Abu Dhabi Police GHQ Virus Removal Guide

If your computer is locked, and you are seeing a “ATTENTION! Your PC is blocked!” notification from Abu Dhabi Police GHQ , then your computer is infected with a piece of malware known as Trojan Reveton.

This threat is distributed through several means. Malicious websites, or legitimate websites that have been compromised, may drop this trojan onto a compromised computer. This drive-by-download often happens surreptitiously. Another method used to propagate this type of malware is spam email containing infected attachments or links to malicious websites. The threat may also be downloaded manually by tricking the user into thinking they are installing a useful piece of software.

The Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus is also prevalent on peer-to-peer file sharing websites and is often packaged with pirated or illegally acquired software.
Once installed on your computer, the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus will display a bogus notification that pretends to be from the Abu Dhabi Police, and states that your computer has been blocked due to it being involved with the distribution of pornographic material, SPAM and copyrighted content.
The Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus will lock you out of your computer and applications, so whenever you’ll try to log on into your Windows operating system or Safe Mode with Networking, it will display instead a lock screen asking you to pay a non-existing fine of 100$ or 100 Euro in the form of a CashU code.
Furthermore, to make this alert seem more authentic, this virus also has the ability to access your installed webcam, so that the bogus Abu Dhabi Police GHQ notification shows what is happening in the room.

The Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus locks the computer and, depending on the user’s current location, displays a localized webpage that covers the entire desktop of the infected computer and demands payment for the supposed possession of illicit material.


Cyber criminals often updated the design of this lock screen, however you should always keep in mind that the Abu Dhabi Police will never lock down your computer or monitor your online activities.
The message displayed by the threat can be localized depending on the user’s location, with text written in the appropriate language.
The Abu Dhabi Police GHQ lock screen is a scam, and you should ignore any alerts that this malicious software might generate.
Under no circumstance should you send any  Ukash or Paysafecard code to these cyber criminals, and if you have, you can  should request a refund, stating that you are the victim of a computer virus and scam.

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ lock screen – Virus Removal Guide

STEP 1: Remove Abu Dhabi Police GHQ lock screen from your computer

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ Paysafecard Ransom has modified your Windows registry and added its malicious files to run at start-up, so whenever you’re trying to boot your computer it will launch instead its bogus notification.To remove these malicious changes, we can use any of the below methods :

Method 1: Start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking and scan for malware

Some variants of Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus will allow the users to start the infected computer in Safe Mode with Networking without displaying the bogus lock screen. In this first method, we will try to start the computer in Safe Mode with Networking and then scan for malware to remove the malicious files.

1. Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer.
2. Press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts.Please keep in mind that you need to press the F8 key before the Windows start-up logo appears.
   Note: With some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the “F8 key”, tap the “F8 key” continuously until you get the Advanced Boot Options screen.
3. On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking , and then press ENTER.
   
4. If your computer has started in Safe Mode with Networking, you’ll need to perform a system scan (as seen on STEP 2) with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and HitmanPro to remove the malicious files from your machine.

IF the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus didn’t allow you to start the computer in Safe Mode with Networking,you’ll need to follow Method 2 to get rid of its lock screen.

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Method 2: Restore Windows to a previous state using System Restore

System Restore can return your computer system files and programs to a time when everything was working fine, so we will try to use this Windows feature to get rid of Abu Dhabi Police GHQ  lock screen.

1. Restart your computer, and then press and hold F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in safe mode with a Command prompt.
   Note: With some computers, if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the “F8 key”, tap the “F8 key” continuously until you get the Advanced Boot Options screen.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the Safe mode with a Command prompt option.
   
3. At the command prompt, type cd restore, and then press ENTER.
   Next,we will type rstrui.exe , and then press ENTER.Alternatively, if you are using Windows Vista, 7 and 8, you can just type : C:\windows\system32\rstrui.exe , and press ENTER.
   If you are using Windows XP, you will need to type C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER.
   
4. The System Restore utility will start, and you’ll need to select a restore point previous to this infection.
   
5. After System Restore has completed its task, you should be able to boot in Windows normal mode, and perform a system scan (as seen on STEP 2) with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and HitmanPro to remove the malicious files from your machine.

IF the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ  virus didn’t allow you to restore your computer to a previous point, you’ll need to follow Method 3 to get rid of its screen lock.

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Method 3: Remove Abu Dhabi Police GHQ  lock screen with msconfig utility

When your computer was infected with the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus, this trojan has set a its malicious files to start whenever your computer is booting. IF you didn’t have a restore point, we can use msconfig to remove it’s malicious start-up entry.

1. While your computer is in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, type msconfig to start the Windows System Configuration utility.
   
2. Click on the Startup tab, then search for any suspicious or unknonw entries (random numbers or letters, ctfmon.exe, and other suspicious or unknown entries), and unckech them from startup, then click on OK.
   This will stop the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus from starting with Windows, however it won’t remove the malicous files from your computer.
   
3. Type shutdown /r in the command prompt to restart your computer, then  perform a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and HitmanPro as seen on STEP 2.

IF the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus didn’t allow you to start the computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt you’ll need to follow Method 4 to get rid of its screen lock.

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Method 4: Remove Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus with HitmanPro Kickstart

IF you couldn’t boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt or didn’t have a System Restore point on your machine, we can use HitmanPro Kickstart to bypass this infection, and access your computer to scan it for malware.

1. We will need to create a HitmanPro Kickstart USB flash drive,so while you are using a “clean” (non-infected) computer, download HitmanPro from the below link.
   HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download HitmanPro)
2. Insert your USB flash drive into your computer and follow the instructions from the below video:
   
3. After you have create the HitmanPro Kickstart USB flash drive, you can insert this USB drive into the infected machine and start your computer.
4. Once the computer starts, repeatedly tap the F11 key (on some machines its F10 or F2),which should bring up the Boot Menu, from there you can select to boot from your USB.
   Next,you’ll need to perform a system scan with HitmanPro as see in the below video:
   
5. After HitmanPro Kickstart has completed its task,you should be able to boot in Windows normal mode,from there you’ll need to perform a system scan (as seen on STEP 2) with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and HitmanPro to remove the malicious files from your machine.

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STEP 2: Remove Abu Dhabi Police GHQ malicious files from your computer

Run a computer scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free

1. You can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free from the below link,then double click on it to install this program.
   MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK(This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free)
2. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the setup process.
   DO NOT make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure you leave both the Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware checked,then click on the Finish button.
   
3. On the Scanner tab,select Perform quick scan and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer.
   
4. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for Abu Dhabi Police GHQ virus as shown below.
   
5. When the Malwarebytes scan will be completed,click on Show Result.
   
6. You will now be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware has detected.Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked) and click on the Remove Selected button.
   
7. After your computer will restart in Normal mode, open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform a Full System scan to verify that there are no remaining threats

Run a computer scan with HitmanPro

1. Download HitmanPro from the below link,then double click on it to start this program.
   HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro)
   IF you are experiencing problems while trying to start HitmanPro, you can use the Force Breach mode.To start HitmanPro in Force Breach mode, hold down the left CTRL-key when you start HitmanPro and all non-essential processes are terminated, including the malware process. (How to start HitmanPro in Force Breach mode – Video)
2. HitmanPro will start and you’ll need to follow the prompts (by clicking on the Next button) to start a system scan with this program.
   
   
3. HitmanPro will start scanning your computer for Abu Dhabi Police GHQ  malicious files as seen in the image below.
   
4. Once the scan is complete,you’ll see a screen which will display all the infected files that this utility has detected, and you’ll need to click on Next to remove these malicious files.
   
5. Click Activate free license to start the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
   

How to Reset your Mac to Factory Settings

For extra security, it’s crucial to back up all your files before restoring your MacBook to factory settings. 

How to restore your Mac to factory settings

*note: the following sequence is applicable to both MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

Plug in your power adapter. Then follow our guide once your system is copied, and you’ve logged out of your accounts and services.

1. Restart in Recovery Mode

Before you wipe your Mac and erase any hard drive data,  the first thing you need to do is start up from the Recovery Mode. To do this, click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen and choose Restart. When your Mac shuts off and powers back on, press and hold the Command+R keys until you see the Apple logo. Then release the keys and proceed to the next step.

2. Erase Data from Mac Hard Drive

While in Recovery Mode, you won’t see your usual login screen. Instead, you’ll see the macOS Utilities window. Here are your next steps to wipe a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air:

a. In the macOS Utilities window, choose Disk Utility and click Continue.

b. Choose your startup disk and click Erase.

c. Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format.

d. Click Erase.

e. Wait until the process is finished. When it’s done, go to the Disk Utility menu at the top, then quit Disk Utility.

3. Reinstall macOS (optional)

Now, with your hard drive completely erased and free of any data, you can perform a clean install of macOS. You can do so while your Mac is still in Recovery Mode. From the same macOS Utilities window, choose Reinstall macOS. Consider installing the latest macOS Catalina.


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How to Make a Bootable High Sierra Installer

It’s much faster to use a bootable USB flash drive to install the operating system on several Macs. Creating a bootable drive with High Sierra installer is easy: basically, all you need is 16 GB of available storage space.

Launch the App Store, type High Sierra in the upper right search bar, and download the High Sierra installer. The file named Install macOS High Sierra will appear in the Applications folder once the download is completed. If you’ve already upgraded to High Sierra, the installer is automatically removed from that location. In this case, navigate to Purchased in the App Store and find the installer in the list.

What’s next? Get an external drive you want to save the installer on. While SSD would be a great option, a 16GB USB drive is enough when money is tight. The system will automatically reformat the drive to make it compatible with Mac. Change the name of your drive to HighSierra.

Note: Advanced steps mentioned below are intended for system administrators and experienced macOS users who know how to use the Terminal command line. Find more details on how to make a bootable copy of  macOS  here.

Create a Bootable High Sierra Installer in the Terminal

Once you have the external drive and the High Sierra installer, use the Terminal app to create a boot disk. Navigate to the Applications folder and open the Terminal from the list of utilities. You can also type Terminal in the Spotlight search and select the top search result.  

1. Connect the HighSierra USB drive to your Mac.
2. Launch the Terminal (navigate to Applications>Utilities and open the Terminal app).
3. Paste the following command into the Terminal window

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/HighSierra

4. You’ll be prompted to type your login password. Note, the characters you type aren’t displayed in the Terminal window. Enter the password and press Return.
5. You should receive a warning that your drive will be erased. Press Y to confirm.
6. The Terminal will erase your drive. Next, your Mac is most likely to ask you if you want to use the HighSierra USB drive for Time Machine backups. Select Don’t use and the Terminal app will copy the installer to the HighSierra drive.
7. After you see the process is done, quit the Terminal. Now your drive is ready to use.

4 Steps to Boot from the Installer Drive

It’s really easy to boot from the installer drive. Follow these quick step-by-step guide:

1. Plug the HighSierra drive into your Mac.
2. Turn on your Mac and hold down the Option key while your Mac boots.
3. Once you see a Startup Manager window, select the HighSierra drive from the list and press Return.
4. Select Install macOS in the macOS Utilities window.

Safari: Enable/Disable Pop-up Blocker

Safari 12 for MacOS

Block or Allow All Websites by Default

1. Select “Safari” > “Preferences“, then select on “Websites” at the top of the window.
2. Select “Pop-up Windows” on the left side.
3. Use the “When visiting other websites” drop-down menu to one of the following:
   • Block and Notify
   • Block
   • Allow
     

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Block or Allow Single Website

1. Visit the website you would like to block or allow.
2. Select “Safari” > “Preferences“.
3. Select on “Websites” at the top of the window.
4. Select “Pop-up Windows” on the left side.
5. The website should be listed where you can select a setting in the drop-down menu.
   • Block and Notify
   • Block
   • Allow

When Safari is set to “Block and Notify”, you can allow pop-up windows right after they have been blocked by selecting the two boxes in the address bar.

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Safari 11 and 10 for MacOS

Option 1

1. Select “Safari” > “Preferences“.
2. Click on “Security” at the top of the window.
3. Check the box “Block pop-up windows” to enable this feature. Uncheck it to disable it.
   

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Option 2

1. 1. From “Utilities“, launch the “Terminal” app.
   2. To disable popup blocker, type:
      defaults write com.apple.Safari com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2JavaScriptCanOpenWindowsAutomatically -bool true
      To enable popup blocker, type:
      
      defaults write com.apple.Safari com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2JavaScriptCanOpenWindowsAutomatically -bool false
   3. Press “Enter“, and the command sets to popup blocker setting as desired.

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iPhone and iPad Version

1. 1. From the Home screen, select “Settings“.
   2. Choose “Safari”
      
   3.  Slide the “Block Pop-ups” to “On” (green) to block pop-ups, or slide it to “Off” (white) to never block pop-ups.
      

How to disable “Which device did you plug in?” prompt?

Every time I plug in my headphones it prompts me with this dialog Which device did you plug in?


Is there a way to disable this prompt? I never get such prompt on other laptops.

To Enable or Disable In Windows 10 on a DELL

1. Open the program WAVES MaxxAudio Pro
2. Choose the device, eg. Playback
3. click Advanced in the bottom center of the window
4. Toggle the "Show pop-up dialog when device is connected" checkbox

  

FreeTSA - Guide: How to sign PDF documents files with time stamp

In this guide you can learn on how to apply an external Time Stamp, from FreeTSA trusted time stamping, when you are applying an Digital Signature to your PDF document.
Using this time stamp server helps you prove to others that the document did exist at that date and hour, so it is very useful in certain circumstances.
For legally binding time stamp, you need to check applicable law, in order to know, what time stamping authorities, are acceptable as valid in your area.

Using several Time Stamping services (one at a time) makes your documents more resistant to possible future problems in current Time Stamping Services (hacking, bad behavior from the certification authorities, and others). You do have to save the documents in different folders or name the documents differently to know which of the Time Stamp Services you have applied.

The URL of the service is: https://freetsa.org/tsr

The supported hashes are: md4 / md5 / rmd160 / sha / sha1 / sha224 / sha256 / sha384 / sha512

FreeTSA recommends that users choose SHA512 (SHA-512) when software or hardware gives that option, because is considered the most secure of the hashes currently available.
Need a Private Certificate Key to sign your PDF documents? Read more here.
Software is being update very fast so don't be surprise if the software instructions bellow no longer apply to newer versions coming out in the future (please check the documentation of that program if that happens).
- XolidoSign 2.2.1.x instructions here - (Free)
- Libre Office 5 instructions here - (Free)
- JSignPdf 1.6.x instructions here - (Free)
- PDF Creator 2.x instructions here - (Free version available)
- PDF Signer 8.x instructions here - (Commercial - Fully functional 30 days trial available)
See two signed PDF documents with FreeTSA service.

Always test to see if everything works fine. If something is not working, use your favorite search engine to find the answer.

Recommended way to enter BIOS - ideapad

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a standard firmware interface for PCs, which is designed to replace BIOS (basic input/output system). When the PC starts, the firmware interface controls the power-on startup process of the PC, and then passes control to Windows or another operating system.
Some users may want to access the BIOS to make changes to the following options:

• Date and Time
• Power-on startup sequence
• Advanced power-on startup settings

Applicable Brands

ideapad

Operating Systems

• Windows 10
• Windows 8.1, 8

Solution

Try this Guided tutorial first to enter the BIOS.
The recommended method to use to access the BIOS is the function key.

To enter BIOS via function key

To enter BIOS via Novo button

To enter BIOS from Windows 10

To enter BIOS from Windows 8/8.1

To enter BIOS by pressing Shift button + restarting the machine (applicable for Windows 8/8.1/10)

Alternatively, view our video: How to enter BIOS Setup Utility in Windows 8, 10

How to Disable Chrome Sandbox

The Google Chrome Sandbox is a development and test environment for developers working on Google Chrome browser-based applications. The sandbox environment provides a testing and staging platform without allowing the code being tested to make changes to existing code and databases. Occasionally, the sandbox feature will cause the Google Chrome browser to throw an error stating that "The Application Has Failed to Initialize." If you see this error, create a shortcut to Google Chrome, with an additional switch that will disable the sandbox environment.

Step

Create a desktop shortcut for the Google Chrome application, if you do not already have one. To do this, click the Windows "Start" button and then click "All Programs." Locate the "Google Chrome" option and then drag the option link from its current location and drop onto the desktop. Click "OK." The new shortcut is created.

Step

Right-click on the shortcut, and click "Properties."

Step

Click the "Shortcut" tab.

Step

Type " --no-sandbox" (without quotes) after the path to the application in the "Target" input box. Make sure to include one space between the EXE portion of the path and the first hyphen in "--no-sandbox." Click "OK." This switch disables the sandbox when you launch Google Chrome using the new shortcut.

Step

Click the new shortcut to open Google Chrome with the sandbox disabled.