Remove MadDog ransomware And Decrypt Locked Files

Simple Steps To Delete MadDog ransomware

MadDog ransomware is a deadly file-encrypting virus that was first spotted by security researcher Michael Gillespie Hidden Tear open-source project. As soon as this precarious crypto-virus infiltrates the targeted computers, it encrypts files and documents stored inside the machines and makes victims unable to access those files. This hazardous crypto-malware uses a strong encryption algorithm to lock images, PDFs, videos, audios, presentations, spreadsheets etc. and also renames them by adding victims’ unique ID, attackers’ email address and appending “.MadDog” extension with each of them. After these modifications, the compromised data become totally useless.

Know More About MadDog ransomware:

The real purpose of the MadDog ransomware authors is to swindle illicit money from the victimized users. And therefore, soon after completing the encryption process, it displays couple of ransom notes in a pop-up window (“info.hta”) and “FILES ENCRYPTED.txt” text file and asks victims to pay the attackers an amount of ransom to get the decryption tool and open the locked files. These notes state that all your essential files have been locked and also ask to contact the criminals via the provided email address to get more details.

At the end, you might have to pay the MadDog ransomware authors a ransom amount of $200 to $1500 in BitCoins cryptocurency. You can also test the decryption by sending five encrypted files to the hackers who will decode and send them back to you to prove that the decryption is possible. However, these file should not include any valuable information such as backups, databases, large Excel sheets etc. and should be less than 10 MB (non-archived).

Text Presented In The Pop-up Window:

All your files have been encrypted!

All your files have been encrypted due to a security problem with your PC. If you want to restore them, write us to the e-mail [email protected]

Write this ID in the title of your message –

In case of no answer in 24 hours write us to this e-mail:[email protected]

You have to pay for decryption in Bitcoins. The price depends on how fast you write to us. After payment we will send you the decryption tool that will decrypt all your files.

Free decryption as guarantee

Before paying you can send us up to 5 files for free decryption. The total size of files must be less than 10Mb (non archived), and files should not contain valuable information. (databases,backups, large excel sheets, etc.)

How to obtain Bitcoins

The easiest way to buy bitcoins is LocalBitcoins site. You have to register, click ‘Buy bitcoins’, and select the seller by payment method and price.

hxxps://localbitcoins.com/buy_bitcoins

Also you can find other places to buy Bitcoins and beginners guide here:

hxxp://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/

Attention!

Do not rename encrypted files.

Do not try to decrypt your data using third party software, it may cause permanent data loss.

Decryption of your files with the help of third parties may cause increased price (they add their fee to our) or you can become a victim of a scam.

Text Presented In The “FILES ENCRYPTED.txt” File:

all your data has been locked us

You want to return?

wrtie email [email protected] or [email protected]

Should You Pay The Ransom?

MadDog ransomware doesn’t leave any option to the victimized users other than dealing with the crooks but still, we strongly decline from doing so. This is because hackers are not supposed to deliver the required decryption software even if the ransom is paid. It has been tendency of such criminals that they often disappear once the payment is made and cause victims to lose both files as well as money. Moreover, paying ransom to such people will only encourage them to create and spread more such viruses inside for further profits.

What Should The Victims Do?

If you are an affected person, the first thing you need to do here is to perform MadDog ransomware removal from the computer as early as possible. Paying ransom to these vicious attackers is never recommended as there is huge chance of getting scammed at the end. For data recovery, you can use a recently made backup that you have saved on any external drive or in its absence, you can also try an effective file-recovery application.

Threat Summary 

Name: MadDog ransomware

Type: Ransomware, Crypto-virus, File-encrypting malware

Short Description: Deadly malware which locks users’ essential files and then forces them into paying the attackers a sum of ransom to get the decryption software/key.

Extension:  .MadDog (files are also appended with a unique ID and attackers’ email address)

Ransom Demanding Notes: info.hta (pop-up) and FILES ENCRYPTED.txt

Attackers’ contact: [email protected] and [email protected]

Symptoms: Locked files become inaccessible and useless stored inside the compromised PCs, previous functional data now have different extension, A ransom demanding message is left on each affected folder. Victims are asked to pay an amount of ransom to get the functional decryptor and unlock their encoded data and files.

Distribution methods: Spam emails, peer to peer network sharing, unofficial activation and updating tools.

Damage: All files are encrypted and cannot be accessed without paying ransom, Additional password stealing Trojans and malware infections can be installed along with ransomware infections and other malware.

Removal: To remove this virus from the system, we advise you to use a reliable anti-malware tool. Once malware gets removed, you can recover your files by using existing backup or data-recovery software.

Infiltration of MadDog ransomware:

File-encoding viruses are mostly distributed through spam campaigns. In this campaign, you are sent a number of deceptive emails by cyber criminals that include download links of dubious files or the malicious files are just attached to the mails. The letters are often disguised as “important”, “urgent” or “official”. However, as soon as the attached file is executed, run or opened, the infection process begins. These files can be in multiple formats such as executables, archives, PDF and Microsoft Office documents, JavaScript, etc.

Therefore, to avoid these ransomware attacks, it is highly recommended to ignore emails coming from unknown source and never click on any links or attachments present in them. But at the moment, you must remove MadDog ransomware from the device without wasting any time.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows

Click Here For Mac

Step 1: Remove MadDog ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

Step 2: Delete MadDog ransomware using “System Restore”

Step 1: Remove MadDog ransomware through “Safe Mode with Networking”

For Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Boot the PC in “Safe Mode”. Click on “Start” option and continuously press on F8 during the start process until the “Windows Advanced Option” menu appears on the screen. Choose “Safe Mode with Networking” from the list.

Now, a windows homescreen appears on the desktop and work-station is now working on “Safe mode with networking”.

For Windows 8 Users: Go to the “Start Screen”. In the search results select settings, type “Advanced”. In the “General PC Settings” option, choose “Advanced startup” option. Again, click on the “Restart Now” option. The work-station boots to “Advanced Startup Option Menu”. Press on “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options” button.  In the “Advanced Option Screen”, press on “Startup Settings”. Again, click on “Restart” button. The work-station will now restart in to the “Startup Setting” screen. Next is to press F5 to boot in Safe Mode in Networking.

For Windows 10 Users: Press on Windows logo and on the “Power” icon. In the newly opened menu, choose “Restart” while continuously holding “Shift” button on the keyboard. In the new open “Choose an option” window, click on “Troubleshoot” and then on the “Advanced Options”. Select “Startup Settings” and press on “Restart”. In the next window, click on “F5” button on the key-board.

Step 2: Delete MadDog ransomware using “System Restore”

Log-in to the account infected with MadDog ransomware. Open the browser and download a legitimate anti-malware tool. Do a full System scanning. Remove all the malicious detected entries.

In case if you cannot start the PC in “Safe Mode with Networking”, Try using “System Restore”

• During the “Startup”, continuously press on F8 key until the “Advanced Option” menu appears. From the list, choose “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” and then press “Enter”

• In the new opened command prompt, enter “cd restore” and then press “Enter”.

• Type: rstrui.exe and Press “ENTER”

• Click “Next” on the new windows

• Choose any of the “Restore Points” and click on “Next”. (This step will restore the work-station to its earlier time and date prior to MadDog ransomware infiltration in the PC.

• In the newly opened windows, press on “Yes”.

Once your PC gets restored to its previous date and time, download the recommended anti-malware tool and perform a deep scanning in order to remove MadDog ransomware files if they left in the work-station.

In order to restore the each (separate) file by this ransomware, use “Windows Previous Version” feature. This method is effective when “System Restore Function” is enabled in the work-station.

Important Note: Some variants of MadDog ransomware delete the “Shadow Volume Copies” as well hence this feature may not work all the time and is applicable for selective computers only.

How to Restore Individual Encrypted File:

In order to restore a single file, right click on it and go to “Properties”. Select “Previous Version” tab. Select a “Restore Point” and click on “Restore” option.

In order to access the files encrypted by MadDog ransomware, you can also try using “Shadow Explorer”. In order to get more information on this application, press here.

Important: Data Encryption Ransomware are highly dangerous and it is always better that you take precautions to avoid its attack on your work-station. It is advised to use a powerful anti-malware tool in order to get protection in real-time. With this help of “SpyHunter”, “group policy objects” are implanted in the registries in order to block harmful infections like MadDog ransomware.

Also, In Windows 10, you get a very unique feature called “Fall Creators Update” that offer “Controlled Folder Access” feature in order to block any kind of encryption to the files. With the help of this feature, any files stored in the locations such as “Documents”, “Pictures”, “Music”, “Videos”, “Favorites” and “Desktop” folders are safe by default.

It is very important that you install this “Windows 10 Fall Creators Update” in your PC to protect your important files and data from ransomware encryption. The more information on how to get this update and add an additional protection form rnasomware attack has been discussed here.

How to Recover the Files Encrypted by MadDog ransomware?

Till now, you would have understood that what had happed to your personal files that got encrypted and how you can remove the scripts and payloads associated with MadDog ransomware in order to protect your personal files that has not been damaged or encrypted until now. In order to retrieve the locked files, the depth information related to “System Restore” and “Shadow Volume Copies” has already been discussed earlier. However, in case if you are still unable to access the encrypted files then you can try using a data recovery tool.

Use of Data Recovery Tool

This step is for all those victims who have already tries all the above mentioned process but didn’t find any solution. Also it is important that you are able to access the PC and can install any software. The data recovery tool works on the basis of System scanning and recovery algorithm. It searches the System partitions in order to locate the original files which were deleted, corrupted or damaged by the malware. Remember that you must not re-install the Windows OS otherwise the “previous” copies will get deleted permanently. You have to clean the work-station at first and remove MadDog ransomware infection. Leave the locked files as it is and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step1: Download the software in the work-station by clicking on the “Download” button below.

Step2: Execute the installer by clicking on downloaded files.

Step3: A license agreement page appears on the screen. Click on “Accept” to agree with its terms and use. Follow the on-screen instruction as mentioned and click on “Finish” button.

Step4: Once the installation gets completed, the program gets executed automatically. In the newly opened interface, select the file types that you want to recover and click on “Next”.

Step5: You can select the “Drives” on which you want the software to run and execute the recovery process. Next is to click on the “Scan” button.

Step6: Based on drive you select for scanning, the restore process begins. The whole process may take time depending on the volume of the selected drive and number of files. Once the process gets completed, a data explorer appears on the screen with preview of that data that is to be recovered. Select the files that you want to restore.

Step7. Next is to locate the location where you want to saver the recovered files.