The Mole00-02 Ransomware is the newest update to the Mole virus, read our removal guide to learn more about it.
Manual Removal Guide
Recover .MOLE00 Files
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How Does Mole00-02 Ransomware Infiltrate the System?
At the moment the Mole00-02 Ransomware is distributed using a variety of different tactics. Since there are are a very low number of captured samples the researchers cannot judge what is the primary infection vector.
We suspect that email messages that contain the malicious payloads are one of the primary strategies. The criminals utilize social engineering tricks to trick the victims into infecting themselves by downloading attachments or interacting with the body contents.
Mole00-02 virus instances can also be found in infected software installers or documents. They are frequently distributed on hacker-controlled download sites and P2P networks like BitTorrent.
Direct hacker attacks are also possible.
Related: .Mole Virus , EnCrypt Ransomware
Infection Flow of Mole00-02 Ransomware
Mole00-02 Ransomware is detected as the newest virus offspring that is descendant from the Mole virus family. It is an advanced threat that features numerous modules in addition to the main encryption engine.
Before actually commencing to any file processing the Mole00-02 ransomware performs several checks and actions that are related to a persistent installation. The virus modifies critical Windows registry and configuration data to counter any manual removal attempts. The Mole00-02 ransomware is also capable of creating files and crafting special registry values during and after the infection phase. Unlike other malware it also modifies the start menu, folder options and several other unusual settings changes.
Detailed system information is harvested from the infected machines, including the local language settings. This is used in follow-up versions to display a ransomware in the language used by the criminals. In addition important files can be deleted along with all associated volume shadow copies. This prevents recovery without the use of a professional data recovery software, refer to our instructions below.
Before the encryption engine is triggered the Mole00-02 ransomware performs several steps:
- It links and imports the malicious code in various user and system processes. This is used to guarantee that all components will launch.
- The Mole00-02 ransomware modifies the settings of the web browsers installing a proxy server which redirects all user traffic through a criminal gateway. This allows the hackers to spy on victims activity at all times and manipulate the network streams.
- Sensitive information is gathered from the installed browsers. This is the same strategy that is utilized by the browser hijackers as it steals valuable data. This includes stored bookmarks, cookies, settings, form data, passwords and account credentials.
- The Mole00-02 ransomware is able to execute built-in commands as part of its infection routine. They can be customized according to the targets.
- During the first signs of infection several techniques used for countering debuggers have been identified. This allows the ransomware to evade environments such as sandboxes and virtual machines and counter malware researchers and security administrators from detecting the infection.
The encryption engine is started soon after all preliminary actions are made. Depending on the targets the same file type extensions may be used. In most cases the criminals seek to impact as many files as possible: documents, archives, backups, images, music, photos and etc. We suspect that the initial versions are going to use the same list as that of the original Mole virus. It targets the following data:
.0 .1CD .1PA .1ST .2BP .36 .3DM .3DS .3FR .3GP .411 .4DB .4DL .4MP .73I .7Z
.8XI .A3D .AB4 .ABM .ABS .ABW .ACH .ACT .ADB .ADN .ADP .ADS .AES .AF2 .AF3 .AFS
.AFT .AFX .AGP .AHD .AI .AIC .AIF .AIM .AIT .AL .ALF .ANI .ANS .APD .APJ .APK
.APM .APS .APT .APX .ARC .ART .ARW .ASC .ASE .ASF .ASK .ASM .ASP .ASW .ASX .ASY
.ATY .AVI .AWP .AWT .AWW .AZZ .BAK .BAR .BAT .BAY .BBS .BC6 .BC7 .BD .BDB .BDP
.BDR .BGT .BIB .BIG .BIK .BKF .BKP .BM2 .BMP .BMX .BMZ .BNA .BND .BOC .BOK .BPW
.BRD .BRK .BRN .BRT .BSA .BSS .BTD .BTI .BTR .BYU .BZ2 .C .C4 .C4D .CAL .CAN
.CAS .CD5 .CDB .CDC .CDF .CDG .CDR .CDT .CDX .CE1 .CE2 .CER .CF .CFG .CFP .CFR
.CFU .CGM .CIN .CIT .CKP .CLS .CMA .CMD .CMT .CMX .CNM .CNT .CNV .CPC .CPD .CPG
.CPI .CPP .CPS .CPT .CPX .CR2 .CRD .CRT .CRW .CS .CSH .CSL .CSR .CSS .CSV .CSY
.CT .CV5 .CVG .CVI .CVS .CVX .CWT .CXF .CYI .DAC .DAD .DAF .DAS .DAT .DB .DB0
.DB2 .DB3 .DBA .DBC .DBF .DBK .DBR .DBS .DBT .DBV .DBX .DC2 .DCA .DCB .DCH .DCR
.DCS .DCT .DCX .DDD .DDL .DDS .DED .DER .DES .DF1 .DGC .DGN .DGS .DGT .DHS .DIB
.DIF .DIP .DIZ .DJV .DM3 .DMI .DMO .DMP .DNC .DNE .DNG .DOC .DOT .DP1 .DPP .DPX
.DQY .DRF .DRW .DRZ .DSK .DSN .DSV .DT .DT2 .DTA .DTD .DTW .DVI .DVL .DWG .DX
.DXB .DXF .DXG .DXL .EBD .ECO .ECW .ECX .EDB .EFD .EGC .EIO .EIP .EIT .EMD .EMF
.EML .EP .EPF .EPK .EPP .EPS .EQL .ERF .ERR .ESM .ETF .ETX .EUC .EXF .EXR .FAL
.FAQ .FAX .FB2 .FB3 .FBL .FBX .FCD .FCF .FDB .FDF .FDR .FDS .FDT .FDX .FES .FF
.FFD .FFF .FFT .FH .FH3 .FH4 .FH5 .FH6 .FH7 .FH8 .FHD .FIC .FID .FIF .FIG .FIL
.FIM .FLA .FLC .FLI .FLR .FLV .FM .FM5 .FMP .FMV .FOL .FOS .FP3 .FP4 .FP5 .FP7
.FPK .FPT .FPX .FRM .FRT .FSH .FT7 .FT8 .FT9 .FTN .FX0 .FX1 .FXC .FXG .FXR .FZB
.FZV .G3 .GDB .GEM .GEO .GFB .GGR .GHO .GIF .GIH .GIM .GIO .GPD .GPG .GPN .GRO
.GRS .GRW .GRY .GSD .GTP .GV .GWI .GZ .H .HBK .HDB .HDP .HDR .HHT .HIS .HKX
.HPG .HPI .HPL .HPP .HS .HTC .HWP .HZ .I3D .IB .IBD .ICN .IDC .IDX .IGT .IGX
.IHX .IIF .IIL .IIQ .IMD .INK .INT .IPF .IPX .ITL .ITM .ITW .IWD .IWI .J .J2C
.J2K .JAS .JB2 .JBR .JIA .JIS .JNG .JOE .JP1 .JP2 .JPE .JPG .JPS .JPX .JS .JTF
.JTX .JWL .JXR .K2P .KDB .KDC .KDI .KDK .KES .KEY .KF .KIC .KLG .KNT .KON .KPG
.KWD .LAY .LBF .LBM .LBT .LGB .LGC .LIS .LIT .LJP .LMK .LNT .LOG .LP2 .LRC .LRF
.LST .LTR .LTX .LUA .LUE .LUF .LVL .LWO .LWP .LWS .LYT .LYX .M .M2 .M3D .M3U
.M4A .M4V .MA .MAC .MAF .MAM .MAN .MAP .MAQ .MAR .MAT .MAW .MAX .MB .MBM .MCL
.MDB .MDC .MDE .MDF .MDN .MDT .ME .MEF .MFT .MFW .MIN .MKV .MLX .MML .MMW .MNG
.MNR .MNT .MOS .MOV .MP3 .MP4 .MPF .MPG .MPO .MPP .MRG .MRW .MSG .MSO .MT9 .MTE
.MUD .MWB .MWP .MX0 .MXL .MYD .MYI .MYL .NCF .NCR .NCT .ND .NDD .NDF .NEF .NFO
.NJX .NK2 .NLM .NOW .NRW .NS2 .NS3 .NS4 .NSD .NSF .NSG .NSH .NTL .NV2 .NWB .NX1
.NX2 .NYF .NZB .OBJ .OC3 .OC4 .OC5 .OCE .OCI .OCR .ODB .ODC .ODF .ODG .ODM .ODO
.ODP .ODS .ODT .OFL .OFT .OIL .OMF .ONE .OQY .ORA .ORF .ORT .ORX .OTA .OTG .OTH
.OTI .OTP .OTS .OTT .OVP .OVR .OWC .OWG .OYX .OZB .OZJ .OZT .P12 .P7B .P7C .P7S
.P96 .P97 .PAK .PAL .PAN .PAP .PAQ .PAS .PAT .PBM .PBO .PC1 .PC2 .PC3 .PCD .PCS
.PCT .PCX .PDB .PDD .PDF .PDM .PDN .PE4 .PEF .PEM .PFD .PFF .PFI .PFS .PFV .PFX
.PGF .PGM .PHM .PHP .PI1 .PI2 .PI3 .PIC .PIP .PIX .PJT .PL .PLC .PLT .PM .PMG
.PNG .PNI .PNM .PNZ .POP .POT .PP4 .PP5 .PPM .PPS .PPT .PRF .PRT .PRW .PS .PSD
.PSE .PSK .PSP .PST .PSW .PTG .PTH .PTX .PU .PUB .PUZ .PVJ .PVM .PVR .PWA .PWI
.PWR .PX .PXR .PY .PZ3 .PZA .PZP .PZS .QBA .QBI .QBO .QBP .QBR .QBT .QBW .QBY
.RB .RM .RNG .RPD .RPF .RPT .RRI .RS .RSB .RSD .RSR .RST .RT .RTD .RTF .RTP
.RTX .RUN .RW2 .RWL .RWZ .RZK .RZN .S3M .SAF .SAI .SAM .SAY .SB .SBF .SCC .SCH
.SCI .SCM .SCT .SCV .SCW .SD0 .SDA .SDB .SDF .SDM .SDW .SEP .SET .SFC .SFW .SGM
.SID .SIE .SIG .SIS .SK1 .SK2 .SKM .SLA .SLD .SLK .SLM .SLS .SMF .SMS .SNP .SNX
.SOB .SPA .SPE .SPH .SPJ .SPP .SPQ .SPR .SQB .SQL .SR2 .SRF .SRT .SRW .SSA .SSK
.ST .ST4 .ST5 .ST6 .ST7 .ST8 .STC .STD .STE .STI .STM .STN .STP .STR .STW .STX
.STY .SUB .SUM .SVA .SVF .SVG .SWF .SXC .SXD .SXG .SXI .SXM .SXW .T12 .T13 .T2B
.TAB .TAR .TAX .TB0 .TBN .TCX .TDF .TDT .TE .TEX .TFC .TG4 .TGA .TGZ .THM .THP
.TIF .TJP .TLB .TLC .TM .TM2 .TMD .TMP .TMV .TMX .TN .TNE .TOR .TPC .TPI .TRM
.TVJ .TXT .U3D .U3I .UDB .UFO .UFR .UGA .UNX .UOF .UOP .UOT .UPD .UPK .USR .V12
.V30 .VBR .VBS .VCF .VCT .VDA .VDB .VDF .VEC .VFF .VML .VNT .VOB .VPD .VPE .VPK
.VRP .VSD .VSM .VST .VSX .VTF .VTX .VUE .VW .W3X .WAV .WB1 .WB2 .WBC .WBD .WBK
.WBM .WBZ .WCF .WDB .WDP .WGZ .WKS .WLL .WMA .WMF .WMO .WMV .WN .WP .WP4 .WP5
.WP6 .WP7 .WPA .WPB .WPD .WPE .WPG .WPL .WPS .WPT .WPW .WRI .WSC .WSD .WSH .WTX
.WVL .X .X11 .X3D .X3F .XAR .XDB .XDL .XF .XLA .XLB .XLC .XLD .XLF .XLL .XLM
.XLR .XLS .XLT .XLW .XML .XPM .XPP .XPS .XSN .XWP .XXX .XY3 .XYP .XYW .Y .YAL
.YBK .YML .YSP .YUV .Z3D .ZDB .ZDC .ZIF .ZIP .ZW
All affected receive the .MOLE00 extension as well as renamed using a built-in algorithm. A “_HELP_INSTRUCTION.TXT” file is crafted on various locations and serves as the ransomware note. It reads the following message:
! ! INFORMATIONS!!
All your files are encrypted with RSA2048 and AES128 ciphers.
More information about the RSA and AES can be found here:
URL:1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA_numbers
URL:2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_StandardDecrypting your files is only possible with
the private key and decrypts programs, which is on our secret server.Follow these steps:
1. Download and install Tor_Browsers: http://torproject.org/download/download-easy.html
2. After a successful installation, run the browser and wait for initialization.
3. Type in the address bar: http://supportxxbefd7c.onion
URL2: http://supportjy2xvvdmx.onion
4. Follow the instructions on the site.
!! Your DECRYPT-ID: e95d9381-f643-42bf-837b-15397820deea !!
From this we can see that each machine is assigned with a custom victim ID. The users are directed to visit the hidden payment gateway available on the TOR network. If the victims follow the given instructions they will arrive on the crafted page which displays the following:
MOLE00-02 RANSOMWARE
Attention!
Price of software and your private key is 1.0 bitcoins. With this product you can decrypt all your files.
If you are willing to pay for a software product, then:
Dear user, leave your DECRYPT-ID and e-mail. We will contact you within 24 hours and give further instructions. !!! You do not need to leave different electronic addresses, or the same address many times.
It demands that the victims pay the ransomware sum of 1 Bitcoin to the criminal operators. This equals to about 2500 US Dollars by today’s currency exchange rate.
All computer users affected by the MOLE00-02 ransomware should use a quality anti-spyware solution to effectively eliminate the malware. After this is done the provided data recovery application can restore all affected files.
Remove Mole00-02 Ransomware and Restore .MOLE00 Data
WARNING! Manual removal of Mole00-02 Ransomware requires being familiar with system files and registries. Removing important data accidentally can lead to permanent system damage. If you don’t feel comfortable with manual instructions, download a powerful anti-malware tool that will scan your system for malware and clean it safely for you.
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Mole00-02 Ransomware – Manual Removal Steps
Start the PC in Safe Mode with Network
This will isolate all files and objects created by the ransomware so they will be removed efficiently. The steps bellow are applicable to all Windows versions.
1. Hit the WIN Key + R
2. A Run window will appear. In it, write msconfig and then press Enter
3. A Configuration box shall appear. In it Choose the tab named Boot
4. Mark Safe Boot option and then go to Network under it to tick it too
5. Apply -> OK
Show Hidden Files
Some ransomware threats are designed to hide their malicious files in the Windows so all files stored on the system should be visible.
1. Open My Computer/This PC
2. Windows 7
- – Click on Organize button
– Select Folder and search options
– Select the View tab
– Go under Hidden files and folders and mark Show hidden files and folders option
3. Windows 8/ 10
- – Open View tab
– Mark Hidden items option
4. Click Apply and then OK button
Enter Windows Task Manager and Stop Malicious Processes
1. Hit the following key combination: CTRL+SHIFT+ESC
2. Get over to Processes
3. When you find suspicious process right click on it and select Open File Location
4. Go back to Task Manager and end the malicious process. Right click on it again and choose End Process
5. Next, you should go folder where the malicious file is located and delete it
Repair Windows Registry
1. Again type simultaneously the WIN Key + R key combination
2. In the box, write regedit and hit Enter
3. Type the CTRL+ F and then write the malicious name in the search type field to locate the malicious executable
4. In case you have discovered registry keys and values related to the name, you should delete them, but be careful not to delete legitimate keys
Click for more information about Windows Registry and further repair help
Mole00-02 Ransomware Files
WARNING! All files and objects associated with Mole00-02 Ransomware should be removed from the infected PC before any data recovery attempts. Otherwise the virus may encrypt restored files. Furthermore, a backup of all encrypted files stored on external media is highly recommendable.
DOWNLOAD Mole00-02 Ransomware Removal ToolSpyHunter anti-malware tool will diagnose all current threats on the computer. By purchasing the full version, you will be able to remove all malware threats instantly. Additional information about SpyHunter / Help to uninstall SpyHunter
1. Use present backups
2. Use professional data recovery software
Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery – a specialist tool that can restore partitions, data, documents, photos, and 300 more file types lost during various types of incidents and corruption.
3. Using System Restore Point
- – Hit WIN Key
– Select “Open System Restore” and follow the steps
4. Restore your personal files using File History
- – Hit WIN Key
– Type restore your files in the search box
– Select Restore your files with File History
– Choose a folder or type the name of the file in the search bar
– Hit the “Restore” button
