Mallox Ransomware

Mallox

Mallox is a form of Windows malware that is specifically designed as a tool for money extortion. Mallox attacks the user files stored on the computer and locks them, after which it gives its victim the option to pay a ransom for the files’ liberation.

Mallox

The Mallox virus file ransom note

Malware programs such as this one and Rugj are created to make you pay money to the hackers in order to get your files recovered. However, going for the payment that the hackers behind this Ransomware demand for the decryption key for your data is exactly what you should avoid. Instead of making the payment, it is advisable to remove the malware and try all available data-recovery alternatives to bring back as much of your files as possible.

 The Mallox virus

The Mallox virus is a computer threat capable of silently locking most of the data in your computer’s hard-drives. After the Mallox virus is done locking your data, no program on your computer would be able to open any of the affected files.

The best-case scenarios are if you don’t really have any highly-valuable data in your computer or if you have backups of the important files that the Ransomware has managed to lock. In both of those cases, simply removing the virus should be enough to bring things back to normal. In the first situation, you won’t really miss the files that the virus has rendered inaccessible and in the second you could simply use your backup to copy back your important data on your computer.

The real problem, however, comes if the virus has encrypted some valuable data in the infected machine and you don’t really have a backup from which you can restore it. Nevertheless, even in such cases paying the ransom is still not advisable. Instead, there are some other things you could try. The first thing you must do, however, is remove the Ransomware from your computer. If you want, save the details from the ransom note in case you still decide to make the payment in the end if none of the other recovery options has helped you.

The Mallox file decryption

The Mallox file decryption is the opposite of the encryption process used to seal your data. Only the correct decryption key could start the Mallox file decryption but that key is held by the hackers and they want you to send them money for it.

mallox file

The Mallox file virus ransomware

The recovery options we can offer you on our site may not always work but at least they are free and won’t require you to contact the hackers. On the other hand, if you try to pay the ransom, many things could go wrong, but you will always end up parting with a significant amount of money. For instance, it may turn out that the hackers have simply been lying to you about sending you a decryption key for your files. It is also possible that they may give you a key that can’t properly unlock your files. It’s also possible that the information in the ransom note is outdated and you may end up sending your money to an online purse that is no longer being used. Therefore, it’s best to first try our suggestions and only go for the payment if none of them have helped you and you are still adamant about restoring your data.

SUMMARY:

Name Mallox
Type Ransomware
Danger Level High (Ransomware is by far the worst threat you can encounter)
Symptoms Most symptoms related to Ransomware don’t get noticed on time. Those could be a slow-down in the system, high CPU and RAM use, as well as a decrease in the free hard-disk space.
Distribution Method Fake update requests, clickbait offers, pirated downloads, illegal sites, etc.
Data Recovery Tool Not Available
Detection Tool

Mallox Ransomware Removal


Step1

Some of the steps will likely require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.

Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).

Step2

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC at the same time and go to the Processes Tab. Try to determine which processes are dangerous. 

malware-start-taskbar

Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy
This scanner is free and will always remain free for our website's users.
This file is not matched with any known malware in the database. You can either do a full real-time scan of the file or skip it to upload a new file. Doing a full scan with 64 antivirus programs can take up to 3-4 minutes per file.
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    After you open their folder, end the processes that are infected, then delete their folders. 

    Note: If you are sure something is part of the infection – delete it, even if the scanner doesn’t flag it. No anti-virus program can detect all infections.

    Step3

    Hold the Start Key and R –  copy + paste the following and click OK:

    notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts

    A new file will open. If you are hacked, there will be a bunch of other IPs connected to you at the bottom. Look at the image below:

    hosts_opt (1)

    If there are suspicious IPs below “Localhost” – write to us in the comments.

    Type msconfig in the search field and hit enter. A window will pop-up:

    msconfig_opt

    Go in Startup —> Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer.

    • Please note that ransomware may even include a fake Manufacturer name to its process. Make sure you check out every process here is legitimate.

    Step4

    Type Regedit in the windows search field and press EnterOnce inside, press CTRL and F together and type the virus’s Name. 

    Search for the ransomware  in your registries and delete the entries. Be extremely careful –  you can damage your system if you delete entries not related to the ransomware.

    Type each of the following in the Windows Search Field:

    1. %AppData%
    2. %LocalAppData%
    3. %ProgramData%
    4. %WinDir%
    5. %Temp%

    Delete everything in Temp. The rest just check out for anything recently added. Remember to leave us a comment if you run into any trouble!

    Step5 

    How to Decrypt Mallox files

    We have a comprehensive (and daily updated) guide on how to decrypt your files. Check it out here.

    If the guide doesn’t help, download the anti-virus program we recommended or try our free online virus scanner. Also, you can always ask us in the comments for help!


    About the author

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    Brandon Skies

    Brandon is a researcher and content creator in the fields of cyber-security and virtual privacy. Years of experience enable him to provide readers with important information and adequate solutions for the latest software and malware problems.

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