It’s possible to stop Anatova ransomware dead in its tracks by using Windows’ Safe mode.
Follow the steps explained below to access Safe Mode and get rid of this piece of malware:
- Open the Start Menu
- Click the Power button
- Hold Shift on your keyboard and select Restart
- Go to Troubleshoot
- Select Advanced options
- Click the Startup Settings button
- Press Restart
- Enable the Safe Mode with Command Prompt mode in Startup Settings
- Launch a CMD instance with Administrator rights
- Type cd restore and hit the Enter button
- In the same CMD window type rstrui.exe and hit the Enter button
- Locate the newly-opened System Restore window
- Click the Next button
- Select the restore point that was created before the Aanatova attack
- Click the Next button
- Hit the Yes button to initiate the restoration process
How can I prevent Anatova ransomware?
Now that you got rid of the Anatova ransomware, you’ll need to make sure it won’t come back.
As usual, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it’s wise to follow a few safety measures whenever you use your PC, especially while online.
- Always use official, confirmed sources whenever you download games, apps, or any other document
- Avoid shady websites, especially ones that are full of ads and pop-ups, or those that ask for notification permissions
- Don’t open emails that look particularly suspicious
- Avoid clicking attachments in email messages, especially if your email client flagged them as spam and blocked their content
- Use trustworthy antivirus, antimalware, and firewall solutions on your PC
- Don’t ignore any security warning you may see while navigating to a suspicious website
Ransomware is usually dangerous because it can lock you out of important documents on your computer.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why making backup copies of everything important on your machine can be a good way to fight Anatova ransomware.
Even in the worst-case scenario where your files get locked beyond recovery you won’t have to pay a dime to the attacker, knowing well that you have backup copies.
It goes without saying that the backup copies should never ever reside on the same machine or in the same location as the original files.
Otherwise, you’ll face the risk of losing them to ransomware, as well.
Just use a memory stick or an external HDD and disconnect it once the backup is complete.
Conclusion
All things considered, if you’ve been affected by Anatova ransomware, you can easily get rid of it, granted that you have enabled the system restore option on your PC.
If you manage to get rid of Anatova ransomware, don’t forget to backup your files and take all necessary steps to prevent it (or any other similar malware) from ever returning to your PC.
This post was written by Vlad Constantinescu and was first posted to WindowsReport
