The Mado Ransomware is Blocking Valuable Files and Obtaining Money Directly From Victims

Mado Ransomware - a threat belonging to the family of the infamous cryptocurrency viruses, focusing on scaring people into paying the required amounts. The creators of this malware, driven by money, are simply criminals who only care about their profits, regardless of the consequences for the victim. The first step in a ransomware attack of this type is the process of blocking files, during which advanced encryption methods are used to encode photographs, images, documents, and even databases or files. Since this threat is a version of the  Djvu ransomware, it is known to receive constant updates to its encryption and other encryption processes.

Mado Ransomware-Cloud Antivirus

Its previous versions were decryptable with  STOPDecrypter, but the most recent changes corrected these vulnerabilities and made the virus indecipherable. In the past, offline keys were used, which helped in the decryption process, but since August 2019, online keys have become the most accessible method for encryption. When an online key is set up individually for each victim, there is no way to allow investigators to discover all the keys and develop a universal decryption tool. There is still the  Emsisoft decryption tool, capable of recovering victims' files with offline keys (typically ending in t1), but the latest versions, such as  Remk, Npsk, or  Opqz use only online keys.

For all versions that appeared before the Mado crypto virus, the initial message from criminals and malware writers is distributed with the help of a ransom note with the name _readme.txt. This particular page has not been modified for several years and contains the same text to encourage payment and some additional information about the methods of communication (emails helpdatarestore@firemail.cc, helpmanager@mail.ch), and the number of Bitcoins that criminals demand it. Even if a redemption discount is offered during the first 72 hours, paying criminals may not guarantee the return of your files. In most cases, when victims decide to pay, they are more likely to suffer even more losses instead of receiving a decryption tool.

Mado ransomware uses several methods that compromise the infected computer and system, so it is not easy to decrypt or recover files. This malware is able to delete and add files on your computer so that you cannot access or use necessary functions. Ransomware can merge JavaScript code and download or install additional payloads of malware, Trojans, and other programs designed to steal information. It is known that the DJVU and STOP versions of this ransomware distribute  AZORult in the second stage of the attack.

You need appropriate anti-malware tools before even thinking about recovering your data, as long as the Mado ransomware is not completely eliminated, your data is at risk of permanent damage from secondary encryption or additional malware. Unfortunately, paying the ransom is also not the best option, and you should avoid any contact with the criminals responsible for distributing threats in order to extort cryptocurrencies and blackmail victims.

Additional Mado Virus Files Can Permanently Damage the Machine

Remember that money is the main objective of criminals, so you need to remove the Mado ransomware as soon as you receive the file demanding money on your screen. The virus can alter various parts of the infected machine, so the options for removing malware and recovering your data are limitless. These changes include:

  • files added or data removed in system folders;
  • deactivating security programs or data recovery features;
  • installing applications or even malware;
  • affected entries in the Windows Registry.

These changes can significantly affect the device and your machine may never recover when the Mado ransomware runs for too long. You need to eliminate the threat and ensure the restoration of all system files, functions, and features when you want to recover the affected data. By running Reimage or any other repair tool for your PC, it is possible to repair the damage caused by the virus and correct problems in the performance of your machine when necessary, so there are more options to restore your files.

The infection of the Mado virus is complex due to all the processes that run in the background and additional distribution of malicious payloads when the computer is hacked. However, the infiltration is hidden, as well as all activities performed in silence. You, as a victim, cannot identify the information theft process, but you can detect differences in the overall speed or performance of your device. These are the aspects that indicate the attack of the virus and attract your attention.

React as quickly as possible and at the very least make sure that your machine has an anti-malware program or other security tools to obtain the best results in eliminating the Mado ransomware. There are several options for this type of software, but be sure to select a reliable tool and, if necessary, restart your machine in Safe Mode with Networking. This is one of the additional options that we have listed at the end of this article to help you improve your cleaning results.

The creators of the Mado ransomware deliver the following message to their victims in the _readme.txt text file that encourages payments via Bitcoin:

As soon as you receive the message from the creators of the Mado ransomware, you should ignore these statements and proceed with the removal of the malware immediately. There is no need to wait for more scary messages or payment demands, so you should rely on anti-malware tools and eliminate the virus immediately. Only then can you think about the options for recovering your data.

As we mentioned previously, there are several versions in the same family of Mado ransomware that can be decrypted with the available tool, and the official search program has not yet been created. The options provided by your operating system are still viable, but the virus can also damage private files, so carefully follow the guide provided at the end of this article.  

Malicious Files Hide the Payload of Ransomware

Cryptovirus is one of the most complex and powerful infections in this world full of threats because it can infiltrate the machine in a hidden way, without raising any suspicion to the user. Its invasion is possible thanks to malicious files and data injected with malware scripts attached to emails or included in torrent files for installations of crack tools or cheats:

  • installers;
  • cracks;
  • application corrections;
  • keygens;
  • patches;
  • certificate enablers.

With regard to software services and torrent websites, it is not possible to detect these additions if you do not pay attention to the content in the package that you initially download. Regarding spam emails, these infections can be stopped in advance as soon as you unexpectedly receive a suspicious email with alleged financial information or other false data. Be careful and try to pay attention to the sources you use on the Internet so that you can avoid any kind of infections, not just ransomware.

Eliminating the Mado Ransomware Requires Professional Help

The Mado virus can hide activities with fake Windows Update messages (Windows updates) and program windows that appear while running so that it does not consider other reasons for the speed and performance problems on the computer. It is a complex threat that displays only results in the encryption process, while the rest of the malware's functionality remains hidden.

For this reason, we recommend that you obtain reliable anti-malware tools for the elimination of the Mado ransomware and that you completely analyze your system, so that the security software indicates all threats and eliminates as many intruders or malicious files as possible. Only reliable security applications like SpyHunter 5 or Malwarebytes are able to carry out this process automatically. Experts advise you to stay away from any manual interference with system folders or other areas of the computer. But advanced antivirus software like Protegent360 cloud antivirus can protect your data.

It is not difficult to remove Mado ransomware with an anti-malware program when the tool is able to detect and indicate all files and programs related to the threat. When the list of malicious applications is displayed, you need to agree to the process and allow the tool to eliminate everything that is considered dangerous. The only action you will have to perform on your own is to repair system files and correct damage caused by the virus with a tool such as Reimage. Then, you can recover your files.

Comments