How to remove Mijnal Ransomware and decrypt .mijnal files

What is Mijnal Ransomware

Crypto-Locker Mijnal is a ransomware-type infection that encodes personal data with AES+RSA algorithms. The application of such means that the assigned cipher is hard to break using traditional methods. In other words, it makes sure manual decryption does not take place after data is locked. Unfortunately, in most cases, it appears to be impossible indeed, but you should give it a try after reading this text. Alike other infections, Mijnal encrypts your data by changing a file extension to .mijnal. For example, a sample like 1.mp4 will be altered to 1.mp4.mijnal and reset its original icon. After the encryption process gets to a close, the virus creates a text note called README_LOCK.txt that contains redemption instructions.

The information presented inside is written in Russian, which means that developers mainly focus on the CIS regions. However, there are some English users that may be affected by it as well. If you are willing to decrypt your data as soon as possible, cybercriminals ask victims to open the attached link via the Tor browser and follow the instructions right there. Then, extortionists will more likely ask you to pay a certain amount in Bitcoin to gain access back to your data. Despite paying the ransom is usually the only method to overcome data encryption, we recommend against meeting any requests as it can be dangerous for your pocket and privacy as well. Cybercriminals tend to fool desperate victims and steal their money away not giving the promised decryption. Our advice is to delete Mijnal Ransomware from your computer and recover the data from an external backup. If there was nothing created prior to the infection, you can still try to use third-party tools to restore your data below.

How Mijnal Ransomware infected your computer

Like many other infections of this sort, Mijnal can be distributed via unprotected RDP configuration, trojans, backdoors, keyloggers, e-mail spam, fake software cracking tools, malicious advertisements, and other channels as well. However, most popularly, ransomware has been infiltrated through spam messages delivered to e-mail. Users receiving such messages, usually deal with malicious files attached to the letters. Cybercriminals make everything possible to exploit visual tricks and force people into opening files that are disguised as MS Office documents, PDFs, executables, and JavaScript files. Unfortunately, if you interact with them, chances are your system will be infected with malicious software. This is why most cyber experts recommend users to set up e-mail protection and other instruments that help you negate dangerous content. Our guide below will also show some important tips to improve online safety and combat infections like Mijnal Ransomware in the future.

1. Download Mijnal Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .mijnal files
3. Recover encrypted files with Stellar Data Recovery Professional
4. Restore encrypted files with Windows Previous Versions
5. Restore files with Shadow Explorer
6. How to protect from threats like Mijnal Ransomware

Mijnal Ransomware files:


README_LOCK.TXT
OpenTheTorBrouser.html
Wbadmin.1.etl
KEY.FILE
xhome.exe
OCCT.exe


Mijnal Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .mijnal files

Use automated decryptors

Download Kaspersky RakhniDecryptor

Use following tool from Kaspersky called Rakhni Decryptor, that can decrypt .mijnal files. Download it here:

Download RakhniDecryptor

There is no purpose to pay the ransom because there is no guarantee you will receive the key, but you will put your bank credentials at risk.

Dr.Web Rescue Pack

Famous antivirus vendor Dr. Web provides free decryption service for the owners of its products: Dr.Web Security Space or Dr.Web Enterprise Security Suite. Other users can ask for help in the decryption of .mijnal files by uploading samples to Dr. Web Ransomware Decryption Service. Analyzing of files will be performed free of charge and if files are decryptable, all you need to do is purchase a 2-year license of Dr.Web Security Space worth $120 or less. Otherwise, you don’t have to pay.

If you are infected with Mijnal Ransomware and removed it from your computer you can try to decrypt your files. Antivirus vendors and individuals create free decryptors for some crypto-lockers. To attempt to decrypt them manually you can do the following:

Use Stellar Data Recovery Professional to restore .mijnal files

1. Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional.
2. Click Recover Data button.
3. Select type of files you want to restore and click Next button.
4. Choose location where you would like to restore files from and click Scan button.
5. Preview found files, choose ones you will restore and click Recover.

Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Using Windows Previous Versions option:

1. Right-click on infected file and choose Properties.
2. Select Previous Versions tab.
3. Choose particular version of the file and click Copy.
4. To restore the selected file and replace the existing one, click on the Restore button.
5. In case there is no items in the list choose alternative method.

Using Shadow Explorer:

1. Download Shadow Explorer program.
2. Run it and you will see screen listing of all the drives and the dates that shadow copy was created.
3. Select the drive and date that you want to restore from.
4. Right-click on a folder name and select Export.
5. In case there are no other dates in the list, choose alternative method.

If you are using Dropbox:

1. Login to the DropBox website and go to the folder that contains encrypted files.
2. Right-click on the encrypted file and select Previous Versions.
3. Select the version of the file you wish to restore and click on the Restore button.

How to protect computer from viruses, like Mijnal Ransomware, in future

1. Get special anti-ransomware software

Use ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

Famous antivirus brand ZoneAlarm by Check Point released a comprehensive tool, that will help you with active anti-ransomware protection, as an additional shield to your current protection. The tool provides Zero-Day protection against ransomware and allows you to recover files. ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware is compatible with all other antiviruses, firewalls, and security software except ZoneAlarm Extreme (already shipped with ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware) or Check Point Endpoint products. The killer features of this application are: automatic file recovery, overwrite protection that instantly and automatically recovers any encrypted files, file protection that detects and blocks even unknown encryptors.

Download ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

2. Back up your files

As an additional way to save your files, we recommend online backup. Local storages, such as hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, or remote network storages can be instantly infected by the virus once plugged in or connected to. Mijnal Ransomware uses some techniques to exploit this. One of the best services and programs for easy automatic online backup is iDrive. It has the most profitable terms and a simple interface. You can read more about iDrive cloud backup and storage here.

3. Do not open spam e-mails and protect your mailbox

Malicious attachments to spam or phishing e-mails are the most popular method of ransomware distribution. Using spam filters and creating anti-spam rules is good practice. One of the world leaders in anti-spam protection is MailWasher Pro. It works with various desktop applications and provides a very high level of anti-spam protection.

Download MailWasher Pro