How to Recover Cryptowall Encrypted Files

Amy Dennis

Jan 27, 2024 • Filed to: Recover Files • Proven solutions

Since 2014, cryptowall has become a serious threat for an average Windows user. Several online fraudsters use cryptowall to infiltrate user's computers and charge them thousands of dollars to fix it. In 2014 alone, several Americans were attacked using the Cryptowall virus and they had no other option to pay the asked ransom to recover their files.

Of course, over the years, the virus has only become stronger and more difficult to remove. However, it's not impossible to remove the virus while recovering your potential files at the same time. In this guide, we're going to explain how to recover cryptowall files without paying a single penny to the attacker.

Part 1: What is a Cryptowall encrypted file?

For people who don't know, cryptowall is a type of Trojan Horse virus that encrypts all the files on a target PC. To decrypt these files and recover the data, the user is asked to pay thousands of dollars as ransom. In simple words, cryptowall is a way to earn money for many online attackers.

The virus first came into existence back in 2014 and since then many users have been affected by it. Now, while a daily user may not care about losing data, for an enterprise, the data means everything. That's why the cryptowall virus is mostly used to attack large enterprise industries that have millions worth of revenue.

The reason why attackers choose Cryptowall is that it is cheap, easy to install, and the user is most likely to pay the ransom at the end. In many cases, the cryptowall file is sent to the user as an attachment inside an email. As soon as the user will double-click the attachment, all the files on his system will get encrypted automatically. Apart from phishing scams, the attacker may also use malicious ads to install the virus on your system

And, it doesn't matter which Windows version you're using, Cryptowall is capable of attacking every system as long as you're connected to the Internet. Fortunately, the cryptowall virus isn't inevitable and there are a couple of effective ways to fix it and recover cryptowall files as well.

So, if your system has also been affected by a Cryptowall virus, continue reading, the next section explains how to fix the issue and safely recover all your data.

Part 2: How to Remove Cryptowall Virus

Always remember that it is never a good strategy to pay the ransom to the online fraudster. Why? Because there is no guarantee that you'll get your files back. If that happens, you'll lose your data as well as thousands of dollars at the same time.

So, here's how you can remove the cryptowall virus from your system.

• First of all, install a third-party Antivirus program on your system. While you might think Antivirus is useless, it can easily save you from various ransom viruses (including cryptowall). Even when you're already attacked by the virus, you can install an Antivirus program and perform a deep scan to completely remove the virus from your system.
• Installing the Antivirus is not enough; it is also important to regularly update the program so that it can protect your system against the latest Ransom viruses. Every antivirus update contains new security patches that will make it easier to remove the virus from your system.
• You can also use the Windows System Restore point to remove the virus. Simply boot your PC in safe mode and roll back to a safe Restore Point when the malware didn't affect your system.

These are a few of the methods that'll remove cryptowall files from your system.

Part 3: How to Recover affected files by cryptowall virus?

It is worth noting that you are most likely to lose some data in the process of removing the virus from your system. If that happens, don't panic as you can easily recover cryptowall files using a third-party data recovery software like Wondershare RecoverIt.

RecoverIt is an excellent data recovery tool designed by the tech-giant, Wondershare. It offers a straightforward process to recover the data so that you don't have to go through any hassle. All you have to do is follow three easy steps and the data will be restored on your system instantly.

Follow these guidelines to use Wondershare for data recovery, which got deleted due to the cryptowall virus.

Step 1: Choose Location

Install and launch Wondershare RecoverIt on your system and select the location from where data was deleted.

Step 2: Start Scanning

Click "Start" to initiate a deep-drive scan. The tool will start scanning the selected drive for deleted files. This process can take several minutes to complete, depending on the number of deleted files.

Step 3: Recover Data

Now, select the particular file and tap "Recover". You can also check the preview of a file by clicking the "Preview" tab in the right sidebar. Select a destination folder to securely restore the files on your system.

That's how convenient and quick it is to recover cryptowall files on your system using Wondershare RecoverIt.

Part 4: How to Prevent CryptoWall Infection

Now that you know how to recover from the cryptowall virus, here are quick safety tips to prevent ransomware attacks on your system.

• Always use an antivirus program and make sure to install all the security updates. If you use your system for online activities more frequently, it is better to invest in a premium Antivirus program instead of using the built-in Windows defender.
• Be cautious with your online activities. Don't open emails/attachments from suspicious email ids. Also, avoid clicking ads as much as you can.
• Always keep a back-up of valuable data either on the cloud or on an external hard-drive. This will make it easier to recover the data even if the cryptowall has managed to surpass every other security barrier.

The Bottom Line

Even though cryptowall is the most critical virus program, you can still protect your system against it without paying any ransom. Paying the ransom is never a good strategy as you might never get your files back. Instead, utilize the above-mentioned tricks to recover cryptowall files and keep your system protected from potential attackers.