Punisher Virus Removal Guide (+Decode .punisher files) – WannaCash Ransomware
Punisher – General Info
The Punisher stands for a ransomware-type infection. The infection comes from the WannaCash ransomware family. Punisher was elaborated specifically to encrypt all major file types. Once the file is encrypted people are not able to use them. Punisher adds the “.punisher” extension for each file encrypted by it. For example, the file “myphoto.jpg“, once encrypted by Punisher, will be renamed into “myphoto.jpg.punisher“. As quickly as the encryption is finished, Punisher places a special text file into every folder containing the encrypted data.The message given by Punisher text file requesting the ransom is absolutely the same as the statements given by other ransomware representatives belonging to the WannaCash type. It literally mentions that the information is encrypted which the only way to restore it is to use a an unique decryption key. Sadly, this is definitely true. The kind of cryptography mechanism applied by Punisher is still not appropriately examined. Still, it is absolutely specific that each victim may be given the specific decryption key, which is absolutely distinct. It is impossible to restore the files without the key available.
Another technique of Punisher is that the victims cannot gain access to the key. The key is stored on a particular server run by the frauds associated with Punisher ransomware. To get the key and recover the important information people need to pay the ransom.
Punisher encrypted your documents, but that might not be the only damage done to you. The ransomware might still be hidingon your computer. To identify whether this holds true, we suggest downloading GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
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However, irrespective of the asked for amount, people must stay away from paying the ransom virus. Cyber frauds are not fair, so they tend to completely ignore what their victims feel about the issue, even when the payment reaches their pockets. This is why paying the ransom typically does not give any positive result and people simply lose their money for absolutely nothing.
We strongly recommend that you do not contact these crooks and certainly do not transfer money into their accounts. It is said to admit that there are no utilities able to crack Punisher ransomware and to recover the information data totally free. Therefore, the only best decision is to recover the lost data from the available backup.
Virus Summary
| Name | Punisher Ransomware |
| File Extension | .punisher |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Family | WannaCash |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts all the data stored on your system and requires a ransom to be paid on your part supposedly to recover your important files. |
| Symptoms | File encryption by the ransomware is performed by means of the AES and RSA encryption algorithms. Once the encryption is completed, the ransomware adds its special punisher extension to all the files modified by it. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Removal Tool | GridinSoft Anti-Malware |
Remember that the world wide web is now overwhelmed with threats that look comparable to Punisher ransomware. Destructive programs of such kind are usually elaborated to encrypt crucial data and to set forth the need prior to the user to pay the ransom. The peculiarity of all such ransomware threats is that all apply a similar algorithm to produce the unique decryption key for data decryption.
Hence, as long as the ransomware is still being developed or has some hidden bugs, manually recovering the information is simply not feasible. The only way to avoid the loss of your crucial files is to routinely create backups of your important information.
Remember that even if you create such backups, they must be put into a special storage utility not connect to your main computer. You may use the USB Memory Stick or external disk drive for this purpose, or refer to the help of the cloud storage. If you store your backup files on your common system they may be encrypted in addition to other files, so it’s definitely not a good storage location.
How did ransomware infect my PC?
There are several methods used by online scams to distribute Punisher ransomware. Despite the fact that it is uncertain how precisely Punisher injects your system, there are some leaks through which it may infiltrate the system:
- integration with third-party apps, especially freeware;
- spam emails from unidentified senders;
- websites rendering free hosting services;
- pirated peer-to-peer (P2P) downloads.
Often Punisher virus may exist as some legitimate software application, for instance, in the pop-ups advising users to execute some crucial software application updates. This is the typical technique used by online scams to persuade people into downloading and installing Punisher infection manually, by methods of their direct participation in the installation process.
Furthermore, the criminals may describe different e-mail spam techniques to inject destructive codes into copmuter. So, they may refer to to sending unsolicited spam e-mails with tricky notices promoting users to download the attachments or click on certain download links, for example, the ones motivating users to open some video, documents, tax reports or invoices.
Needless to mention, opening such files or clicking on such dangerous links may significantly damage the PC. Fictitious Adobe Flash Player update informs may result in Punisher virus injection. When it comes to the cracked applications, these illegally downloaded programs may also include harmful codes resulting in Punisher secret installation. Finally, injection of Punisher may take place by methods of Trojans that covertly get injected into the system and set up harmful utilities without the user’s authorization.
Is there any way to avoid the injection of Punisher ransom virus?
Even though there is no 100% guarantee to avoid your system from getting infected, there are some pieces of recommendations we wish to show with you. First of all, be really mindful when you surf the web and especially while downloading free programs. Keep away from opening suspicious email attachments, especially when the sender of the email is not familiar to you.
Remember that some freeware installers may contain other unwanted utilities in the bundle, so they may be malicious. Ensure that your current antivirus and your entire operating system is always appropriately updated.
Naturally, downloading pirated software is prohibited and may lead to vital damage to be produced your PC. For this reason, stay away from downloading cracked software. You are likewise strongly encouraged to reconsider your existing security software and possibly switch to another security solution that can render better services of defending your Windows.
Screenshot of files with “.punisher” extension added by the ransomware:
Use GridinSoft Anti-Malware to remove Punisher ransomware from your computer
1.Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
2. Double-click on the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-ag.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your computer.
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.
3. Press Install button for run GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
3.Once installed, GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically run.
4. Wait for the GridinSoft Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your computer for Win Speedup 2018 and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so we suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
5. Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has completed, 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.
