Remove Australian Federal Police ransomware

Australian Federal Police ransomware is a screen-locker type of ransomware. This particular version targets users in Australia but screen-locker infections show localized screens based on users’ locations. The ransomware locks the screen and displays an image saying users’ computers have been blocked because they’ve violated several laws. To avoid being charged with things like watching/distributing illegal pornography (child abuse, zoophilia), and copyright violations, users are asked to pay a fine. This whole thing is nothing more than a scam. If users remove the infection showing the fake screen from their computers, the screen will disappear and their computers with return to normal.

 

 

If your computer shows the above image and you can’t close it or do anything with your computer, you are dealing with ransomware. Fortunately, this type of ransomware does not encrypt your files; it only displays a screen that cannot be closed until the infection is removed. This is a typical scam aimed at tricking users into thinking their computers have been locked by law enforcement agencies, specifically the Australian Federal Police in this instance. While this version targets users in Australia, many other versions exist that target users in different countries. These scams have been around for a very long time, but have become rarer nowadays.

The screen displayed by this ransomware shows several law enforcement logos. The text explains that users have violated several laws, including watching illegal pornographic content, such as child abuse and zoophilia videos, and downloading copyrighted content. There’s supposedly a case being built against the user, and unless users agree to pay a fine, they will be arrested and charged. Users are given 72 hours to pay the fine if they want to avoid the supposed arrest.

The message displayed by the screen locker can be quite frightening for those unfamiliar with such scams. It threatens severe penalties, including years of imprisonment, which may pressure users into paying the demanded amount, even if they haven’t committed any offenses. However, if users take a moment to calmly evaluate the situation, they’ll quickly realize that the screen locker is not something issued by a legitimate law enforcement agency. For starters, law enforcement does not lock users out of their computers. And if someone were genuinely suspected of a crime, they would be questioned by the police. Moreover, individuals suspected of serious offenses, such as viewing or distributing child exploitation materials, would be apprehended by law enforcement rather than simply being asked to pay a fine. The entire message presented by this screen locker is complete nonsense, and paying it would simply be throwing money away.

The full Australian Federal Police virus screen locker text is below:

ATTENTION! Your PC is blocked due to at least one of the reasons specified below. You have been violating “Copyright and Related Rights Law o (Video, Music, Software) and illegally using or distributing copyrighted content, thus infringing Article 128 of the Criminal Code of Australia.
Article 128 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of 200 to 500 minimal wages or a deprivation of liberty for 2 to 8 years.
You have been viewing or distributing prohibited Pornographic content (Child Porn/Zoophilia and etc). Thus violating Article 202 of the Criminal Code of Australia. Article 202 of the Criminal Code provides for a deprivation of liberty for 4 to 12 years. Illegal access to computer data has been initiated from your PC, or you have been… Article 208 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of up to AUD $100,000 and/or a deprivation of liberty for 4 to 9 years.
Illegal access has been initiated from your PC without your knowledge or consent, your PC may be infected by malware, thus you are violating the law On Neglectful Use of Personal Computer.
Article 210 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of AUD $2,000 to AUD $8,000.
Spam distribution or other unlawful advertising has been effected from your PC as a profit. seeking activity or without your knowledge, your PC may be infected by malware.
Article 212 of the Criminal Code provides for a fine of up to AUD 0250,000 and a deprivation of liberty of up to 6 years. In case this activity has been effected without your knowledge, you fall under the above mentioned article 210 of the Criminal Code of Australia.
Your personality and address are currently being identified, a criminal case is going to be initiated against you under one or more articles specified above within the next 72 hours.
Pursuant to the amendment to the Criminal Code of Australia of February 04, 2013, this law infringement (if it is not repeated. first time) may be considered as conditional in case you pay the fine to the State.
Fines may only be paid within 72 hours after the infringement. As soon as 72 hours elapse, the possibility to pay the fine expires, and a criminal case is initiated against you automatically within the next 72 hours!
The amount of fine is AUD $100. You can pay a fine Ukash. When you pay the fine, your PC will get unlocked in 1 to 72 hours after the money is put into the State’s account.
Since your PC is unlocked, you will be given 7 days to correct all violations.
In case all violations are not corrected after 7 working days, your PC will be blocked again, and a criminal case will be initiated against you automatically under one or more articles specified above.

How did the Australian Federal Police virus infect your computer

The Australian Federal Police virus can infect computers through common methods such as email attachments, system vulnerabilities, and torrents. Users who have good online habits are significantly less susceptible to infections compared to those who open unfamiliar attachments or click on random links, as well as pirate copyrighted material. Developing good browsing habits is essential to minimize the risk of malware in the future.

Serious threats like ransomware are often spread through email attachments. Therefore, all unsolicited email attachments should be scanned with an anti-virus program or services like VirusTotal before opening them. Malware-carrying emails are often disguised as order confirmations or parcel delivery notifications, compelling users to open them regardless of whether they’ve made recent purchases.

Additionally, using torrents to download copyrighted content could also lead to an infection. Torrent sites typically have poor moderation, which allows malicious actors to upload files containing malware. It’s quite common to encounter malware in torrents for popular entertainment content, including movies, TV shows, and video games. Thus, not only is pirating copyrighted content theft, but it’s also dangerous for the computer.

Finally, we should stress that failing to regularly install software and system updates can leave your device susceptible to various infections that exploit vulnerabilities. To protect your device, it’s strongly recommended to apply updates as soon as they become available, as they address known security flaws.

How to remove Australian Federal Police virus

To remove Australian Federal Police screen, you need to use an anti-virus program. Screen-locking ransomware threats are serious malware infections, and a professional anti-malware program needs to be used to avoid further damage to the device. However, to bypass the screen locker and be able to use your anti-virus program, you need to boot your computer in Safe Mode. Once you remove Australian Federal Police ransomware, the screen locker will no longer appear.