The aim of this ransomware is to extort the computer user financially. The virus is designed to lock personal files so that they could no longer be accessed by their owner, and cause frustration for one. The malware then leaves messages from the attackers that the victim is expected to pay a ransom in order to recover encrypted data. Victims usually download this threat via pirated software versions advertised online.

Contents of the ransom note explained

The cybercriminals explain their intentions and expectations of what the victim should do in a ransom note called _readme.txt. It begins with a large “Attention!” line, which is then followed by a reassurance that the victim can still recover all of the lost data. According to the next statements, the only way to recover files is to pay a ransom for the cybercriminals, and if the victim wants some “guarantees” that the criminals can recover data, one can send a sample of encrypted file to the attackers via email. The note includes two email addresses that belong to the cybercriminals – support@bestyourmail.ch and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. The perpetrators also state that MMDT file decryption tool costs $980, but the victim can get a 50% discount if one writes to the attackers within 72 hours starting from the computer infection timestamp. This means the costs $490. The criminals only accept cryptocurrency payments, preferably made in Bitcoin. They may elaborate on this topic more once the victim contacts them via email. Cybersecurity professionals do not recommend paying the virtual criminals. Moreover, victims can read more why payments should not be made in this FBI guide for ransomware victims. The main reasons why it is not a good idea to pay up are outlined below:

Paying the ransom does not, in any way, provide you guarantees that the criminals will do what they promised, plus, there won’t be any chance to get a refund.Sending money to criminals motivates them, plus allows them to expand their criminal operations and attack more people.Malware operators often repeatedly target or blackmail people who have already paid the ransom, in hopes to extract more money from a tractable victim.

This ransomware often arrives with Remote Access Trojans

Victims of STOP/DJVU ransomware, including the described variant, should be aware of the fact that this computer threat rarely arrives on its own. Malware analysts point out that it often arrives with Remote Access Trojans (RATs) – VIDAR or AZORult, both known for their capabilities to steal browser-saved passwords, cookies, browsing history, cryptocurrency wallet data or even coins stored in offline wallets. With their hands on such sensitive information, crooks can steal victim’s accounts or even continue to blackmail the computer user. It is essential to take care of your computer’s security, so we believe that you should remove MMDT ransomware virus along other malware installed ASAP. The best way to do it is to boot your computer in Safe Mode with Networking and run a genuine antivirus solution to do its job. You can find instructions on how to prepare your computer for the malware removal below. In addition, we advise that you download RESTORO and use it to repair some virus-damaged Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE To see how encrypted files appear in data folders, see the image below.

Ransomware distribution strategies and how to stay safe

MMDT ransomware virus spreads in a form of pirated software versions under different names. The cybercriminals who operate the STOP/DJVU ransomware tend to advertise these fake downloads via rogue websites, claiming they provide free ways to activate premium software with the help of cracks and key generators. Such rogue websites usually allow the user to download the alleged software setup via direct link or via torrents. No matter which way, the victim receives an archived file, which is often password-protected, with a malicious setup.exe file inside of it. Once it is run, it launches the malware on the computer. Users should never visit rogue websites promoting illegal downloads. Instead, they should go to legitimate websites that provide genuine software versions. It is a safe way to get the software they need without any security and privacy risks involved. Phishing emails are also commonly used to spread malware. Cybercriminals attach malicious files to them, usually in DOCX, XLS or PDF formats. If the victim falls for the trick and opens the attachment, the computer can get severely infected. It is important to stay cautious when checking email, especially in these times when cybercriminals are so crafty when composing deceptive messages. They tend to pretend to be someone else, for example, a well-known company or target’s colleague, and lie about important documents that need to be reviewed by the target. The attachments usually come named as invoices, subscription renewal details, order summaries, waybills, etc. However, computer users should use common sense and never interact with emails that weren’t awaited or come from entities that they have no business with. In addition, we advise looking out for other red flags such as unfamiliar sender’s greeting line, grammar or typo errors, weird-looking sender’s email address and other suspicious details that should alert you about malevolent intentions behind the email.

Remove MMDT ransomware virus and decrypt or recover your files

Computer users who have fallen victim to the described computer malware should endeavor to remove MMDT ransomware virus as quickly as possible. We advise looking at the instructions provided by our team and start your PC in Safe Mode with Networking. From there, you can safely run a genuine copy of an antivirus software and let it automatically detect components of the malware that infected your PC. Afterward, we recommend you to download RESTORO to identify Windows OS files damaged by the virus and try to repair them automatically. Once MMDT virus removal is finalized, check out these additional recommendations:

Use data backups or other resources in your control to restore encrypted data.Inform local law enforcement agency about the cyberattack.Change all passwords for online accounts that you used to access via the compromised computer.

OUR GEEKS RECOMMEND Our team recommends a two-step rescue plan to remove ransomware and other remaining malware from your computer, plus repair caused virus damage to the system: GeeksAdvice.com editors select recommended products based on their effectiveness. We may earn a commission from affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Get INTEGO ANTIVIRUS for Windows to remove ransomware, Trojans, adware and other spyware and malware variants and protect your PC and network drives 24/7. This VB100-certified security software uses state-of-art technology to provide protection against ransomware, Zero-Day attacks and advanced threats, Intego Web Shield blocks dangerous websites, phishing attacks, malicious downloads and installation of potentially unwanted programs. Use INTEGO Antivirus to remove detected threats from your computer. Read full review here. RESTORO provides a free scan that helps to identify hardware, security and stability issues and presents a comprehensive report which can help you to locate and fix detected issues manually. It is a great PC repair software to use after you remove malware with professional antivirus. The full version of software will fix detected issues and repair virus damage caused to your Windows OS files automatically. RESTORO uses AVIRA scanning engine to detect existing spyware and malware. If any are found, the software will eliminate them. Read full review here.

Method 1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking

Before you try to remove MMDT Ransomware Virus virus, you must start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Below, we provide the easiest ways to boot PC in the said mode, but you can find additional ones in this in-depth tutorial on our website – How to Start Windows in Safe Mode. Also, if you prefer a video version of the tutorial, check our guide How to Start Windows in Safe Mode on Youtube. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users Now, you can search for and remove MMDT Ransomware Virus files. It is very hard to identify files and registry keys that belong to the ransomware virus, Besides, malware creators tend to rename and change them repeatedly. Therefore, the easiest way to uninstall such type of a computer virus is to use a reliable security program such as INTEGO Antivirus. For virus damage repair, consider using RESTORO.

Method 2. Use System Restore

In order to use System Restore, you must have a system restore point, created either manually or automatically. Instructions for Windows XP/Vista/7 users Instructions for Windows 8/8.1/10/11 users After restoring the system, we recommend scanning the system with antivirus or anti-malware software. In most cases, there won’t be any malware remains, but it never hurts to double-check. In addition, we highly recommend checking ransomware prevention guidelines provided by our experts in order to protect your PC against similar viruses in the future.

Alternative software recommendations

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Removing spyware and malware is one step towards cybersecurity. To protect yourself against ever-evolving threats, we strongly recommend purchasing a Premium version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which provides security based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Includes ransomware protection. See pricing options and protect yourself now.

System Mechanic Ultimate Defense If you’re looking for an all-in-one system maintenance suite that has 7 core components providing powerful real-time protection, on-demand malware removal, system optimization, data recovery, password manager, online privacy protection and secure driver wiping technology. Therefore, due to its wide-range of capabilities, System Mechanic Ultimate Defense deserves Geek’s Advice approval. Get it now for 50% off. You may also be interested in its full review.

Disclaimer. This site includes affiliate links. We may earn a small commission by recommending certain products, at no additional cost for you. We only choose quality software and services to recommend.

Decrypt MMDT files

Fix and open large MMDT files easily:

It is reported that STOP/DJVU ransomware versions encrypt only the beginning 150 KB of each file to ensure that the virus manages to affect all files on the system. In some cases, the malicious program might skip some files at all. That said, we recommend testing this method on several big (>1GB) files first.

STOP/DJVU decryption tool usage guide

STOP/DJVU ransomware versions are grouped into old and new variants. MMDT Ransomware Virus is considered the new STOP/DJVU variant, just like BPTO, ISWR, ISZA, BPSM, ZOUU, MBTF, ZNSM (find full list here). This means full data decryption is now possible only if you have been affected by offline encryption key. To decrypt your files, you will have to download Emsisoft Decryptor for STOP DJVU, a tool created and maintained by a genius security researcher Michael Gillespie. Note! Please do not spam the security researcher with questions whether he can recover your files encrypted with online key - it is not possible. In order to test the tool and see if it can decrypt MMDT files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The MMDT decryption tool might display several different messages after failed attempt to restore your files. You might receive one of the following messages: Error: Unable to decrypt file with ID: [example ID] This message typically means that there is no corresponding decryption key in the decryptor’s database. No key for New Variant online ID: [example ID]Notice: this ID appears to be an online ID, decryption is impossible This message informs that your files were encrypted with online key, meaning no one else has the same encryption/decryption key pair, therefore data recovery without paying the criminals is impossible. Result: No key for new variant offline ID: [example ID]This ID appears to be an offline ID. Decryption may be possible in the future. If you were informed that an offline key was used, but files could not be restored, it means that the offline decryption key isn’t available yet. However, receiving this message is extremely good news, meaning that it might be possible to restore your MMDT extension files in the future. It can take a few months until the decryption key gets found and uploaded to the decryptor. We recommend you to follow updates regarding the decryptable DJVU versions here. We strongly recommend backing up your encrypted data and waiting.

Victims of MMDT Ransomware Virus should report the Internet crime incident to the official government fraud and scam website according to their country:

In the United States, go to the On Guard Online website.In Australia, go to the SCAMwatch website.In Germany, go to the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik website.In Ireland, go to the An Garda Síochána website.In New Zealand, go to the Consumer Affairs Scams website.In the United Kingdom, go to the Action Fraud website.In Canada, go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.In India, go to Indian National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.In France, go to the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information.

If you can’t find an authority corresponding to your location on this list, we recommend using any search engine to look up “[your country name] report cyber crime”. This should lead you to the right authority website. We also recommend staying away from third-party crime report services that are often paid. It costs nothing to report Internet crime to official authorities. Another recommendation is to contact your country’s or region’s federal police or communications authority.