In January 2023, there were many victims of MortalKombat ransomware. Those who did not pay the ransom could not decrypt their files. Now, Bitdefender has quickly released a free decryptor for MortalKombat ransomware victims.
A Bitdefender-developed universal decryptor for files encrypted by hackers with the latest version of MortalKombat ransomware is now available for free download for victims of the ransomware attacks. The MortalKombat ransomware family was first observed in January 2023.
Ransomware comes via phishing email
MortalKombat is based on the Xorist ransomware and has so far spread via phishing emails primarily in the USA, Great Britain, Turkey and the Philippines. Based on a software builder, cyber criminals can quickly adapt the malware to the respective victims. For example, they specify different file extensions – also for the encrypted data – or design new wallpapers and send the blackmail letter.
Malware looks specifically for wallet addresses
The ransomware also monitors clipboards and scans them for information about Bitcoin miners' wallet addresses. Once the hackers copy such an address, they replace it with an address they control, thereby hijacking victims' transactions.
Developed by Bitdefender, Decryptor is available for download here. Users can specify specific paths to search for encrypted data or search the entire system. This also happens without a menu via the command line, so that the search for encrypted files in large networks runs conveniently in the background.
Decryption programs saved victims $1,6 billion
Bitdefender has saved many companies from having to pay ransoms through its industry-wide decryptor development initiative, which it estimates is worth a total of around $1,6 billion.
More at Bitdefender.com
About Bitdefender Bitdefender is a leading global provider of cybersecurity solutions and antivirus software, protecting over 500 million systems in more than 150 countries. Since it was founded in 2001, the company's innovations have consistently ensured excellent security products and intelligent protection for devices, networks and cloud services for private customers and companies. As the supplier of choice, Bitdefender technology is found in 38 percent of security solutions deployed around the world and is trusted and recognized by industry experts, manufacturers and customers alike. www.bitdefender.de