MKOS ransomware removes access to your own files by encrypting themThreat SummaryHow to decrypt .mkos files?Ways to avoid ransomware attacksRemove MKOS ransomware virus instantly
MKOS file virus brings a message from its developers in _readme.txt ransom note. They inform that all files like photos, databases, documents and other important files were encrypted with the strongest encryption and unique key. The attackers suggest buying the decryption software, which costs $490 if paid within 72 hours, or $980 if later. The ransom should be paid in Bitcoin cryptocurrency, as it helps to keep the attackers’ anonymous. The hackers also suggest decrypting one file for free. They recommend sending a small file that doesn’t contain any valuable information to one of the provided emails – datarestorehelp@firemail.cc or datahelp@iran.ir. The note also contains a personal ID. Now, some sources will recommend checking the end of this key to find out whether files were encrypted with an online or offline key. What you actually need to do is go to C:/SystemID/PersonalID.txt and check the IDs here. If one of them has a “t1” ending, you have chances to decrypt at least part of .mkos extension files for free (in the future).
Threat Summary
At the moment, there are no ways to recover files for free. The MKOS ransomware deletes any means of data restoration, including system restore points. Some versions of this virus can install Azorult Trojan on the system, which is made to transmit all your private login details to the attackers. Therefore, we suggest you take immediate action to eliminate the virus from your system. For a successful MKOS ransomware removal, you need to reboot your computer in Safe Mode and eliminate the threat from this environment. We have provided free instructions at the end of this article to assist you.
How to decrypt .mkos files?
MKOS ransomware is a new version of DJVU, which means that it has no flaws in its encryption procedure. Therefore, there are no ways to break the encryption or obtain the decryption keys from the criminals’ server. The only hope to restore some files for free is in a case if the virus used an OFFLINE key to encrypt your files.
When executed on the victim’s machine, STOP/DJVU variants attempt to connect with Command&Control server, and if it manages to do so, it obtains so-called online encryption keys from there. These keys are different for each victim. In case the connection fails, the virus uses offline key instead.The offline key is the same for all versions of this ransomware, and therefore it is possible to get access to it (it takes some time for security researchers to get their hands on it, however). To find out whether your files were subject to offline encryption, one of the keys in C:/SystemID/PersonalID.txt file must end in t1.
Please learn more about MKOS decryption opportunities in this guide on using STOP decrypter by Emsisoft.
Ways to avoid ransomware attacks
Ransomware is an ever-evolving threat, and STOP/DJVU ransomware, including recent versions such as MKOS, NBES, MERL, RIGH and others, is the most prevalent file-encrypting malware of 2019. This particular malware is transmitted via illegal downloads, such as software cracks, keygens, and other tools used to crack paid software to use its premium features for free. Besides, if you ever consider searching for such untrustworthy downloads, you might run into ads shown below, suggesting you to install some suspicious spyware (adware, browser hijackers, etc.). However, other ransomware families proliferate through other channels, such as malicious spam, infected websites, or hacked RDP ports. We suggest reading this guide on ways to protect against ransomware attacks to learn what actions you can take.
Remove MKOS ransomware virus instantly
The easiest way to remove MKOS ransomware virus is to delete it via Safe Mode on your Windows PC. You can use the instructions provided below to eliminate the virus using any free or paid antivirus (you can check software reviews on our site). Right after MKOS virus removal, try to find any backups you have to restore at least part of your data. It is important to know that files encrypted by the online key cannot be restored in any way at the moment (except paying the attackers, which we do not recommend doing). OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.
Alternative software recommendations
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking
Before you try to remove the virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, see a video tutorial on how to do it: Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users Now, you can search for and remove MKOS Ransomware files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable malware removal program. In addition, we suggest trying a combination of INTEGO Antivirus (removes malware and protects your PC in real-time) and RESTORO (repairs virus damage to Windows OS files).
Method 2. Use System Restore
In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future. Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.
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