When JigSaw ransomware was initially detected, it locked the screen of infected users’ computers displaying a countdown timer. The ransomware scans for and encrypts over 120 types of files on the compromised computers it has infected. Users were left with nothing but to pay a large ransom amount usually varying in the hundreds of dollars. The worst period of Jigsaw ransomware was when it was released for sale in the deep web in the form of ransomware as a service (RaaS). The virus then exploded with multiple variants and became even widespread, possibly making its creators even richer than before. Luckily for users, how there has been a decryptor released which can recover the files encoded by JigSaw ransomware. We have decided to make instructions and assist users to decode any important files encrypted by Jigsaw.
Jigsaw Ransomware – More Information About It
Initially when it was released, Jigsaw ransomware displayed a wallpaper from the famous movie Jigsaw:
The first variant wanted users to pay the ransom amount of 150 US dollars to gain access to their computer and their files back. When it was released, Jigsaw demonstrated a lot of skills and tricks up in its sleeve. The primary characteristic for it was the virus was highly customizable, which became evident with the other variants of Jigsaw which came out shortly after:
What became typical for the Jigsaw variants was the rather interesting Anonymous theme on most of them and the increasing amount of ransom payoff needed. One variant even required infected users to pay the minimum sum of approximately 5000$ which is outrageous. Users were strongly advised not to pay any ransom and fund the cyber-criminals to release yet another variant.
Jigsaw Ransomware Decryption Instructions
Before starting to download the decryptor and learning how to use it, we must have you know that this may take some time. This is why it is advisable to make your computer run permanently without automatically hibernating or shutting down automatically after some time. To do this, please follow the bellow-mentioned instructions:
1: Click on the battery icon in your system tray (next to the digital clock) in Windows and then click on More Power Options.
2: The Power Options menu will appear. In your power plan click on Change Plan Settings.
3: In your plan’s settings make sure you set “Turn off the display” and “Put computer to sleep” to “Never” from the drop down minutes menu.
4: Click on “Change Advanced Plan Settings” and click to expand the “Hard Disk” option in the list there.
5: From there, set the power settings (On Battery and Powered On) to “Never”.
After this has been complete, then you should start the decryption process itself. Even though nothing should go wrong, we strongly advise you to make sure that your files and computer are safe. To do this, you may either scan your computer with an advanced anti-malware program or create copies of the encrypted files and try to decrypt them from a safe PC, just in case something goes wrong.
Spy Hunter scanner will only detect the threat. If you want the threat to be automatically removed, you need to purchase the full version of the anti-malware tool.Find Out More About SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool / How to Uninstall SpyHunter
After you have secured your computer, you should follow these instructions to download, install and use Jigsaw Decryptor by demonslay335:
Step 1: Download Jigsaw Decryptor from the button below and open the .ZIP file
Step 2: Extract the JigSawDecrypter.exe file whenever you feel comfortable to easily access it:
Step 3: Right-Click on it after which click on Run as Administrator… and you should see its primary interface:
Step 4: From there, click on the Select Directory button and choose a directory the files in which you want decrypted:
Step 5: Click on the button Ok after selecting and then click on Decrypt Files and wait for the decryption process to be complete:
Bear in mind that this process may take some time, it really depends on the files, their size and other factors, like the ransomware variant and its modification. This is why we strongly suggest you to take into consideration leaving your computer to work it out while you are not using it.
Conclusion
As a bottom line, we strongly advise users who have been infected by the JigSaw ransomware to follow these advises to prevent this mess from happening in the near future:
Advice 1: Make sure to read our general protection tips and try to make them your habit and educated others to do so as well.
Advice 2: Install an advanced anti-malware program that has an often updated real-time shield definitions and ransomware protection.
Advice 3: Seek out and download specific anti-ransomware software which is reliable.
Advice 4: Backup your files using one of the methods in this article.
Advice 5: : Make sure to use a secure web browser while surfing the world wide web.
