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Useful tutorials on various PC troubleshooting topics. Video tutorials.

How to remove Kitz Ransomware and decrypt .kitz files

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Kitz Ransomware (belongs to the family of STOP Ransomware or Djvu Ransomware) is high-risk file-encrypting virus, that affects Windows systems. In the beginning of April 2023, the new generation of this malware started encoding files using .kitz extensions. Virus targets important and valuable file types such as photos, documents, videos, archives, encrypted files become unusable. Ransomware puts _readme.txt file, that is called "ransom note" or "ransom-demanding note" on the desktop and in the folders with encrypted files. Developers use the following e-mails for contact: support@freshmail.top and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. Hackers demand $980 for the decryption of your files (the message states, that victims will get a 50% discount if they'll contact cybercriminals within 72 hours after the encryption). According to many reports, malefactors often don't reply to victims, when they receive ransom payment. We strongly do not recommend paying any money. Files encrypted by some versions of Kitz Ransomware can be decrypted with help of STOP Djvu Decryptor.

How to remove BlackByteNT Ransomware and decrypt .blackbytent files

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BlackByteNT is a recently-discovered ransomware infection. After the system gets infiltrated with it, all potentially important file types will become inaccessible due to full-fledged encryption. In addition to encrypting access to data, the file encryptor also replaces original filenames with a random string of characters and the .blackbytent extension at the end. For instance, a file like 1.pdf will change to something like dnoJJlc=.blackbytent and lose its original icon as well. The last significant part of the ransomware is BB_Readme_[random_string].txt⁣ – a ransom note that contains decryption guidelines. Cybercriminals say the data has been encrypted and exfiltrated to their servers. In order to return access and prevent data from ending up leaked, victims are demanded to cooperate with the extortionists and follow the information presented through the TOR link provided within the note. Should victims delay communication, the price for decryption will rise higher, and within 4 days of inaction, victims will no longer be able to use the decryption services of cyber criminals. Lastly, cyber-crooks warn victims against using third-party decryption tools assuming there is a risk of damaging them and therefore losing the possibility of ever decrypting them.

How to remove Kifr Ransomware and decrypt .kifr files

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STOP Ransomware (Djvu Ransomware) is officially the most common encryption virus in the world. The encryptor operates according to the classical scheme: it encrypts files, adds a new extension to them, and places a ransom note on the infected machine. More than 50% of ransomware-infected computers are infected with STOP Ransomware. It has got second name – ⁣Djvu Ransomware, after the extension .djvu, that was appended to the files on first infected computers. With several minor and major modifications, virus continues its devastating activity in the present days. A recent variation of malware (Kifr Ransomware appeared in April 2023) adds .kifr extension to files. Kifr Ransomware encrypts victims' files using the AES encryption algorithm. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a widely-used symmetric encryption algorithm that is considered to be secure and is used to protect sensitive data in many applications. AES encryption uses a secret key to encrypt and decrypt data, and the strength of the encryption depends on the length of the key used. Of course, affected files become inaccessible without a special "decryptor", which has to be bought from hackers.

How to recover deleted contacts on iPhone

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It is quite common to find yourself in need of recovering certain kinds of data like contacts after accidentally deleting or losing them for whatever reason. If you are one of such people and seek help with restoring deleted/lost contacts on your iPhone or some other iOS device, follow this guide with various ways to return the missing contacts to your device. Losing important contacts from your iPhone can be a frustrating experience, especially if you rely on your phone for communication with friends, family, or business associates. Whether it was an accidental deletion or a software malfunction, the thought of losing valuable phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information can leave you feeling helpless. However, the good news is that recovering deleted contacts from your iPhone is possible, and there are several methods you can use to retrieve them. In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of recovering deleted contacts from your iPhone, using both iTunes and iCloud backups, as well as third-party data recovery software. With these techniques, you can quickly and easily restore your lost contacts and get back to communicating with the important people in your life.

How to unlock iPhone without passcode

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Forgetting your passcode to unlock your own device is never good news for many users. Sometimes it may be your friend or another person who decided to mock you and set up a passcode without letting you know. Unfortunately, if you see no chance of recalling your passcode and unlocking the iPhone as usual, the only way to bypass the lock screen is to reset your iPhone to factory settings. The outcome of this action will be a complete erase of data stored on the device. After this, you will have to restore the deleted data using backup storage like iCloud. Apple takes security very seriously and it is a good measure to keep your data protected from potentially unauthorized hands. Try to exhaust all log-in attempts before getting to the rest of your iPhone. You will have around 10 attempts until your iPhone becomes permanently locked and will require a rest. If no right passcode is matched, you will have to use one of our solutions below to reset your device, which will unlock it eventually. Use whichever fits you the most.

How to unlock from iPhone “Security Lockout” screen

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If you see the "iPhone Unavailable" or Security Lockout message on your iPhone after repeatedly entering the wrong passcode, then this guide is for you. We will show you a couple of methods that will help you bypass the locked screen and get back to using your iPhone. Unfortunately, the truth is that unlocking your iOS device without a passcode requires resetting it to factory settings, which will entail a full erase of data stored on your phone. Unless you have the right passcode to unlock your phone, resetting is the only way out of this situation. Apple takes security very seriously, which makes a lot of sense to keep your data protected from potentially unauthorized hands. If all the attempts have been exhausted and your iPhone is now permanently blocked, use one of the ways to erase it and restore the deleted data using one of the backup methods – via iCloud, for instance. Use whichever fits you the most.

How to remove Nitz Ransomware and decrypt .nitz files

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Nitz Ransomware is a large family of encryption viruses with over than a year of history. It has undergone multiple visual and technical modifications during the time. This article will describe the peculiar properties of the latest versions of this malware. Since the beginning of April 2023, STOP Ransomware started to add following extensions to encrypted files: .nitz. And after the name of the extension, it is called "Nitz Ransomware". Virus modifies the "hosts" file to block Windows updates, antivirus programs, and sites related to security news. The process of infection also looks like installing Windows updates, the malware generates a fake window and progress bar for this. This version of STOP Ransomware now uses the following e-mail addresses: support@freshmail.top and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. STOP Ransomware creates ransom note file _readme.txt.

How to stop “SharePoint” e-mail spam

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If you are reading this page, then the "SharePoint" e-mail is likely a scam message, which should be ignored or even deleted. Initially, SharePoint is a legitimate Microsoft tool used by many companies worldwide, however, some scammers impersonate its name and templates for promoting malicious links/buttons leading to fishing websites. The "SharePoint" e-mail spam has been observed to mimic company names and make recipients read some important information inside a fake PDF attachment. This attachment was reported to contain a link leading to a fake Microsoft website. Keep in mind that such websites are designed to trick users into providing sensitive information and let threat actors abuse it for stealing access to Microsoft 365 (Office) or other accounts likely registered with the same login credentials. It is always highly advised against clicking on links or downloading attachments from messages that seem suspicious. Some cybercriminals may abuse PDF, Word, Excel, RAR, ZIP, and other genuine files for setting up executable scripts that will install malware. Thus, always be careful with what you click or download from e-mail messages. "SharePoint" e-mail spam is only one of the countless other scam e-mails that target users each day. Beware of them and read our guide to get protection against them in the future.