MATRIX Virus Files of Ransomware — How to remove virus?

The Matrix virus belongs under the ransomware type of malicious agent. Ransomware of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the PC (photos, text files, excel tables, music, videos, etc) and adds its specific extension to every file, leaving the #Decrypt_Files_ReadMe#.rtf text files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

What is Matrix?

☝️ A strictly accurate description for the Matrix is “a ransomware malicious agent”.

Matrix will append its own .[[email protected]] extension to every file’s name. For instance, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.[[email protected]]”. Likewise, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will be renamed to “table.xlsx.[[email protected]]”, and so on.

In each folder containing the encoded files, a #Decrypt_Files_ReadMe#.rtf text document will be created. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this tool after contacting [email protected] via email. That is it.

Matrix abstract:

In the picture below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Matrix looks like. Each filename has the “.[[email protected]]” extension added to it.

How did my machine catch Matrix ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most exploited methods for evil-doers to have ransomware acting in your system. These are email spam, Trojan infiltration and peer file transfer.

If you open your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose sender is strange to you, beware of opening those emails. They are most likely to have a malicious file attached to them. So it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with emails like these.

As for the peer file transfer protocols like BitTorrent or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never guess what you download until you get it. So you’d better be using trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How do I get rid of the Matrix virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Matrix virus will most likely deploy the Azorult Spyware on your PC to seize your credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware² can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Often tamperers would decode few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption tool. As Matrix virus is a relatively recent ransomware, anti-malware developers have not yet found a method to reverse its work. However, the anti-ransomware tools are constantly updated, so the solution may soon be available.

Sure thing, if the evildoers do the job of encoding victim’s essential data, the desperate person will probably comply with their demands. Despite that, paying a ransom does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After obtaining the money, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports about criminals just disappearing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best countermeasure to ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud storage or at least on an external drive. Obviously, that might be not enough. Your most crucial thing could be that one you were working on when it all happened. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also advisable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Matrix, that work similarly. Examples of those are Futm, Rigj, Pqgs, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Matrix are the ransom amount and the method of encryption. The rest is the same: documents become blocked, their extensions altered, ransom notes emerge in each directory containing encrypted files.

Some fortunate victims were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How to avoid ransomware infiltration?

Matrix ransomware has no superpower, so as any similar malware.

You can armour your system from ransomware injection taking three easy steps:

• Ignore any emails from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has likely no connection to something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, scrutinize all elements of the questionable letter with caution. A hoax email will always have mistakes.
• Never use cracked or unknown programs. Trojans are often distributed as a part of cracked products, most likely under the guise of “patch” preventing the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable software, as trojans may also have the functionality you seek. You can try searching for information about this program on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft³

Download Removal Tool.

Run the setup file.

Press “Install” button.

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

Click on “Clean Now”.

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.[[email protected]]” files?Is it possible to open“.[[email protected]]” files?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.[[email protected]]” files are decrypted.

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. If not, there is still a function of System Restore but it needs a Restore Point to be previously saved. All other solutions require time.

🤔 What to do if the Matrix ransomware has blocked my computer and I can’t get the activation code.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be within your reach

• If you exchanged your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Simply ask them to give those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Web, you can try doing it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud drives might have all those files too.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, mobile, flash memory, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can use data recovery programs⁵ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the video below, you can see how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but remember: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

• In the United States: On Guard Online;
• In Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre;
• In the United Kingdom: Action Fraud;
• In Australia: SCAMwatch;
• In New Zealand: Consumer Affairs Scams;
• In France: Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information;
• In Germany: Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik;
• In Ireland: An Garda Síochána;

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

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