MOOL Ransomware

Is your Windows operating system protected against MOOL Ransomware? If it is not, we suggest that you fix that as soon as possible. First and foremost, install trustworthy anti-malware software to keep your system guarded. Second, create backups of all personal files and store them in a secure location outside the computer. Finally, learn about how malware spreads to ensure that your own actions do not lead to the infiltration of malware. If it is too late to protect your operating system and personal files against this dangerous infection at this point, you might choose to focus on the files that were corrupted by this malware first, and that is perfectly understandable. In this report, we explain how files are encrypted, what methods can be applied to restore them, and of course, how to remove MOOL Ransomware. Note that even if you end up recovering all files, this infection must be deleted as quickly as possible.

STOP Ransomware is the infection that is closely linked to MOOL Ransomware. The code of this infection was used to build BBOO Ransomware, Reha Ransomware, Nbes Ransomware, Hets Ransomware, and literally hundreds of other threats alike. While it is awful that so many different variants of the same threat are spreading around, the sheer number of these variants has caught the attention of malware researchers, who were able to build a free STOP Decryptor. This tool cannot decrypt all variants, but if MOOL Ransomware has encrypted your files, and if you cannot replace them, giving the free tool a go is definitely an option to consider. When talking about replacing files, it all comes down to whether or not you have copies of files stored in a secure location. In this case, you might be able to use a system restore point to get back your files, but note that there are plenty of infections invalidating this option. However, if you store copies online or on external hard drives, the malware that corrupts or deletes the original files will not be able to affect copies as well.

After full encryption by MOOL Ransomware, you should notice that all personal files have the “.mool” extension attached to them. Next to these files, you are likely to find another file called “_readme.txt.” Opening it is safe, but since it is a ransomware component, we recommend deleting it in the end. The message represented via this file informs that if the victim sends a message to helpmanager@mail.ch or helpdatarestore@firemail.cc, they can have the chance of getting their files restored. If you do as told, you will be introduced to instructions that show how to pay a ransom in return for an alleged decryptor. We do NOT recommend contacting the attackers behind MOOL Ransomware because that is extremely risky, and we definitely do not recommend paying the ransom because there are absolutely no guarantees that you would get anything in return for the payment. In comparison to other ransomware threats, $490 is not a huge ransom, and some victims might be willing to pay it to get their files back. All in all, even if you have all the money in the world, that is unlikely to help you get your files back.

A launcher, a ransom note file, an additional executable, an associated registry value, and a task are the components that make up MOOL Ransomware. All of these components must be removed from your operating system, and if you are up for a challenge, you can try deleting MOOL Ransomware yourself with the help of the guide below. Unfortunately, we cannot know where the launcher’s executable is on your computer, and so that is the component that you will have to find yourself. If you cannot do that, you can always implement anti-malware software that was built to delete malicious components automatically. In fact, because the main task for this software is to secure your operating system against malware overall, we recommend installing it now, even if you can remove the ransomware yourself. If you are planning on replacing the encrypted files with backup copies, do so after the removal. If you are betting on a free decryptor, make sure you install the right one, and not some fake tool created by cybercriminals.

MOOL Ransomware Removal

1. Locate the launcher .exe file, right-click it, and choose Delete.
2. Right-click and Delete the ransom note file called _readme.txt.
3. Launch Run (tap Win+R keys) and enter regedit into the dialog box.
4. In Registry Editor, move to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
5. Find the value named SysHelper and check the name of the file linked to it in the value data box. Right-click and Delete the value.
6. Launch File Explorer (tap Win+E keys).
7. Enter %LOCALAPPDATA% into the field at the top (Windows XP users have to enter %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\).
8. Locate the {unknown name} folder that contains a malicious {unknown name}.exe file (this is the file that is associated with the value in step 5). Right-click and Delete it.
9. Enter %WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\ into the field at the top.
10. Right-click and Delete the task called Time Trigger Task.
11. Exit File Explorer, exit Registry Editor, and then Empty Recycle Bin.
12. Implement a trusted malware scanner to check your system for potential ransomware leftovers.