RESQ100 Ransomware 🔐 (.RESQ100 File) — Removal Guide

The Resq100 virus falls under the ransomware type of infection. Ransomware of this type encrypts all user’s data on the PC (images, text files, excel sheets, music, videos, etc) and appends its own extension to every file, leaving the resq_Recovery.txt files in every directory which contains the encrypted files.

Resq100 virus: what is known so far?

☝️ A scientifically accurate designation for the Resq100 would be “a ransomware malicious agent”.

Resq100 will add its extra .resq100 extension to the title of each encrypted file. For example, a file entitled “photo.jpg” will be altered to “photo.jpg.resq100”. In the same manner, the Excel sheet with the name “table.xlsx” will be changed to “table.xlsx.resq100”, and so forth.

In every folder with the encrypted files, a resq_Recovery.txt text file will be found. It is a ransom money memo. Therein you can find information on the ways of contacting the racketeers and some other remarks. The ransom note usually contains instructions on how to buy the decryption tool from the racketeers. That is basically the scheme of the crime.

Resq100 summary:
Name Resq100 Virus
Extension .resq100
Ransomware note resq_Recovery.txt
Detection Win32.Virlock.Gen.4, NSIS/Injector.MK, Generic.Trojan.Malicious.DDS
Symptoms Your files (photos, videos, documents) get a .resq100 extension and you can’t open them.
Fix Tool See If Your System Has Been Affected by Resq100 virus

In the screenshot below, you can see what a folder with files encrypted by the Resq100 looks like. Each filename has the “.resq100” extension appended to it.

Resq100 Virus - encrypted .resq100 files

That is how encrypted “.resq100” files look.

How did Resq100 ransomware end up on my PC?

There are many possible ways of ransomware injection.

There are currently three most popular ways for hackers to have the Resq100 virus working in your system. These are email spam, Trojan injection and peer-to-peer file transfer.

Another option for ransom hunters is a Trojan horse scheme. A Trojan is a program that infiltrates into your computer disguised as something different. For instance, you download an installer for some program you need or an update for some service. But what is unboxed turns out to be a harmful agent that encrypts your data. Since the update file can have any name and any icon, you’d better be sure that you can trust the source of the things you’re downloading. The optimal thing is to use the software companies’ official websites.

As for the peer file transfer protocols like torrents or eMule, the threat is that they are even more trust-based than the rest of the Web. You can never know what you download until you get it. Our suggestion is that you use trustworthy websites. Also, it is reasonable to scan the directory containing the downloaded items with the anti-malware utility as soon as the downloading is finished.

How do I get rid of the Resq100 virus?

It is important to inform you that besides encrypting your files, the Resq100 virus will most likely deploy Vidar Stealer on your computer to get access to credentials to various accounts (including cryptocurrency wallets). The mentioned spyware can derive your logins and passwords from your browser’s auto-filling cardfile.

Often criminals would decode several of your files to prove that they indeed have the decryption program. Since Resq100 virus is a relatively new ransomware, safety measures developers have not yet found a way to undo its work. Nevertheless, the decoding instruments are constantly updated, so the effective countermeasure may soon arrive.

Of course, if the criminals do the job of encrypting victim’s critical files, the hopeless person will probably fulfill their demands. Nevertheless, paying to criminals gives no guarantee that you’re getting your files back. It is still risky. After obtaining the ransom, the racketeers may deliver a wrong decryption code to the injured party. There were reports of hackers simply vanishing after getting the money without even bothering to reply.

The optimal safety measure against ransomware is to have aan OS restore point or the copies of your critical files in the cloud disk or at least on an external disk. Of course, that might be not enough. Your most crucial thing could be that one you were working upon when it all happened. But at least it is something. It is also advisable to scan your drives with the antivirus program after the system restoration.

There are other ransomware products, besides Resq100, that work similarly. Examples of those are Ahgr, Ahtw, Bhui, and some others. The two main differences between them and the Resq100 are the ransom amount and the encoding method. The rest is the same: files become encrypted, their extensions changed, ransom notes emerge in each folder containing encoded files.

Some lucky people were able to decode the arrested files with the help of the free tools provided by anti-ransomware experts. Sometimes the racketeers mistakenly send the decryption key to the wronged in the ransom readme. Such an extraordinary fail allows the user to restore the files. But obviously, one should never rely on such a chance. Remember, ransomware is a bandits’ tool to lay their hands on the money of their victims.

How to avert ransomware infiltration?

Resq100 ransomware doesn’t have a superpower, neither does any similar malware.

You can armour your system from ransomware attack within several easy steps:

  • Never open any emails from unknown senders with strange addresses, or with content that has nothing to do with something you are waiting for (how can you win in a money prize draw without even taking part in it?). If the email subject is more or less something you are expecting, scrutinize all elements of the dubious email with caution. A hoax email will always have a mistake.
  • Avoid using cracked or unknown software. Trojan viruses are often distributed as an element of cracked products, possibly under the guise of “patch” which prevents the license check. But potentially dangerous programs are very hard to distinguish from reliable software, because trojans sometimes have the functionality you seek. Try searching for information about this software product on the anti-malware message boards, but the best solution is not to use such software.
Reasons why I would recommend GridinSoft1

Download Removal Tool.

Run the setup file.

Run Setup.exe
GridinSoft Anti-Malware Setup

Press “Install” button.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware Install

Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware Splash-Screen

Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware Scanning

Click on “Clean Now”.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware Scan Result

FAQ

🤔 How can I open “.resq100” files?Are the “.resq100” files accessible?

Negative. That is why ransomware is so frustrating. Until you decode the “.resq100” files you will not be able to access them.

🤔 The encrypted files are very important to me. How can I decrypt them quickly?

Hopefully, you have made a copy of those important files. 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.

🤔 What to do if the Resq100 ransomware has blocked my PC and I can’t get the activation code.

🤔 What could help the situation right now?

Some of the encrypted files can be located elsewhere.

  • If you sent or received your critical files through email, you could still download them from your online mail server.
  • You may have shared images or videos with your friends or relatives. Simply ask them to post those images back to you.
  • If you have initially downloaded any of your files from the Internet, you can try to do it again.
  • Your messengers, social networks pages, and cloud storage might have all those files too.
  • It might be that you still have the needed files on your old computer, a portable device, phone, memory stick, etc.

USEFUL TIP: You can employ file recovery programs3 to get your lost data back since ransomware arrests the copies of your files, deleting the authentic ones. In the tutorial below, you can learn how to recover your files with PhotoRec, but be advised: you can do it only after you kill the ransomware itself with an anti-malware program.

Also, you can contact the following official fraud and scam sites to report this attack:

To report the attack, you can contact local executive boards. For instance, if you live in USA, you can have a talk with FBI Local field office, IC3 or Secret Service.

I need your help to share this article.

It is your turn to help other people. I have written this guide to help users like you. You can use the buttons below to share this on your favorite social media Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit.
Brendan Smith

References

  1. Here are Top 10 Data Recovery Software Of 2023.

About the author

Brendan Smith

Cybersecurity analyst covering malware families, suspicious files, and detection alerts. Brendan focuses on clear explanations of what a warning means, when it may be a false positive, and which cleanup steps are appropriate.

Leave a Comment