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">R-Studio<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"mwtad3444787955\" class=\"gas_fallback-ad_381388-ad_309691-placement_381390\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7750719144850257\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7750719144850257\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"3191649120\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 id=\"prevent\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to prevent your computer from becoming infected by Howto_Restore_FILES<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To protect your computer from the Cryptowall ransomware, you should always have an antivirus installed on your computer and always have a backup for your personal documents. As an extra protection method, you can use programs called <a href=\"http:\/\/www.surfright.nl\/en\/alert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HitmanPro.Alert<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foolishit.com\/cryptoprevent-malware-prevention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CryptoPrevent<\/a>, which will prevent any file encrypting malware from running.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XrSP-CMjuFk?rel=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 20px; padding: 10px; border-left: solid 5px #088A08;\">Your computer should now be free of the Howto_Restore_FILES infection.<br \/>\nIf you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove virus from your machine, please do one of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Run a system scan with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/downloads-emsisoft-emergency-kit\/\" target=\"_blank\">Emsisoft Emergency Kit<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Start a new thread in our <strong><a title=\"Free Malware Removal Support\" href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/forums\/malware-removal-assistance.10\/\" target=\"_blank\">Malware Removal Assistance<\/a><\/strong> forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your pictures, videos and documents are encrypted with a .VVV extension, and you have the Howto_Restore_FILES.TXT, Howto_Restore_FILES.HTML and Howto_Restore_FILES.PNG documents on your desktop, then your computer has been infected with a new variant of &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Remove Howto_Restore_FILES and .VVV extension (Guide)\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/remove-howto_restore_files-and-vvv-extension\/#more-46967\" aria-label=\"Read more about Remove Howto_Restore_FILES and .VVV extension (Guide)\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2727],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ransomware","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malwaretips.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}