Mole02 Ransomware Removal Guide

From what we have discovered while researching Mole02 Ransomware, it seems to us this malicious program should belong to the so-called CryptoMix Ransomware family, for example, Revenge Ransomware, CryptoShield Ransomware, and so on. This newest edition to the family might be distributed via Spam emails. Thus, users might receive the infection after opening an unreliable email attachment. You can identify the threat, by the way, it marks the files it enciphers since the malware’s title comes from . MOLE02 extension that is added at the end of each encrypted file’s title. If you noticed it on your personal data, we recommend reading the rest of our article and get to know Mole02 Ransomware better. Needless to say, it is advisable to remove this malware from the system if you wish to maintain it clean and protected. One way to eliminate it is to erase data related to it manually; our recommended deletion steps situated at the end of the text should help you achieve this.

Mole02 Ransomware should infect the system the second you open its launcher, although the process could be stopped if the targeted computer is protected by a trustworthy security tool. Before it starts enciphering user’s personal files (e.g. photos, pictures, documents, videos, and so on), the threat may create three Registry entries to make the computer launch the malicious program automatically with the operating system. In case the user removes the ransomware’s launcher, it could create a copy of it in the %APPDATA% folder, and the mentioned Registry entries would be associated with this copy instead of the launcher you might have downloaded from Spam emails.

Soon after Mole02 Ransomware settles in, it should locate its targeted files and begin their encryption. By the time the malware finishes this task, you might no longer recognize any of your personal data since all enciphered files should now have random titles and MOLE02 extension, for example, 48F86F123704A01ED42EEBC137788482.MOLE02. Among encrypted data, you may notice one text document that can be opened. Our specialists say it could be called _HELP_INSTRUCTION.TXT. The message inside it says: “Decrypting of your files is only possible with the private key and decrypt program, which is on our secret server.” Unfortunately, for sending you these tools the infection’s developers will most likely ask you to pay a ransom. We strongly advise against putting up with any demands because these people cannot be trusted and by doing so you would risk losing your money in vain.

If you do not think gambling with your money is a wise idea either, we advise you to concentrate on how to remove the malware and clean the system rather than risk your savings for tools you may never receive. It was mentioned at the beginning that one of the ways to get rid of Mole02 Ransomware is to erase its data manually according to the instructions located below this paragraph. The other way to handle the malicious program is to employ a reliable security tool of your choice and perform a system scan. The process could take some time, but once the antimalware software finishes checking the system, you will have a report with a list of detections, and you should be able to eliminate all of them at once.

Erase Mole02 Ransomware

1. Click Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
2. Pick Task Manager and go to the Processes tab.
3. Find a randomly named process belonging to the infection.
4. Select this process and tap the End Task button.
5. Leave Task Manager.
6. Press Win+E.
7. Locate the malware’s launcher; it could be in the following locations:
   %TEMP%
   %USERPROFILE%\desktop
   %USERPROFILE%\downloads
8. Right-click it and press Delete.
9. Insert %APPDATA% into the File Explorer and click Enter.
10. Locate randomly titled executable file (e.g. 0EBCF2F2.exe), right-click it and press Delete.
11. Exit the File Explorer and press Win+R.
12. Type Regedit into the given box and pick OK.
13. Find these paths one by one:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
14. Search for value names belonging to the malware (e.g. 0EBCF2F2, 00AE0EBCF2F2, and so on).
15. Right-click the threat’s value names one by one and tap Delete.
16. Close Registry Editor.
17. Empty Recycle bin and restart the PC.