Desperately need help

[ared4ever]

My Office 2010 files have been encrypted by ransomaware called Cryptolocker. I have removed the ransomeware but the files are still encrypted. The files are my small business files and are needed urgently for my tax returns. Does anyone have ANY ideas how I can decrypt them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Alan2273]

Copied from Bleeping computer.

Unfortunately at this time there is no way to retrieve the private key that can be used to decrypt your files without paying the ransom. Brute forcing the decryption key is not realistic due to the length of time required to break the key. Also any decryption tools that have been released by various companies will not work with this infection. The only method you have of restoring your files is from a backup or Shadow Volume Copies if you have System Restore enabled. Newer variants of CryptoLocker attempt to delete the Shadow Copies, but it is not always successful. More information about how to restore your files via Shadow Volume Copies can be found in this section below.

If you do not have System Restore enabled on your computer or reliable backups, then you will need to pay the ransom in order to get your files back.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/cryptolocker-ransomware-information

[andsome]

Sorry to hear of your problems, BUT this is yet another example of what can happen when a system back up is not kept. There are free programs available, but I much prefer Acronis, and a large capacity plug in hard drive. Once you are sorted, for heavens sake get a good sized hard drive and a back up program, and make a mirror image of your newly restored drive.