ZQ Ransomware
The ZQ Ransomware is a fairly recently discovered ransomware threat. The main goal of the authors of such threats is to extort you for cash, as you might have guessed by the name. Ransomware threats are nasty particularly because they usually have the capability to encrypt your data and render it unusable unless you pay the creators the sum demanded. However, even if you do as you are told exactly, there is absolutely no guarantee that you will be given what you were promised because, after all, you are dealing with cybercriminals who take very little interest in being 'fair.' Malware researchers work hard to release free decryption tools to the public in an attempt to counter the attacks. Unfortunately, if you have fallen victim to the ZQ Ransomware, you most likely will not be able to recover your files via a publicly available decryption tool.
It is likely that the ZQ Ransomware is being propagated via fake email attachments, pirated software, fake downloads, updates, etc. If the ZQ Ransomware has infected your system, you will notice quickly that it has changed the extensions of your files by adding '.[w_decrypt24@qq.com].zq' at their ends. This means that a file named 'sliced-bread.jpeg' previously would be altered to 'sliced-bread.jpeg.[w_decrypt24@qq.com].zq.' When the ZQ Ransomware is done locking your data, it will drop a ransom note by the name '{HELP_DECRYPT}.txt.' The ransom note is very short, only containing an email where you can contact the authors of the ZQ Ransomware, 'w_decrypt24@qq.com', and the unique ID that the threat has generated for you. The creators do not mention the sum demanded.
It is certainly not recommended to follow the instructions of the cybercrooks behind the ZQ Ransomware as you are very likely to be left empty-handed even if you pay up. Your best chance is to attempt to recover some of the locked files via data recovery tools, but it is unlikely that you will be able to get much of the data back. To clear your computer, it is advised to install a legitimate anti-spyware suite, which would rid you of the ZQ Ransomware.
