Remove HOUSELOCKER Ransomware
HOUSELOCKER Ransomware is a dangerous piece of malware whose victims are going to be in a lot of trouble. While most ransomware attacks end up encrypting the victim's files, there are a few samples, which work in a rather different manner – by encrypting the Master Boot Record (MBR) of your hard disk. The MBR is responsible for storing boot configuration, which tells your system what operating system to start, and with what settings to do so. However, if the MBR is corrupted, you might not be able to load Windows at all, and often the only solution would be a full hard drive format. Alternatively, restoring the MBR might be possible through specialized 3rd-party software.
The HOUSELOCKER Ransomware does not encrypt a single file on the victim's computer, but it does override the MBR with a text message, which users will see as soon as they restart their device. Keep in mind that if the HOUSELOCKER Ransomware infects your machine you will not see anything out of the ordinary at first – the issue only becomes obvious when you restart your machine.
While HOUSELOCKER Ransomware's modus operandi is a bit different, the demands of the criminals are the same – money. However, their ransom fee demand makes no sense since they want to receive 130,000 Rosecoins through PayPal. While the Rosecoin cryptocurrency does exit, it is certainly not mainstream. Furthermore, it is not supported by PayPal.
We would not advise victims of the HOUSELOCKER Ransomware to try and pay the ransom fee. The attackers provide no contact details or reassurance that they are able to help. Even if you succeed with the payment, it is highly unlikely that they will help you. Our advice to victims of the HOUSELOCKER Ransomware is to explore alternative methods to recover their Master Boot Record.
