PZCQYQ Virus 🔐 (.PZCQYQ Files) — How to Remove?

The Pzcqyq virus belongs under the Snatch ransomware family. Harmful software of such sort encrypts all user’s data on the computer (images, text files, excel tables, audio files, videos, etc) and appends its specific extension to every file, creating the HOW TO RESTORE YOUR PZCQYQ FILES.TXT files in each directory which contains the encrypted files.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer’s work, the proverb “Forewarned is forearmed” describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

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What is known about the Pzcqyq virus?

☝️ Pzcqyq is a Snatch family ransomware infection.

Pzcqyq appends its extra .pzcqyq extension to the title of each encrypted file. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.pzcqyq”. Likewise, the Excel file with the name “table.xlsx” will become “table.xlsx.pzcqyq”, and so on.

In each directory that contains the encrypted files, a HOW TO RESTORE YOUR PZCQYQ FILES.TXT text document will be found. It is a ransom money note. Therein you can find information about the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other information. The ransom note usually contains a description of how to purchase the decryption tool from the tamperers. You can get this decrypting software after contacting goodwork2020@mailfence.com via email. That is it.

Pzcqyq Summary:

The HOW TO RESTORE YOUR PZCQYQ FILES.TXT file coming in package with the Pzcqyq malware provides the following frustrating information:

THE ENTIRE NETWORK IS ENCRYPTED YOUR BUSINESS IS LOSING MONEY!

Dear Management! We inform you that your network has undergone a penetration test, during which we encrypted
your files and downloaded more than 100GB of your data

Personal data
Marketing data
Confidential documents
Accounting
Copy of some mailboxes

Important! Do not try to decrypt the files yourself or using third-party utilities.
The only program that can decrypt them is our decryptor, which you can request from the contacts below.
Any other program will only damage files in such a way that it will be impossible to restore them.
Write to us directly, without resorting to intermediaries, they will deceive you.

You can get all the necessary evidence, discuss with us possible solutions to this problem and request a decryptor
by using the contacts below.
Free decryption as a guarantee. Send us up 3 files for free decryption.
The total file size should be no more than 1 MB! (not in the archive).

Please be advised that if we don\'t receive a response from you within 3 days, we reserve the right to publish files to the public.

Contact us:
goodwork2020@mailfence.com or 2020host2021@tutanota.com

In the picture below, you can see what a directory with files encrypted by the Pzcqyq looks like. Each filename has the “.pzcqyq” extension appended to it.

That is how encrypted “.pzcqyq” files look.

How did my machine catch Pzcqyq ransomware?

There are plenty of possible ways of ransomware infiltration.

Nowadays, there are three most popular ways for evil-doers to have the Pzcqyq virus planted in your system. These are email spam, Trojan introduction and peer-to-peer file transfer.

• If you open your inbox and see letters that look just like notifications from utility services providers, delivery agencies like FedEx, Internet providers, and whatnot, but whose mailer is unknown to you, be wary of opening those letters. They are most likely to have a harmful item attached to them. Therefore, it is even riskier to download any attachments that come with letters like these.
• Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse model. A Trojan is a program that gets into your machine disguised as something else. For instance, you download an installer of some program you want or an update for some software. However, what is unboxed reveals itself a harmful agent that encrypts your data. As the installation file can have any name and any icon, you have to make sure that you can trust the source of the files you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to trust the software developers’ official websites.
• As for the peer networks like torrent trackers or eMule, the danger is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Internet. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy resources. Also, it is a good idea to scan the folder containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is complete.

How to remove ransomware?

It is important to note that besides encrypting your files, the Pzcqyq virus will probably deploy Vidar Stealer on your PC to seize your credentials to different accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). That program can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling data.

Remove Pzcqyq with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common Ransomware as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Pzcqyq as well as other malware hiding on your computer.

To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.

2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.

3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.

4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.

Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.

5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.

6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.

8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.

Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.

Trojan Killer for “Pzcqyq” removal on locked PC

In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.

There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.

Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.

Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:

1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.

2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.

3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.

4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.

Step 2: Update Signature Databases:

5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.

Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:

7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.

8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.

9. Insert the USB flash drive.

10. Run tk.exe

11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.

Step 4: Remove Found Threats:

12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.

13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.

14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer:

15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.

16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.

Congratulations on effectively removing Pzcqyq and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.

Sometimes criminals would decrypt few of your files so you know that they do have the decryption program. Since Pzcqyq virus is a relatively new ransomware, anti-malware developers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the anti-ransomware instruments are constantly upgraded, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Of course, if the tamperers succeed in encrypting victim’s essential data, the hopeless person will probably comply with their demands. However, paying to racketeers does not necessarily mean that you’re getting your files back. It is still dangerous. After getting the ransom, the racketeers may send a wrong decryption key to the victim. There were reports of criminals simply disappearing after getting the ransom without even bothering to reply.

The best solution against ransomware is to have a system restore point or the copies of your essential files in the cloud drive or at least on an external disk. Obviously, that might be insufficient. Your most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all started. Nevertheless, it is something. It is also reasonable to scan your PC for viruses with the anti-malware utility after the OS restoration.

Pzcqyq is not the only ransomware of its kind, since there are other specimens of ransomware out there that act in the same manner. Examples of those are Gaqq, Kiqu, Yyza, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Pzcqyq are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is almost identical: documents become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes are created in each directory containing encrypted files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free software provided by anti-malware specialists. Sometimes the criminals accidentally send the decryption key to the victims in the ransom readme. Such an epic fail allows the user to restore the files. But naturally, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a tamperers’ instrument to pull the money out of their victims.

How сan I avoid ransomware infection?

Pzcqyq ransomware has no superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can protect your system from its attack taking three easy steps:

• Never open any letters from unknown senders with unknown addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are expecting (can you win in a lottery without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is likely something you are waiting for, check all elements of the dubious email with caution. A hoax letter will always contain a mistake.
• Avoid using cracked or untrusted software. Trojans are often spreaded as a part of cracked products, possibly as a “patch” which prevents the license check. But dubious programs are difficult to tell from reliable ones, as trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware forums, but the best way is not to use such programs at all.
• And finally, to be sure about the safety of the files you downloaded, check them with GridinSoft Anti-Malware. This software will be a powerful armor for your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 How can I open “.pzcqyq” files?Can I somehow access “.pzcqyq” files?

There’s no way to do it, unless the files “.pzcqyq” files are decrypted.

🤔 What should I do to make my files accessible as fast as possible?

If the “.pzcqyq” files contain some really important information, then you probably have them backed up. Otherwise, you might try to employ System Restore. The only question is whether you have saved any Restore Points that would be helpful now. The rest of the methods require patience.

🤔 Will GridinSoft Anti-Malware remove all the encrypted files alongside the Pzcqyq virus?

No way! Unlike the ransomware program itself, the encrypted files do not jeopardize your system.

With the help of GridinSoft Anti-Malware, you can clean your PC off the actual threats. The malware that has attacked your computer is probably still functional and running scans periodically to encrypt any new files you might create on your computer after the initial attack. As it has been said above, the Pzcqyq virus does not come alone. It installs backdoors and keyloggers that can steal your account credentials and provide criminals with easy access to your PC after some time.

🤔 What to do if the Pzcqyq ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation key.

In such an unfortunate situation, you need to have a memory stick with a previously installed Trojan Killer. Use Safe Mode to perform the procedure. The point is that the ransomware starts automatically as the system boots and encodes any new files created or brought into your machine. To stop this function – use Safe Mode, which allows only the vital programs to run upon system boot. Consider reading our manual on running Windows in Safe Mode.

🤔 What can I do right now?

Some of the blocked data can be located elsewhere.

• If you exchanged your critical files by email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
• You might have shared photographs or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those images back to you.
• If you have initially got any of your files from the Web, you can try to do it again.
• Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud drives might have all those files as well.
• Maybe you still have the needed files on your old computer, a laptop, mobile, external storage, etc.

HINT: You can employ file recovery utilities² to get your lost data back since ransomware encrypts the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to use PhotoRec for such a recovery, but be advised: you won’t be able to do it before you eradicate the virus with an anti-malware program.

1. My files are encrypted by ransomware, what should I do now?
2. Here’s the list of Best Data Recovery Software Of 2023.