Mole66 ransomware - How to remove

Mole66 ransomware virus was detected at the end of March, 2018. Researchers became aware of the new cyber threat after victims reported that their files were encrypted and featured .MOLE66 extension. This is a new version, belonging to CryptoMix family of ransomware infections. This variant has slight changes in its ransom note and the contact email, butr remains to be very similar to other ransomware infections (Ransomware Is Only Going to Get Worse: Four Trends to Watch).

Mole66 crypto-malware will append .MOLE66 extension to encrypted data

Victims should notice a _HELP_INSTRUCTIONS_.txt file on their desktops, containing instructions. The note is brief, and encourages people to contact hackers thru [email protected]. Victims are discouraged from trying to decrypt their files with third-party programs.

Victims of Mole66 crypto-virus are going to have unique ID numbers which need to be sent to crooks. However, we strongly insist that you would not contact hackers. After analyzing the payload of this ransomware called alpha.exe, we realized that infection removes Shadow Volume Copies. In addition to that, the virus stops the activity of anti-malware tools and prevents users from getting help.

As it appears, the Mole66 crypto-malware does not plan to infect Russian-speaking users. If the payload ends up in a computer which has Russian language set as the preference, the ransomware will self-destruct before doing any damage.

CryptoMix ransomware has always been active. New variants would emerge every month. The family of these crypto-viruses includes Server, TastyLock, Work and 0000 infections. All of them were actively distributed and infected numbers of people.

Is it possible to recover files that the Mole66 virus encrypted?

Sadly, security researchers have not found way to recover files that feature .MOLE66 extension. The only way for you to restore digital data is to retrieve it from backup storages. However, this might not always be an option as people do not always store their digital data in online storages. Therefore, they face a great dilemma of paying the ransom, or leaving their files unavailable for usage.

Even though it might seem like the only solution is to pay the ransom, we hope that you won’t contact the hackers thru the email address. Even though you will pay the fee for decryption, crooks might not keep their word. Therefore, you will have wasted money, and your files will still remain encrypted. It is best to remove the ransomware and make copies of the encrypted files in case a free decryptor gets released. Until then, we hope you will be patient.

What should I do to protect my computer and my files from ransomware viruses?

First of all, protect your operating system with a powerful anti-malware. In addition to that, you should back up your data in online storages. In some cases, users find it more convenient to store their data in USB flash drives. This is also an option for you to consider. In any case, you should definitely find a way to keep your data protected from hackers.

How does Mole66 crypto-virus reach operating systems?

Ransomware creators use a lot of different techniques for malware distribution. For instance, you could be exposed to email letters, containing malicious attachments. If you receive a message from an unknown source, please do not download any files from those letters. In addition, some crypto-viruses are spread through deceptive pop-ups, urging you to download a specific files or software. This is also a dangerous action to do: you might accidentally download a ransomware virus, Trojan, adware or browser hijackers.

In order to keep your device malware-free, we strongly encourage you to download Spyhunter and run a scan. This will help you find out whether more malicious applications have managed to invade your operating system. Removing malware with an anti-malware tool is easy and quick, therefore, this option is highly recommended. For the manual removal of Mole66 ransomware, we urge you to take a look at the guidelines for a system restore.

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