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ZAQI ransomware is a malicious computer virus designed to encrypt your files

ZAQI ransomware is a file-encrypting malicious virus that belongs to the STOP/DJVU ransomware family. It is notorious for encrypting all files contained in any computer it infiltrates and at the same time appends each file name with .zaqi extensions. E.g., a file formerly saved as 1.jpg will be renamed 1.jpg.zaqi and same routine will be applied continuously. During the attack, a ransom note called _readme.txt will be dropped in all the folders. Contained in the ransom note is a message from the cybercriminals informing the victim to reach out to them in order to pay a specific amount of money in exchange for ZAQI decryption tool.

The ransom note will emphasize that the entire data contained in the compromised computer has been encrypted by ZAQI ransomware virus, and they made use of a very strong encryption key. Therefore, the only way the victim could ever regain access to the files is by paying ransom. Also included in the message are two email addresses (manager@mailtemp.ch and helpsupportmanager@airmail.cc) which the victim is expected to write to in order to get in touch with the criminals.

In addition to that, decryption service prices would also be provided with terms and conditions attached to it. They will notify that if the victim is able to comply within the next 72 hours i.e. 3 days, a 50% discount will be granted, which means that instead of paying a ransom fee of $980, $490 would be acceptable. However, once the 3 days grace period elapses, only the full amount is what must be paid.

Once they’re contacted via email, the cybercriminals will clarify that cash payment is prohibited; instead the victim would have to pay with digital currency such as Bitcoin. They will request that the cryptocurrency worth of the ransom fee should be transferred to their own wallet address. The main reason why they chose this medium of payment is to cover their tracks and avoid any link law enforcement agencies could use to identify them. In order to bolster their confidence and motivate to pay the ransom, the cybercriminals may suggest for random files to be sent to them for test decryption but will warn that such file shouldn’t contain valuable information.

Our cybersecurity experts advise that victims should follow FBI’s directive which is against the payment of ransom; therefore, the consensus recommendation is NO TO RANSOM PAYMENT! This standpoint is logical considering the following issues:

• There is no guarantee you will retrieve your lost data even after paying ransom;
• Paying ransom is a form of indirect endorsement of criminal activities;
• More money in the hands of cybercriminals would enhance their capacity to commit more crimes against the public.

Criminals involved in ransomware are increasingly milking millions of dollars from their victims who inadvertently had their computer systems infected by these file-encrypting malwares. Thus it is very important reduce it drastically by putting a stop to ransom payment.

In addition to that, the virus usually drops Trojans such as AZORULT and VIDAR that are notorious for their information stealing ability. They can surreptitiously steal vital personal information like Passwords, banking details, cryptocurrency wallets, and software login credentials among others. Such sensitive information in the wrong hands can lead to further problems like blackmails or theft.

If you are already a victim of this variant of STOP/DJVU virus, you shouldn’t panic but it’s very important to remove ZAQI ransomware with immediate effect. You will need a strong antivirus software and also put your computer in Safe Mode with Networking option before you can effectively remove traces of the virus safely. If you’re unsure which antivirus to use, you may want to take our recommendation and try INTEGO Antivirus, which has outstanding malware detection rate. Additionally, we recommend you to download RESTORO to repair virus damage inflicted on Windows OS files.

Ransomware Summary

Name	ZAQI Ransomware Virus
Type	Ransomware; Crypto-malware; Virtual Extortion Virus
Family	STOP/DJVU
Encryption type	RSA 2048 + Salsa20
Previous versions	VYIA, QBAA, FOPA, VTYM, KQGS, XCBG, BPQD (find full list here)
Version	372nd
Extension	.zaqi
Cybercriminal emails	manager@mailtemp.ch, helprestoremanager@airmail.cc
Additional malware dropped	Azorult or Vidar Trojan
Damage	The ransomware encrypts all data on target computer, marking each file with an additional .zaqi extension. The malware saves _readme.txt ransom notes in every folder to provide the victim with information about possible data decryption solution. This file-encrypting malware often drops additional threats, such as information-stealing Trojans. The ransomware deletes Volume Shadow Copies to prevent access to existing System Restore Points. Some ransomware variants tend to edit Windows HOSTS file by uploading a list of domains to restrict victim’s access to them.
Ransom note	_readme.txt
Ransom demand	$490-$980 in Bitcoin
Distribution	Victims often download this ransomware along illegal torrent downloads, cracked software, activators, key generators or tools like KMSPico.
Known software cracks to contain this malware	Corel Draw, Tenorshare 4ukey, Adobe Photoshop, Cubase, Adobe Illustrator, Internet Download Manager, Tally, League of Legends.
Detection names	Ransom:Win32/StopCrypt.PAJ!MTB (Microsoft), Trojan.GenericKD.47856736 (B) (Emsisoft), HEUR:Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Stop.gen (Kaspersky), Trojan.GenericKD.47856736 (BitDefender), Trojan.MalPack.GS (Malwarebytes), ML.Attribute.HighConfidence (Symantec) see all detection name variations on VirusTotal
Removal	Remove ransomware and related malware from your PC using professional software of your choice. We highly recommend using INTEGO Antivirus. To repair virus damage on Windows OS files, consider scanning with RESTORO.

REMOVE MALWARE & REPAIR VIRUS DAMAGE

Ransomware distribution methods you should be wary of

The most common method of distributing variants of STOP/DJVU ransomware, including ZAQI virus is through downloading of malicious torrents. The cybercriminals are known to hide them in pirated software contents, particularly fake “cracks” and key generators. When unsuspecting computer users make use of these illegal software copies, they inadvertently unleash malware on their computer.

A cross-section of those who have fallen victim to some of these ransomware variants, generally mention diverse software names the cybercriminals often make use of. They include pirated license activation tools and deceptive “cracks” among others. These malware-laden software copies are usually uploaded to online torrent libraries as bait to lure unsuspecting victims. Listed below are some of the most popular ones:

• Internet Download Manager;
• VMware Workstation;
• Tenorshare 4ukey;
• AutoCad;
• Corel Draw;
• Fifa 20;
• Cubase;
• Adobe Illustrator;
• Opera browser;
• League of Legends;
• Adobe Photoshop;
• KMSPico (illegal Windows activation tool).

If you’re among those that visit online software torrents, then it’s high time you put a stop to such risky activity. Cybercriminals are often waiting to prey on such freeloaders. Therefore, it is better to be safe than sorry. It doesn’t end there; illegally downloading files with copyright patents can be grounds for criminal prosecution. It is more decent and safe to encourage growth of the industry by paying the official prices and also obtaining them using legitimate platforms such as official websites of the producers or their affiliated partners only. Also take cognizance of the fact that whatever amount you’re asked to pay is insignificant compared to the insane amount of money cybercriminals will demand from you as ransom if/when you fall victim. Likewise, you won’t be putting your sensitive data at risk.

Aside online torrents libraries, cybercriminals also make use of malicious email attachments in distributing ransomware. In this case, they often create highly convincing messages while also adding deceptively crafted attachments to it. The most popular platforms they use are PDF, DOCX and XLS. They prefer these ones because they enable JavaScript or macro functions, both of which are perfect for transferring and triggering payload on computers.

It has become increasingly difficult to decipher if a particular email is genuine or from cybercriminals, since they now camouflage as legitimate brands such as FedEx, Amazon or UPS and would give inciting names such as Tracking Details, Order Summary or Invoice to the attached files. Sometimes, scammers make use of email spoofing methods to conceal the real sender’s email address and display a fake one. This situation has made it necessary for people always to apply caution when opening random emails and attachments. If you suspect that something is fishy about a particular email, then you may as well avoid opening it.

Victims of STOP/DJVU ransomware tend to get desperate in their search for decryption solutions and they end up going to dubious sites. Please note that most of those sites claiming to offer decryption services are not genuine because such rarely exists. These fake STOP/DJVU decryptors they decoys cybercriminals also use to spread other ransomware variants such as ZORAB. They can cause double encryption of your files.

How this ransomware variant operates

You can go through this section to actually understand what actually occurred during ZAQI ransomware attack, especially the technical aspect. The first thing the malware does is to set up build.exe or build2.exe as well as winupdate.exe (this is what prompts the display of fake Windows update). The virus then connects to https[:]//api.2ip.ua/geo.json and fetches details such as geolocation, zip code, time zone, longitude and latitude. The response from the said domain will be saved into geo.json file. Additionally, the virus gather’s details such as victim’s computer name, operating system, hardware, installed software and active processes and saves them to information.txt file. The ransomware also takes a screenshot of victim’s desktop. These pieces of information will then be sent to the control server.

Shown below is a screenshot of two geo.json file examples.

You can see an example of information.txt file below.

Using the geolocation, the malware will compare it with a group of countries that are designated as encryption exempted. The countries are Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Syria, Kazachstan, Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Kyrgystan.

If the geolocation indicates that it is situated in any of these countries, it will automatically abort any further action. However, if it shows otherwise, the ransomware will move to the next stage where it commences the extraction of online encryption key from their control server. This online key will be merged with the victim’s ID and the result stored in bowsakkdestx.txt file and to PersonalID.txt file.

The screenshot provided below is a good example of both of these files.

If on the other hand, the virus couldn’t extract an online encryption ID, it will settle for offline encryption ID as an alternative. However, unlike the online ID that is unique to each victim, the offline ID is universal for all victims thus brightening the chance of being able to decrypt .zaqi files someday. More information about this is provided in this article about repairing/decrypting files affected by STOP/DJVU versions.

At this point, the ransomware will commence the full data encryption process by scanning every folder and encrypting them with Salsa20 and locking the encryption key with the RSA-2048 key. While this is still ongoing, the virus will mark each file with a file marker extension.

A replica screenshot of _readme.txt ransom note that is left in all the folders is displayed in the image below.

At this point, the virus will delete all Volume Shadow copies by making use of the command prompt task as shown here:

^{vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet}

After that, the virus would compile certain domains and forward to the Windows HOSTS file where it would be placed on the localhost IP. This will automatically prevent victims from having access to any of those deny-listed websites. When they make attempts, the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message is what will appear on their screen. The reason why they block these sites is to prevent the victim from getting help online.

Remove ZAQI Ransomware Virus and Recover Your Files

For those whose files were encrypted by this variant of STOP/DJVU, you should get remove ZAQI ransomware virus ASAP and also follow the steps outlined below.

• Inform local authorities in charge of such issues about the cybercrime;
• Make use of your data backup devices to restore lost files;
• Learn possible ways you can repair files encrypted by STOP/DJVU variants;
• Change all the passwords that were directly or remotely used in the computer;
• Never pay ransom demands regardless of how important the files are to you because there is no guarantee that the cybercriminals would decrypt your files even after fulfilling their demand.

In all, the best way to stay safe is by being proactive enough in detecting and deleting malware carrying emails and attachment without opening them and also to stay away from online torrents libraries. Always pay whatever price that is placed on software copies by their developers instead of trying to get them illegally at little or no cost. Also install strong antivirus and keep it updated at all times. Our team recommends using INTEGO Antivirus to eliminate all malware and keep your PC protected 24/7. Additionally, we suggest downloading this tool – RESTORO and using it to repair virus damage on Windows OS files.

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:

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