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Remove .Clay file ransomware

What may be said about this Clay ransomware virus

The ransomware known as Clay ransomware is categorized as a very damaging threat, due to the amount of damage it might cause. If ransomware was unfamiliar to you until now, you are in for a surprise. If a powerful encryption algorithm was used to encrypt your data, they’ll be locked, which means you will not be able to open them. Ransomware is classified as a very dangerous infection as file decryption may be not possible.

You do have the option of buying the decoding utility from cyber criminals but for reasons we will mention below, that would not be the best idea. First of all, paying will not ensure that files are restored. What’s preventing crooks from just taking your money, without giving you a decryptor. Furthermore, your money would also support their future activities, such as more ransomware. File encrypting malicious program already did billions worth of damage to businesses in 2017, and that’s an estimation only. When victims give into the demands, data encrypting malicious program becomes more and more profitable, thus drawing more crooks who have a desire to earn easy money. Investing the money that is requested of you into backup would be better because if you ever run into this kind of situation again, you may just recover files from backup and not worry about losing them. You can then proceed to data recovery after you delete Clay ransomware or related infections. If you have not encountered ransomware before, you might not know how it managed to get into your computer, which is why carefully read the below paragraph.

Ransomware spread ways

Normally, file encoding malicious program is spread via spam emails, exploit kits and malicious downloads. Seeing as these methods are still used, that means that people are somewhat careless when they use email and download files. That does not mean more sophisticated methods aren’t popular, however. All criminals have to do is use a famous company name, write a generic but somewhat credible email, add the infected file to the email and send it to future victims. You will frequently encounter topics about money in those emails, because users are more prone to falling for those kinds of topics. And if someone who pretends to be Amazon was to email a user about questionable activity in their account or a purchase, the account owner may panic, turn hasty as a result and end up opening the attachment. You need to look out for certain signs when opening emails if you want an infection-free computer. It is essential that you investigate the sender to see whether they’re known to you and if they are trustworthy. And if you are familiar with them, check the email address to make sure it matches the person’s/company’s legitimate address. Be on the lookout for grammatical or usage mistakes, which are usually pretty glaring in those emails. Another significant hint could be your name being absent, if, lets say you are an Amazon customer and they were to email you, they would not use typical greetings like Dear Customer/Member/User, and instead would use the name you have given them with. It’s also possible for data encrypting malicious programs to use weak spots in computers to enter. Software has weak spots that can be exploited by data encoding malware but they are often patched by vendors. Unfortunately, as proven by the WannaCry ransomware, not everyone installs those patches, for one reason or another. Situations where malware uses weak spots to enter is why it is so critical that you regularly update your software. Patches can install automatically, if you don’t wish to trouble yourself with them every time.

What does .Clay file ransomware do

If the ransomware gets into your device, it’ll look for specific file types and once it has found them, it’ll encrypt them. Even if infection was not obvious from the beginning, it’ll become pretty obvious something’s wrong when files don’t open as normal. Files that have been encoded will have a weird file extension, which can help people figure out the ransomware’s name. Some file encoding malicious program may use powerful encryption algorithms, which would make file decryption potentially impossible. You will find a ransom notification that will reveal what has happened to your files. According to the criminals, the only way to recover your files would be with their decryption tool, which will clearly not come for free. The note should specify the price for a decryption tool but if that’s not the case, you’ll have to email crooks through their provided address. Evidently, paying the ransom isn’t suggested. If you are set on paying, it should be a last resort. Maybe you have forgotten that you’ve backed up your files. It is also possible a free decryption utility has been published. We should mention that every now and then malicious software specialists are capable of decrypting a file encoding malicious program, which means you may find a decryption software for free. Before you decide to pay, search for a decryption program. If you use some of that sum to buy backup, you wouldn’t be put in this kind of situation again as you may always access copies of those files. And if backup is an option, data restoring should be executed after you delete Clay ransomware virus, if it still inhabits your computer. If you wish to protect your device from file encoding malicious program in the future, become aware of possible means via which it could get into your device. Stick to safe pages when it comes to downloads, pay attention to what type of email attachments you open, and keep your software updated.

Methods to remove Clay ransomware

Employ a malware removal software to get rid of the ransomware if it’s still in your computer. If you are not experienced with computers, you might unintentionally bring about further harm when trying to fix Clay ransomware by hand. Instead, using an anti-malware tool would not put your system in jeopardy. These types of utilities exist for the purpose of getting rid of these types of infections, depending on the program, even preventing them from getting in. Choose the malware removal program that best matches what you need, and perform a full device scan once you install it. The tool isn’t capable of recovering your data, however. If the file encrypting malware is fully gone, recover files from backup, and if you do not have it, start using it.

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Quick Menu

Step 1. Delete .Clay file ransomware using Safe Mode with Networking.

Remove .Clay file ransomware from Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP
  1. Click on Start and select Shutdown.
  2. Choose Restart and click OK.
  3. Start tapping F8 when your PC starts loading.
  4. Under Advanced Boot Options, choose Safe Mode with Networking.
  5. Open your browser and download the anti-malware utility.
  6. Use the utility to remove .Clay file ransomware
Remove .Clay file ransomware from Windows 8/Windows 10
  1. On the Windows login screen, press the Power button.
  2. Tap and hold Shift and select Restart.
  3. Go to Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Start Settings.
  4. Choose Enable Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking under Startup Settings.
  5. Click Restart.
  6. Open your web browser and download the malware remover.
  7. Use the software to delete .Clay file ransomware

Step 2. Restore Your Files using System Restore

Delete .Clay file ransomware from Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP
  1. Click Start and choose Shutdown.
  2. Select Restart and OK
  3. When your PC starts loading, press F8 repeatedly to open Advanced Boot Options
  4. Choose Command Prompt from the list.
  5. Type in cd restore and tap Enter.
  6. Type in rstrui.exe and press Enter.
  7. Click Next in the new window and select the restore point prior to the infection.
  8. Click Next again and click Yes to begin the system restore.
Delete .Clay file ransomware from Windows 8/Windows 10
  1. Click the Power button on the Windows login screen.
  2. Press and hold Shift and click Restart.
  3. Choose Troubleshoot and go to Advanced options.
  4. Select Command Prompt and click Restart.
  5. In Command Prompt, input cd restore and tap Enter.
  6. Type in rstrui.exe and tap Enter again.
  7. Click Next in the new System Restore window.
  8. Choose the restore point prior to the infection.
  9. Click Next and then click Yes to restore your system.

Site Disclaimer

2-remove-virus.com is not sponsored, owned, affiliated, or linked to malware developers or distributors that are referenced in this article. The article does not promote or endorse any type of malware. We aim at providing useful information that will help computer users to detect and eliminate the unwanted malicious programs from their computers. This can be done manually by following the instructions presented in the article or automatically by implementing the suggested anti-malware tools.

The article is only meant to be used for educational purposes. If you follow the instructions given in the article, you agree to be contracted by the disclaimer. We do not guarantee that the artcile will present you with a solution that removes the malign threats completely. Malware changes constantly, which is why, in some cases, it may be difficult to clean the computer fully by using only the manual removal instructions.