MNLYWJZI Ransomware 🔐 (.MNLYWJZI File) — Removal Guide

The Mnlywjzi virus falls within the Snatch ransomware family. Ransomware of this type encrypts all the data on your computer (images, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, creating the HOW TO RESTORE YOUR FILES.TXT text files in every folder which contains the encrypted files.

What is known about the Mnlywjzivirus?

☝️ A strictly correct description for the Mnlywjzi is “a Snatch family ransomware-type infection”.

Mnlywjzi appends its specific .mnlywjzi extension to the name of every encrypted file. For example, an image named “photo.jpg” will be changed to “photo.jpg.mnlywjzi”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will be altered to “table.xlsx.mnlywjzi”, and so forth.

In every folder containing the encrypted files, a HOW TO RESTORE YOUR FILES.TXT file will appear. It is a ransom money memo. It contains information on the ways of paying the ransom and some other remarks. The ransom note most probably contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the ransomware developers. That is how they do it.

Mnlywjzi outline:

In the image below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Mnlywjzi looks like. Each filename has the “.mnlywjzi” extension added to it.

How did my machine catch Mnlywjzi ransomware?

There is a huge number of possible ways of ransomware injection.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for malefactors to have ransomware settled in your digital environment. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.

If you access your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, postal agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose “from” field is unknown to you, beware of opening those letters. They are very likely to have a viral item enclosed in them. Therefore, it is even more dangerous to open any attachments that come with emails like these.

As for the peer-to-peer networks like torrents or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded objects with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is finished.

How to remove the Mnlywjzi virus?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Mnlywjzi virus will probably install the Azorult Spyware on your PC to get access to credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware³ can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Sometimes tamperers would decrypt few of your files to prove that they really have the decryption program. Since Mnlywjzi virus is a relatively recent ransomware, safety measures designers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding instruments are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Understandably, if the criminals do the job of encrypting someone’s essential files, the desperate person will most likely comply with their demands. Despite that, paying to criminals does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the victim. There were reports about criminals simply vanishing after getting the ransom without even writing back.

The best safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external drive. Of course, that might be not enough. The most crucial thing could be that file you were working upon when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also wise to scan your PC for viruses with the antivirus program after the OS is rolled back.

There are other ransomware products, besides Mnlywjzi, that work similarly. Examples of those are Nuis, Powd, Bowd, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Mnlywjzi are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: files become inaccessible, their extensions changed, ransom notes are found in each directory containing encoded files.

Some fortunate users were able to decrypt the blocked files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-malware developers. Sometimes the hackers accidentally send the decryption code to the wronged in the ransom note. Such an extraordinary fail allows the victim to restore the files. But naturally, one should never expect such a chance. Make no mistake, ransomware is a criminals’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How do I avert ransomware injection?

Mnlywjzi ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can defend your computer from its injection in several easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown mailers with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (can you win in a lottery without participating in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, check all elements of the suspicious email carefully. A hoax letter will surely have a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often spreaded as an element of cracked products, most likely as a “patch” which prevents the license check. Understandably, potentially dangerous programs are difficult to distinguish from trustworthy software, because trojans may also have the functionality you need. Try searching for information on this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.

Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft⁴

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 “.mnlywjzi” files?Are the “.mnlywjzi” files accessible?

Unfortunately, no. You need to decipher the “.mnlywjzi” files first. Then you will be able to open them.

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

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. There are other ways to beat ransomware, but they take time.

🤔 What should I do if the Mnlywjzi virus has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Many of the encrypted files might still be at your disposal

• If you sent or received your critical files via email, you could still download them from your online mailbox.
• You may have shared photographs or videos with your friends or family members. Just ask them to send those pictures back to you.
• If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud drives might have all those files as well.
• It might be that you still have the needed files on your old PC, a laptop, mobile, flash memory, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery programs⁶ to retrieve your lost information since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, removing the original ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a restoration, but be advised: you can do it only after you remove 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.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
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