MALLOX Ransomware (.mallox Files) — How to remove virus?

Mallox virus is a ransomware that belongs to the eponymous ransomware family. Our analysts team detected and tested it recently after finding the sample on VirusTotal. This particular malware tries to encrypt all data found on the user’s PC, including a wide range of file types such as photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, and more. Each file is appended with .mallox extension, and RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt files are generated in every folder that contains encrypted files.

The Mallox virus poses a severe threat to computer systems as it operates as a highly destructive ransomware. When it infiltrates a user’s PC, it initiates an encryption process that renders files inaccessible. This encryption procedure affects a diverse array of file types, including photos, documents, excel tables, music, videos, and more.

To identify the encrypted files, the Mallox ransomware appends a .mallox extension to each one, serving as an indicator of encryption. Accessing these files without the corresponding decryption key becomes impossible. Furthermore, the malware generates a file named “RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt” in every folder containing encrypted files. Additionally, it adds one such text file to the user directory root and another to the desktop. Typically, these text files contain instructions or demands from the attackers, specifying the ransom amount required to regain access to the encrypted data.

If you suspect that your system has been infected by the Mallox virus or any other form of ransomware, it is imperative to employ reputable antivirus software to mitigate the damage and potentially recover your files. Regularly backing up your essential data to offline or cloud storage solutions can also significantly minimize the impact of ransomware attacks.

Mallox Virus

☝️ Mallox can be correctly identify as a ransomware infection.

Mallox adds its specific “.mallox” extension to the name of every file. For example, your photo named as “my_photo.jpeg” will be transformed into “my_photo.jpeg.mallox“, report in Excel tables named “report.xlsx” – to “report.xlsx.mallox“, and so on.

RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt file, which can be found in every folder that contains the encrypted files, is a ransom money note. Inside of it, you can find information about ways of contacting Mallox ransomware developers, and some other info. This decryption tool is created by ransomware developers, and can be obtained through the email, contacting [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].

Here is a summary for the Mallox:

The RECOVERY INFORMATION.txt file by the Mallox ransomware states the following frustrating information:

YOUR FILES ARE ENCRYPTED !!!

TO DECRYPT, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS:

To recover data you need decrypt tool.

To get the decrypt tool you should:

1.In the letter include your personal ID! Send me this ID in your first email to me!
2.We can give you free test for decrypt few files (NOT VALUE) and assign the price for decryption all files!
3.After we send you instruction how to pay for decrypt tool and after payment you will receive a decryption tool!
4.We can decrypt few files in quality the evidence that we have the decoder.


CONTACT US:
[email protected]
[email protected]

YOUR PERSONAL ID: 0F0046515E0E

The image below gives a clear vision of how the files with “.mallox” extension look like:

Example of encrypted .mallox files

How did I get Mallox ransomware on my computer?

That was a huge number of different ways of ransomware injection.

However, nowadays there are only two ways of Mallox injection – email spam and trojans. You may see a lot of messages on your email, stating that you need to pay different bills or to get your parcel from the local FedEx department. But all such messages are sent from unknown email addresses, not from familiar official emails of these companies. All such letters contain the attached file, which is used as a ransomware carrier. If you open this file – your system will get infected by Mallox.

In case of trojans presence, you will receive an offer to download and install ransomware on your PC under the guise of something legit. This may be a Chrome update, or a patch for the software you have on your disk. Sometimes, trojan viruses can hide as legit programs, and a ransomware payload will arrive as an update for this program. In rare cases, malware tries to squeeze in as an add-on package to a legitimate program, and will start the encryption once you will install it.

There is also the third way of ransomware injection, however, it becomes less and less popular day-to-day. I am talking about peering networks, such as torrents or eMule. No one can control which files are packed in the seeding, so you can discover a huge pack of different malware after downloading. If circumstances force you to download something from peering networks – scan every downloaded folder or archive with antivirus software.

How to remove Mallox virus?

In addition to encode a victim’s files, the Mallox virus has also started to install the Azorult Spyware on system to steal account credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, desktop files, and more.

To ensure the user that ransomware distributors really have the decryption tool, they may offer to decrypt several encrypted files. And they are the single owners of this decryption program: Mallox ransomware is a completely new type, so there is no legit program from anti-malware vendors, which can decrypt your files. But such a situation is in momentum, as decryption tools are updating every month.

However, paying the ransom is a bad decision, too. There is no guarantee that Mallox ransomware developers will send you the decryption tool and a proper decryption key. And there are a lot of cases when ransomware distributors deceived their victims, sending the wrong key or even nothing. In the majority of cases, there is a way to recover your files for free. Search for available backups, and restore your system using it. Of course, there is a chance that the backup you found is too old, and does not contain a lot of files you need. But, at least you will be sure that there is no malware in your system. However, to ensure that there are no malicious programs in your system after the backup, you need to scan your PC with anti-malware software.

Mallox ransomware is not unique. There are more ransomware of this type: Nope, Robm, Luez. These examples of ransomware act in a similar way: encrypting your files, adding a specific extension, and leaving a great number of ransom money notes in every folder. But there are two things which make difference between these ransomware – cryptography algorithm, which is used for file encryption, and ransom amount. In some cases, victims are able to decrypt their files without any payments, just using free solutions produced by several anti-malware vendors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How сan I avoid ransomware attack?

Mallox ransomware doesn’t have a superpower.

You can easily protect yourself from its injection in several easy steps :

• Ignore all emails from unknown mailboxes with a strange unknown address, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without taking part in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check carefully all elements of the suspicious letter. A fake email will surely contain a mistake.
• Do not use cracked or untrusted programs. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked software, possibly under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But untrusted programs are very hard to distinguish from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. You can try to find information about this program on the anti-malware forums, but the best solution is not to use such programs.