Recover Data from Ransomware-Encrypted Devices

Ransomware has become the fastest-growing form of cyberthreat in the world. But what really happens behind the scenes when you get hit by ransomware?

It all comes down to one thing: encryption. To protect yourself, you need to know exactly how it works and why breaking it is so tough.

What Is Encryption—The Basics

At its core, encryption is a way to protect information against unauthorized use.

Imagine you have a diary. You don’t want anyone else to read it, so you write everything in a secret code. In the digital world, encryption is that code, but far more complex. In fact, it’s so complex that without the right key, even the world’s most powerful computers couldn’t read it.

Encryption keeps your personal chats, online payments, and banking details safe from prying eyes. You use it all the time, often without even knowing.

But when it comes to ransomware, encryption works against you. The malware takes your files and scrambles them with an encryption key that only the attacker knows.

Here’s how ransomware attacks unfold.

Your files are transformed into unreadable gibberish.
The attacker keeps the only digital encryption key that can unlock them.
If you try to open anything, you just get error messages; your information is there, but it’s useless to you.
Ideally, after the ransom is paid, the hacker offers a special program (a “decryptor”) that uses the key to turn your data back into something you can actually use. (Though this doesn’t always happen. Often, the cybercriminals ask for more ransom.)

So, encryption is the very mechanism that gives ransomware its power.

How Ransomware Uses Encryption (and Why It’s So Effective)

When ransomware infects a system, it’s programmed to do one thing well: encrypt as much of your data as possible, as quickly and reliably as possible.

To do this, it uses encryption types as advanced as those used by banks, governments, and defense agencies, and security professionals. Let’s break down how it works.

The malware searches for files based on their extensions, such as documents, images, databases, and backups.
It then tries to encrypt everything it can reach. This isn’t limited to just your main drive. If your computer can access shared folders on your office or home network or even external drives, those are at risk too.
First, the attacker’s software uses symmetric encryption (like AES—Advanced Encryption Standard) to scramble your files. This method is both fast and highly secure.
Then, to prevent you from simply recovering the decryption key from your own computer, the ransomware encrypts that key itself using asymmetric encryption (such as RSA-2048). Only the attacker’s private key can unlock this.

The encryption type frequently used by ransomware is so strong, and the process so carefully designed, that getting your files back without the attacker’s help is very difficult.

Now that you know how the encryption attack unfolds, let’s talk about what you’ll actually see when ransomware encryption is underway.

Typical Signs of Ransomware Encryption

Sometimes, you don’t know you’ve been hit until it’s too late, but there are warning signs you can watch out for. Here’s what often happens during a ransomware attack.

You get messages saying files are corrupted or the extension is invalid.
All your important files have new endings like .locked, .encrypted, or something you don’t recognize.
In nearly every folder, you’ll find new files with instructions. These files bear names like “HOW TO DECRYPT FILES.TXT” or “DECRYPT_INSTRUCTIONS.HTML.”
Your wallpaper might be replaced with a threatening message about payment and deadlines.
Many ransomware programs include a timer, warning that your ransom will double or that your files will be gone forever if you don’t pay fast.
Sometimes you can’t even use your computer at all. The attack may encrypt your Master Boot Record which makes your entire hard drive inaccessible.

Why Breaking Ransomware Encryption Is So Hard

If you’ve already encountered a ransomware attack, your first instinct might be to look for a way to “crack” or reverse the encryption yourself.

This is totally understandable. The reality, however, is that with today’s ransomware, breaking the encryption is almost never a realistic option.

Modern ransomware uses encryption algorithms like RSA-2048 and AES-256, which are designed to be unbreakable without the correct key.

Even with the fastest supercomputers in the world, trying to guess an RSA-2048 key through brute force would take longer than the age of the universe! In practical terms, it’s impossible.

You might hear stories about ransomware data recovery tools or “ransomware decryptors” online. While it’s true that a few older ransomware strains had programming errors or reused keys that allowed experts to build decryptors, today’s ransomware is different. Attackers have learned from their mistakes.

Each attack generates unique keys, so even if someone else’s files may have been unlocked by a decryptor for that same ransomware, it may not help you.
Many modern ransomware variants operate fully offline after infection. This cuts off chances to intercept keys over the internet.

Worse, even paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee you’ll get your files back. You might receive a “decryptor” that doesn’t work, or the criminals might simply disappear. You have a much better chance of ensuring business continuity with minimal downtime if you contact a professional ransomware recovery specialist like Stellar.

For this reason, security authorities, including India’s CERT-In, strongly advise against paying ransoms, both for your safety and to avoid funding further attacks.

The Bottom Line

You can’t always stop the attack from happening, but you can make sure you’re not at the mercy of cybercriminals if it does. Stay sharp, stay updated, and protect your data. If you have questions, reach out to cybersecurity professionals, and if the data at stake is critical, seek ransomware recovery services; you don’t have to handle it alone.

At Stellar Data Recovery, we have seen an increasing trend of SMEs and larger organizations getting attacked and infected by ransomware—from a dozen every year a decade ago to dozens every month today. The only constant is our recovery success rates, which remain unmatched across the country. Do check out a few of our recent case studies involving ransomware-affected storage systems of leading organizations in the healthcare, education, and manufacturing sectors.