Encryption problems

[ratanner]

I am having an issue with a laptop that somehow has encrypted all word documents prior to around Dec. 2011. To the best of my knowledge nothing has been done on the user end to cause this issue to arise. When I click on properties, the box that says Encrypt this file is checked so I uncheck it and hit apply but it brings up a message saying that the action can not be done. Also all of the file names are in green instead of black. I can take a newer word document and open it but everything from prior to the Dec date will not open. Any help will be greatly welcome. Thank you in advance.

 

[DelJo63]

I remember a virus (name long forgotten) that created that symptom - -
they call that kind of attack RANSOM WARE.

Repost to the Virus / Removal forum - -

but understand, the probability of unlocking those files is 0.00000.1%