Security News > 2023 > February > New MortalKombat ransomware decryptor recovers your files for free
Cybersecurity company Bitdefender has released a free MortalKombat ransomware decryptor that victims can use to restore their files without paying a ransom.
This quick cracking is likely because MortalKombat is based on Xorist, a commodity ransomware family decryptable since 2016.
The MortalKombat decryptor is a standalone executable that needs no installation on infected devices.
A standard command-line example for the decryptor would be "BDMortalKombatDecryptTool.exe start -full-scan -replace-existing", which causes the decryptor to scan the entire filesystem and overwrite existing files with clean versions.
It should be noted that the operator of MortalKombat ransomware was observed dropping a copy of the Laplas clipboard hijacker on the target machines in many cases.
To minimize the risk of ransomware and malware infections, avoid downloading files from obscure sources or attachments from unsolicited emails.