Do you know what Qewe Ransomware is?
What do you know about Qewe Ransomware? Most likely, the extent of what you know is that this is an infection that made your files unreadable. The threat is programmed to corrupt documents, photos, archives, and everything else that you might not be able to replace or reinstall. The goal here is to make you pay money in return for a decryption tool that, allegedly, could restore the files. Unfortunately, some victims give in and follow the demands without even looking at other avenues. Hopefully, that is not how you are handling this situation because if you blindly follow the demands to contact the attackers and pay a huge ransom, you are unlikely to get your files decrypted anyway. Undoubtedly, we recommend that you focus on deleting Qewe Ransomware, but we also have some tips that might help you recover files after the removal. If you are interested, continue reading.
According to our researchers, most victims of Qewe Ransomware are likely to have opened spam email attachments or downloaded malware files posing as harmless files. The threat uses clandestine invasion methods so that victims could not detect and delete it right away. The same methods are used by Mpal Ransomware, Covm Ransomware, Koti Ransomware, and all other STOP Ransomware clones that are so prevalent these days. Obviously, if security software is installed to guard the operating system, this malware should not stand a chance of slithering in. The software should immediately detect and remove it before one single file is encrypted. If files are encrypted, their data is jumbled to make them inaccessible. Think of it as a new lock that requires a new key to open the door. The attackers behind Qewe Ransomware claim to offer a decryptor, but can you trust them?
Qewe Ransomware screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
The answer is very simple – you cannot trust them. If they get you to follow their instructions, they will get your money, and you will get nothing in return. The instructions that Qewe Ransomware introduces using a file named “_readme.txt” suggest that you need to send an email to helpmanager@mail.ch and helpdatarestore@firemail.cc and then pay a ransom of 490 USD. Depending on your financial situation, this might not seem like a lot. Unfortunately, whether the ransom was $1 or $1,000, it is unlikely that you would get a decryptor in return. The thing is that cybercriminals cannot be held accountable, and so they are free to do whatever they want. The good news is that malware researchers are not standing still. A tool named ‘STOP Decrypter’ was created, and maybe you can use it to recover at least some of the encrypted files. Another option is to replace the files with backups. Hopefully, you have created backups online or on external drives. If you have not done that yet, make it a point to do that after the removal.
We cannot promise that you will be able to recover or replace all corrupted files with the “.qewe” extension appended to them, but we can promise that you will be able to remove Qewe Ransomware. Of course, if you are interested in manual removal, you have to think very carefully if you have the skills and knowledge to succeed. The guide below should help you a lot. However, if you install a trusted anti-malware tool, we have no doubt that the malicious threat will be fully deleted. Even better, your system’s protection will be reinstated too, which is what you need if you want to fend off ransomware and other types of malware in the future. If you have questions about this, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section.
Remove Qewe Ransomware
- If you can identify the {unknown}.exe launcher file, Delete it.
- Tap Windows and E keys to access File Explorer.
- Enter %LOCALAPPDATA% into the field at the top to access the directory.
- Delete the folder with a random name that contains a malicious .exe file.
- Enter %HOMEDRIVE% into the field at the top to access the directory.
- Delete the folder named SystemID (contains PersonalID.txt) and a file named _readme.txt.
- Empty Recycle Bin and then quickly install a trusted malware scanner.
- Perform a thorough system scan and delete leftovers if any are found.
In non-techie terms:
If you care about your virtual security, you need to implement trusted anti-malware software ASAP. If you do that, you will not need to worry yourself about the removal of Qewe Ransomware or the decryption of your personal files. This malware encrypts personal files, and the attackers behind it claim that you can recover them only if you pay a hefty ransom. We do not believe this to be true, and we hope that all victims can either replace the corrupted files with their own backups or restore files using a free decryptor. In any case, Qewe Ransomware must be deleted first. If manual removal is not the best option for you, we suggest installing automated anti-malware software. We also recommend installing it for full-time protection against ransomware and other types of malware that it can provide you with.