ScriptBlocker

A common way for ransomware to infect unsuspecting computers is through scripts placed in email attachments, such as VBS, JS, HTA and PS1, which deploy on download and launch. The surest way to stop this and other scenarios from happening is by deactivating some built-in OS features that typically make Windows susceptible to ransomware attacks.

ScriptBlocker is a straightforward tool that can disable the Windows Script Host, HTML application, PowerShell and CommandPrompt. This way, ransomware agents will not be successful in infecting your PC using these environments.

The program is lightweight and doesn't require installation. It can be stored on a USB flash drive in order to fire it up on any computer and swiftly deactivate these Windows features. On the other hand, it cannot work unless you have administrative rights.

The main app window shows all options put at your disposal. All you have to do is check the boxes of the Windows features you want to disable. It's not necessary to click buttons for confirm changes since these are immediately reflected throughout the PC. For instance, you can check the "Disable Command Prompt" box and then run cmd.exe to see if it really worked.

This should open a console window that says command prompt was disabled by your administrator. To revert settings and return everything to normal, you just have to clear the ticked boxes. Once again, modifications are automatically applied to the PC, so there's no need to restart it or perform additional actions.

Everything worked as expected on Windows 10 in our tests. The software utility disabled system tools instantly and had minimum impact on the computer's performance.

Unless this isn't clear by now, ScriptBlocker cannot help you if ransomware has already infected your PC. It's generally advisable to equip yourself with a powerful antiransomware tool that can both protect your system from incoming attacks as well as find and eliminate existing threats.