How to remove Qapo Ransomware and decrypt .qapo files

What is Qapo Ransomware

Qapo Ransomware is a new file-encrypting program developed and published by the authors of STOP/Djvu family. Almost all versions entitled to this group of extortionists employ similar steps to extort money from victims. This particular variant was released in the middle of March, 2023. Once Qapo gets on your PC, it runs a quick scan of your system to find sensitive data. Then, once this process is done, the malicious program gets to encrypt your data. During this, all files are changed with the .qapo extension, which appears at the end of each file name. For example, a file like 1.pdf will change to 1.pdf.qapo, and similarly. Once you spot such an immediate change, you will no longer be able to access the data. In order to decrypt it, cybercriminals instruct victims through the steps listed inside a text note (_readme.txt), which opens at the end of encryption. All recent versions of this ransomware family have used identical text in the notes.

It is said that you can unlock your files only after purchasing a private key and decryption software stored by the developers. Before processing the payment ($980), users are allowed to send a low-value file to let extortionists demonstrate free decryption. Also, if you contact them within the first 72 hours (to support@freshmail.top or datarestorehelp@airmail.cc), you will get a 50% discount on the initial price. Unfortunately, considering that Qapo is a new infection, no way to decrypt your data for free has been found just yet. There is no guarantee that it will appear any time soon because STOP Ransomware uses strong encryption algorithms that deny any third-party attempts to decode the cipher. The only possible solution to avoid paying the ransom is to recover your files from a backup copy. If you have one stored on other devices or cloud services, you should delete the virus and restore your files. If you do not have such an option available, we are still going to show you some of the steps that may help you recover some portion of the compromised data (down below).

How Qapo Ransomware infected your computer

Ransomware infections are highly dependent on inexperienced users. This means that less experienced people are more likely to catch such an infection by accident. Usually, most cases happen within e-mail environments. Cybercriminals send a number of identical messages with malicious attachments. These messages are commonly detected as spam, getting into junk folders immediately. Despite this, some users get over curious and open the content attached inside such letters. Most popular are MS Office documents, PDF, executable, JavaScript, and other file types that cover malicious activity. Since these file formats are generally legal, most users trust and open them eventually. However, when it comes to distributing malware, such files are easy to change and reconfigure for storing a virus. The attached links leading to external resources may also be a potential source of infection. Our advice is to avoid trusting unknown content received for no reason. Most people find fake delivery letters, which claim to deliver your package. If you did not order anything from the web, there is no way you could be contacted by actual services. This is why it is quite easy to say if the content is fake or not. Besides being distributed via e-mail services, ransomware has a number of channels like trojans, file-sharing websites, backdoors, keyloggers, fake software cracking tools, and more. Being more careful and awareness-equipped will help you prevent such damage in the future. Follow our guide below to learn more about protection and recovery tips.

1. Download Qapo Ransomware Removal Tool
2. Get decryption tool for .qapo files
3. Recover encrypted files with Stellar Data Recovery Professional
4. Restore encrypted files with Windows Previous Versions
5. Restore files with Shadow Explorer
6. Restore media files with Media Repair
7. How to protect from threats like Qapo Ransomware

Virus modifies “hosts” file to block Windows updates, downloading antivirus programs, and visiting sites related to security news or offering security solutions. Qapo Ransomware comes along with AZORult trojan, which was initially created to steal logins and passwords. The process of infection also looks like installing Windows updates, the malware shows a fake window, that mimics the update process.

It uses rdpclip.exe to replace a legal Windows file and to launch an attack on a computer network. After encrypting the files, the encrypter is deleted using the delself.bat command file. Qapo Ransomware virus is propagated via spam attack with malicious e-mail attachments and using manual PC hacking. Can be distributed by hacking through an unprotected RDP configuration, fraudulent downloads, exploits, web injections, fake updates, repackaged, and infected installers. The virus assigns a certain ID to the victims, which is used to name those files and supposedly to send a decryption key. Great tools to protect against Qapo Ransomware are: Emsisoft Anti-Malware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

How to remove Qapo Ransomware manually

It is not recommended to remove Qapo Ransomware manually, for safer solution use Removal Tools instead.

Qapo Ransomware files:

_readme.txt
rdpclip.exe
delself.bat
{randomname}.exe

Qapo Ransomware registry keys:

no information

How to decrypt and restore .qapo files

Use automated decryptors

Download STOP Djvu Decryptor from EmsiSoft (.qapo variations)

IMPORTANT: Read this detailed guide on using STOP Djvu Decryptor to avoid file corruption and time wasting.

STOP Djvu Decryptor is able to decrypt .qapo files, encrypted by Qapo Ransomware. This tool was developed by EmsiSoft. It works in automatic mode, but in most cases works only for files encrypted with offline keys. Download it here:

Download STOP Djvu Decryptor

Dr.Web Rescue Pack

Famous antivirus vendor Dr. Web provides free decryption service for the owners of its products: Dr.Web Security Space or Dr.Web Enterprise Security Suite. Other users can ask for help in the decryption of .qapo files by uploading samples to Dr. Web Ransomware Decryption Service. Analysis of files will be performed free of charge and if files are decryptable, all you need to do is purchase a 2-year license of Dr.Web Security Space worth $120 or less. Otherwise, you don’t have to pay.

If you are infected with Qapo Ransomware and removed it from your computer, you can try decrypting your files. Antivirus vendors and individuals create free decryptors for some crypto-lockers. To attempt to decrypt them manually you can do the following:

Use Stellar Data Recovery Professional to restore .qapo files

1. Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional.
2. Click Recover Data button.
3. Select type of files you want to restore and click Next button.
4. Choose location where you would like to restore files from and click Scan button.
5. Preview found files, choose ones you will restore and click Recover.

Download Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Using Windows Previous Versions option:

1. Right-click on infected file and choose Properties.
2. Select Previous Versions tab.
3. Choose particular version of the file and click Copy.
4. To restore the selected file and replace the existing one, click on the Restore button.
5. In case there is no items in the list choose alternative method.

Using Shadow Explorer:

1. Download Shadow Explorer program.
2. Run it and you will see screen listing of all the drives and the dates that shadow copy was created.
3. Select the drive and date that you want to restore from.
4. Right-click on a folder name and select Export.
5. In case there are no other dates in the list, choose alternative method.

If you are using Dropbox:

1. Login to the DropBox website and go to the folder that contains encrypted files.
2. Right-click on the encrypted file and select Previous Versions.
3. Select the version of the file you wish to restore and click on the Restore button.

Use Media Repair to decrypt media files encrypted with .qapo

1. Download Media Repair tool.
2. Right-click on the downloaded archive, and select Extract to Media_Repair\.
3. Then double-click on the extracted .exe file to launch the utility.
4. At first, you have to choose which file type you want to decrypt. You can do it from the drop-down menu in the utility.
5. Next, browser the folder with encrypted or reference files. Choose any of them and click on the Test icon located in the top right corner.
6. Media Repair will display a pop-up message with information on whether it can repair the selected file or not.
7. After checking if it is possible or not, select your reference file and click on the icon right under the Test button we used in step #5.
8. If the file pair is properly matched, you can move on and hit the Play button to start repairing. You can also stop the process anytime by clicking on the Stop button.

How to protect computer from viruses, like Qapo Ransomware, in future

1. Get special anti-ransomware software

Use ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

Famous antivirus brand ZoneAlarm by Check Point released a comprehensive tool, that will help you with active anti-ransomware protection, as an additional shield to your current protection. The tool provides Zero-Day protection against ransomware and allows you to recover files. ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware is compatible with all other antiviruses, firewalls, and security software except ZoneAlarm Extreme (already shipped with ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware) or Check Point Endpoint products. The killer features of this application are: automatic file recovery, overwrite protection that instantly and automatically recovers any encrypted files, file protection that detects and blocks even unknown encryptors.

Download ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware

2. Back up your files

As an additional way to save your files, we recommend online backup. Local storage, such as hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, or remote network storage can be instantly infected by the virus once plugged in or connected to. Qapo Ransomware uses some techniques to exploit this. One of the best services and programs for easy automatic online backup is iDrive. It has the most profitable terms and a simple interface. You can read more about iDrive cloud backup and storage here.

Download iDrive

3. Do not open spam e-mails and protect your mailbox

Malicious attachments to spam or phishing e-mails are the most popular method of ransomware distribution. Using spam filters and creating anti-spam rules is good practice. One of the world leaders in anti-spam protection is MailWasher Pro. It works with various desktop applications and provides a very high level of anti-spam protection.

Download MailWasher Pro