Certain series of activities usually take place once cybercriminals succeed in infecting any computer. First is the commencement of the encryption process. Files stored in the infected computer would automatically become unreadable. Such files may include MS Word documents, pictures, videos, PDFs, etc. Afterward, .mppn extension would be appended to each file name. What it means is that files saved as 1.png, 2.jpg, or 3.jpeg automatically transform to 1.png.mppn, 2.jpg.mppn and 3.jpeg.mppn respectively. What happens next is the creation of the ransom note. It is all about letting the victim know about the situation. This is done through short messages (known as _readme.txt) dropped in all the affected folders.

Ransom note contents

Also contained in the _readme.txt notifications are two emails e.g. support@fishmail.top and datarestorehelp@airmail.cc. The idea is for the victim to reach out to them for possible assistance in recovering their encrypted files. But when victims decide to seek their help, they typically respond by demanding a ransom fee of $980 as a prerequisite. Other conditions may include a promise to slash the ransom fee by half if the victim can pay within 72 hours of being asked to do so. The ransom fee slash becomes nullified once the 3 days payment window elapses, meaning only the maximum fee will be accepted. It doesn’t end there; they also insist that payment must be made with the use of cryptocurrency. In other words, the victim must buy cryptocurrency that is worth the ransom fee and equally send it to a wallet address that will be provided by the cybercriminals. It should be noted that cybercriminals prefer such anonymous methods of payment because they don’t want to be tracked down and apprehended. It is not worth it to go through all these troubles based on previous experiences as narrated by victims. When cybercriminals receive ransom from their victims, they usually disappear into thin air or forward fake decryption tools that won’t work. Also, there are other reasons why victims of a ransomware attack should never pay a ransom. We came up with this advice after considering the effects of paying a ransom. It is also necessary to emphasize that our stand on this issue is in tandem with the recommendations the FBI and other reputable cybersecurity organizations put forward. Some of the reasons why paying ransom is discouraged include the following:

It is generally against the law in many countries. Ransom payment encourages cybercriminals to continue their illegal activities. More funds in the hands of cybercriminals make it easy for them to expand their operations. Victims that pay ransom make themselves prone to further attacks in the future. Ransom payments make criminality profitable for cybercriminals.

If you have been affected by this computer virus, we recommend you to remove MPPN ransomware without a delay. You can follow the instructions below the article to learn how to start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Then, we recommend that you use a trustworthy antivirus, such as INTEGO Antivirus to remove the malware. Afterward, you may want to try RESTORO (secure download link), which is a great tool for repairing virus damage on Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

Major ways used by cybercriminals in distributing ransomware virus

Almost every computer user understands the need to protect their PCs against all forms of malware. However, many still fail to do the right thing, thereby falling victim to cybercriminals. Although there are different methods used by cybercriminals in spreading ransomware viruses, we will point out the three most common ones. Award-winning antivirus solution for your PC. Robust security software that provides robust 24/7 real-time protection, Web Shield that stops online threats/malicious downloads, and Prevention engine that wards off Zero-Day threats. Keep your PC safe and protected against ransomware, Trojans, viruses, spyware and other forms of dangerous programs.

P2P Sharing Networks and Online Torrent Sites

Cybercriminals promote the circulation of cloned software content via peer-to-peer sharing networks. They understand that some software users don’t like paying the fees demanded by the brand owners. So what they do is to pirate those in high demand, embed them with malware and aid their distribution via P2P. Those using P2P are only putting their computer at serious risk of malware infection. Instead of getting involved in such risky activities, software content should be paid for and downloaded using officially recognized platforms. Using online torrent sites to spread malware is another option used by cybercriminals. This method is similar to P2P because cloned software content is illegally uploaded for mass downloads on rogue websites, and then can be downloaded via P2P sharing software. Cybercriminals often make it appear like a cheap alternative but remember they’re not doing it to help others but to spread the virus. To avoid becoming a victim, you should never make use of online torrent platforms. It’s better to pay the official price for any software and safely download it to your computer. We have compiled a list of popular software copies cybercriminals often pirate and use to spread ransomware viruses. They are in no particular order:

VMware Workstation; HP Printer Drivers; Cubase; Adobe Photoshop; Adobe Illustrator; Internet Download Manager; League of Legends; Microsoft Office; FIFA 22; Corel Draw; Tenorshare 4ukey.

Use of Fake Emails & Attachments

Sometimes, cybercriminals may also attach remote access Trojans to the primary virus. RATs are used by these rogues to steal important personal information such as credit card details, banking information, software login information, etc. They can even hide in any computer for a long time if the computer does not have genuine antivirus installed. To sum up, there are other dos and don’ts that should be complied with to ensure the safety of any computer. One of such is to avoid the use of pirated or cloned versions of software copies. Cybercriminals can be cunning, so they select popular software copies, clone and embed them with malware before circulating them. Unsuspecting end users may consider such cloned variants as a cheap alternative to genuine ones. However, we have concluded that such an assumption is false. It is much better to pay the price requested by the copyright owners and be safe instead of using the cloned versions. Using cloned versions can result in loss of important files and man hours, as well as disruption of work or even loss of money. Finally, users should be extremely careful and inspect the sources they choose to download software from. Trusting suspicious websites that promise premium software for free is a bad idea.

MPPN Ransomware Virus Removal

We advise that victims remove MPPN ransomware virus ASAP. The reliable way of getting rid of it is by using any genuine antivirus software. However, INTEGO Antivirus has proven to be very effective. Other vital steps that should be taken after MPPN ransomware removal include the following:

Changing all passwords that were previously used in the compromised computer. Restoration of lost files using a backup device. If necessary, you should consider informing relevant local authorities about the situation. Download INTEGO Antivirus to see what files can be repaired after the ransomware attack.

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 MPPN 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 MPPN 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 MPPN files

Fix and open large MPPN 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. MPPN 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 MPPN files, follow the given tutorial.

Meanings of decryptor’s messages

The MPPN 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 MPPN 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 MPPN 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.