Computer got blocked by the Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Virus? Is this block page legit and proven by the New Zealand Police or Interpol? Have you really violated the laws and regulations according to what this screen says that you have? If you haven’t done any of these activities, how come the computer is still blocked by this scary New Zealand E-Crime Lab message? Do people have to pay the fine in order to unlock their PCs? Otherwise, what are the alternative options to unlock computer?

Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Virus – How to Remove?

Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Virus (also known as the New Zealand E-Crime Lab Ransomware) is a New Zealand version of ransomware that attacks computer users mostly from the areas of New Zealand and accuses them of violating laws to block their PCs. This scam virus, similar to the AFP Ukash virus which targets PC users from Australia mostly, is not a rare phenomenon to computer users from all around the world today. There are many different versions which can be written in different languages and shown in various appearances. Computer users from different locations can come across ransomware that attacks their own countries specifically. But no matter how differently they look, they all play the same trick to scam innocent PC users to pay so that cyber criminals, on the other end, can benefit. One most important thing PC users should realize is that paying the requested fine cannot help unlock the computers but will help cyber criminals benefit. And a virus removal is only needed to unlock PC.

Similar to all the other members from the same category, this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus is just trying to get you to pay the requested fine by locking up your computer screen and accusing you of violating laws. The fine will be due within a time limit to correct what you have done wrong and to unlock your computer as well as to get yourself out of potential illegal troubles in the future. This scam virus often seems very legit from appearance as it usually will state that it has proofs from authorities. Computer users who have been attacked by such virus will easily believe what it says and enter the required payments. It often turns out that things won’t change much after the payment is entered. Your computer will still be blocked by the same Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection scam screen and you won’t be able to access the system properly. But if your computer is unlocked according to what this virus promises, it doesn’t mean that the PC is safe to use again since the scam virus is still in the computer.

This Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus is distributed on the Internet and can get itself installed in your computer without consent. Once the infection is done, it will set itself as a part of the start up process of the system and launch the scary block screen every time you turn on the computer. You will read on the computer screen that your computer is locked because of some law-breaking activities. These activities are mostly about you watching or distributing banned pornography online. More specific articles will be listed on the blocking page to specify your violations. Then, in order to get your computer unlocked, a fine which is NZD $100 in this case, will be required to enter via Ukash or PaySafeCard in 24 hours. If time has expired and you haven’t been able to enter the payment as required, criminals cases will be started automatically against you later on which might put you into more illegal troubles. Scary isn’t it? This is basically how this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection scam virus goes about getting your money to help cyber criminals benefit. One shouldn’t believe anything this virus screen says and should unlock PC from Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus through a virus removal process.

To save your computer, Live Chat with YooSecurity Expert Now. You can follow the manual removal guide below to get your problem fixed. (For advanced computer users)

Screenshot of Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Scam Virus

New-Zealand-E-Crime-Lab virus scam

From the above screenshot we can see that this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Virus appears to be quite legit and real. It even has authorities’ proofs including the New Zealand Police, New Zealand E-Crime Lab, Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Interpol. Before it goes on elaborating the laws you have broken, this scam virus also lists the detail information of yours including the IP of the computer, location details, operating system of the PC and user name. Some ransomware from the same group can even turn on the webcams attached to the infected computers pretending to record your activities as well as capturing your images. All in all, it’s just trying to look more real so that it can scam more innocent PC users.

There are two major ways for this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection scam virus to distribute. It can hide beneath malicious or hacked web sites and links. Once PC users log on to these places, the infection will be started. Besides from that, ransomware or malware can often be distributed via the technique of bundling. It can bundle with freeware and unfriendly programs and get itself downloaded together with these programs. It can’t be prevented by firewall settings or neither antivirus protections. Once the scam is in, it will display a pop up message like the above screenshot to begin its scam.

Unlock PC From Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Scam

Since your computer is completely blocked by this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection message and there’s no way for you to access the computer, manual removal is suggested here in order to achieve a complete removal. Expertise will be required during the manual removal process to delete all the associating items. Please follow the steps below to get started right away:

For Windows OS PC Users:

Step 1: Please try to put the infected machine into Safe mode with Networking first to unlock the screen temporarily from this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus. To put the computer in Safe mode with Networking, please hit F8 key repeatedly while system is booting up BUT before it’s logging in till you get advanced boot options on a black screen; use arrow keys to highlight Safe mode with Networking option and hit enter key to proceed system loading files into that mode.
safe mode with networking for Windows XP Vista and Win 7

Step 2: Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete at the same time to open the Windows Task Manager; go to Processes tab on top; then End processes associated with Ransomware or processes that do not seem to belong to the system.
windows-task-manager

Step 3: Press Windows+R keys and then type regedit in Run box to open Registry Editor.
Run+Registry Editor

Step 4: Delete all the files related to Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus:

%AppData%\NPSWF32.dll
%AppData%\Protector-.exe
%AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\.exe(rnd)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System “DisableRegedit” = {rnd}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “”
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun

For Mac OS Users:

Lately, Mac users can also be targeted by similar ransomware. The virus screen will pop up blocking the browser. If so, please click on the magnifier icon on top right corner of Safari, type in Safari to re-open the browser without the blocking message. Then please contact online experts for further removal assistance.
scam-virus-on-mac1

Video Guide to Remove NZ E-Crime Lab Virus From Regedit

Conclusion

Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection Virus is also known as the New Zealand E-Crime Lab ransomware. It attacks PC users from New Zealand mostly but may also target computer users from other places as well since this ransomware can be spread on the Internet widely. When your computer is infected by this virus, you will get a block of this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection pop up message covered the entire computer screen. You won’t be able to access the computer anymore because of this block. By accusing you that you have violated laws online and threatening you that you will be involved in more illegal troubles if you don’t pay, this virus is trying its best to get as many PC users as possible to pay the requested NZD $100 fine via Ukash. This amount of fine will be sent to cyber criminals instead of helping you unlock your computer. Therefore, one shouldn’t be panic when getting this similar block on computer. A complete virus removal can help you unlock your PC from this unwanted Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection scam virus.

Special tips: Have failed on the removal because this Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection virus screen pops up again? Contact YooSecurity PC experts now to get help to unlock your computer safely and completely from this unwanted scam virus.

Published by Tony Shepherd & last updated on July 29, 2013 9:20 am

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