In this article, we'll discuss Stampado Ransomware, a type of malware that can encrypt your files and demand a ransom for their decryption.Stampado typically arrives on your computer via an email attachment or malicious website. Once the ransomware has encrypted your files, it will display a ransom note demanding payment in order to decrypt your files. Stampado usually demands payment in Bitcoin, although other forms of payment may be accepted as well.

History

It was first discovered in 2016 by malware researcher Michael Gillespie. Stampado is a member of the Ransomlock family of ransomware, which also includes Cryptolocker, Locky, and Teslacrypt.

How does it work?

When Stampado infects your computer, it will scan your hard drive for files to encrypt. The ransomware typically uses the AES-256 encryption algorithm. Once it has encrypted your files, Stampado will append the ".locked" extension to the encrypted files.For example, a file named "1.jpg" would be renamed to "1.jpg.locked".In addition to encrypting your files, Stampado will also drop a ransom note named "DECRYPT_INSTRUCTIONS.txt" in each folder that contains encrypted files. This ransom note contains information on how to decrypt your files and contact the Stampado developers for payment instructions.

How can I protect myself?

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from Stampado and other types of ransomware:- Keep your operating system and software up to date: Install security updates for your operating system and software as soon as they are available.- Use a reputable antivirus: Install and use a reputable antivirus program. Stampado has been known to be detected by antivirus programs such as McAfee, Symantec, and Trend Micro.- Avoid opening email attachments from unknown senders: Don't open email attachments from people you don't know. Stampado has been known to be spread via email attachments.- Avoid clicking on links in emails from unknown senders: Don't click on links in emails from people you don't know. This ransomware has also been known to be spread via email links.

What should I do if I'm infected with this ransomware?

First, you should disconnect your computer from the Internet. This will prevent Stampado from encrypting any more of your files.Next, you should run a reputable antivirus program to remove this virus from your computer.

Public decryption toolEmsisoft has created a free decryption tool for Stampado. You can downloadStampado decryptor from their website. 

Also, you should change all your passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all your accounts. This ransomware may have stolen your passwords, so it's important to change them to prevent attackers from accessing your accounts.

How much does Stampado cost?

The price of Stampado varies depending on the version you have. The current price for Stampado is 0.5 Bitcoin.However, there is a chance that you may be able to recover your files without paying the ransom.If you have a backup of your files, you can restore them from the backup. If you don't have a backup, you can use data recovery software to recover some of your encrypted files.SalvageData data recovery software is the best choice for Stampado data recovery.You can download our software and try it for free. We offer a no-risk, money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose by trying our software.By paying the ransom, you are supporting the Stampado developers and encouraging them to continue their malicious activities. Also, there is no guarantee that you will receive the decryption key even if you pay the ransom.For these reasons, we recommend against paying the Stampado ransom.

Contact a data recovery service

If all the methods above fail, you can try contacting a data recovery service. Stampado is a difficult virus to remove, so we don't recommend trying to remove it yourself.SalvageData is a reputable data recovery service. We have been in business for over 10 years and have high success rates for Stampado removal and data recovery.Contact us via our website or give us a call at +1 (800) 972-3282 to get started.We are available 24/7/365 to help you.We hope this article has helped you to understand Stampado Ransomware and how it works. Remember to take precautions to protect yourself, and if you do become infected, there are steps you can take to remove the virus and decrypt your files. Thanks for reading!