BQTLOCK EXPOSED: .BQTLOCK Files, a 48-Hour Clock, and @ZeroDayX1
Written by: Lapain Epuran
Published on:
You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The vacation shot should still be vacation.jpg. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf. The tax sheet should still be taxes.xlsx. Instead every familiar name has a second ending tacked on. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.BQTLOCK. A small text file named READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt is sitting in the same folder, as if it has always belonged there.
That is the trap, not a glitch. BQTLOCK ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name, keeps the old type, and writes .BQTLOCK on the end. Then it drops READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt and talks like a recovery desk. The note is a storefront. It claims the whole network has been penetrated. It names AES-256 and RSA-4096. It tells you not to touch third-party tools or backups. It points at Telegram and Twitter as the only doors. It starts a 48-hour clock, then a 7-day clock, then a line that says they are watching.
This page is for the moment those names appear. It explains the rename, the READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt note, the 48-hour contact window, the 7-day key threat, and why @ZeroDayX1 on Telegram or Twitter is not a recovery team. It is not a tour of ransomware in general. It is about this strain, the one that leaves .BQTLOCK on the end and a note that wants you in a private chat before the clocks they invented run out.
Encrypted files after BQTLOCK. The .BQTLOCK names and READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt are the tell.
Overview
The first tell is the rename. BQTLOCK does not hide the original filename behind a code. It keeps the old name and the old extension, then appends .BQTLOCK. In the sample used for this page, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.BQTLOCK. vacation.jpg becomes vacation.jpg.BQTLOCK. invoice-2026.pdf becomes invoice-2026.pdf.BQTLOCK. taxes.xlsx becomes taxes.xlsx.BQTLOCK. family.mp4 becomes family.mp4.BQTLOCK. You can still read what the file used to be. You cannot open it.
This page will not invent a unique ID string for you. The number you can see in the sample note name is 2526968, and it lives in READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt. That is a filename, not a key. Windows may now call the type a BQTLOCK file and offer you a useless “choose an app” box. An app cannot talk the bytes back into a JPEG. Double-clicking 1.jpg.BQTLOCK does not open the photo. Spreadsheet software does not open taxes.xlsx.BQTLOCK. A video player does not open family.mp4.BQTLOCK. The listing still has one object per file. The shock lands because the names still look like yours. The lock is in the content, not in the label.
The second tell is the note. After the files are locked, the malware drops READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt into the same folders. The filename is built to look urgent. READ ME. NOW. A string of digits. Plenty of real software drops a text file. This one uses that habit against you. It is meant to be the first thing you double-click when the folder already looks wrong.
The note says your files have been encrypted. It claims the entire network has been penetrated. It says the data is locked with AES-256 and RSA-4096, and that decryption is impossible without their private key. It warns you not to recover files with third-party tools or backups, and says any such action will cost you the data. It tells you to contact them exclusively through Telegram or Twitter at @ZeroDayX1. It names an official channel, the BQTLock Telegram account. It gives you 48 hours to make contact before the price doubles. It says that after 7 days the key will be destroyed. It ends the pitch with “We are watching.”
The note does not print a ransom $ amount. It does not print a wallet. The missing number is not mercy. It is a blank invoice. The first conversation is how they fill it in, after you have already opened their Telegram or their Twitter.
That is the whole costume. A locked folder of .BQTLOCK names. A READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt file that talks like a recovery brief. A 48-hour clock. A 7-day threat. A handle on Telegram and Twitter. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is no reason to open those chats today because a ransom note told you to.
The .BQTLOCK name is the first warning
Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. BQTLOCK uses .BQTLOCK. The extra cruelty is how readable the listing stays. You do not have to decode anything. You can still see 1.jpg inside 1.jpg.BQTLOCK. You can still see the invoice year. You can still see the word taxes. The familiar words are still in the folder. The files are not familiar anymore.
Do not treat that readable name as a fix. Do not strip .BQTLOCK off the end and expect Photos or Excel to open the file. Do not run a bulk “extension fixer” you found in an ad. The name is a label. The lock is in the content. Editing the label can make a later trusted tool have a harder time matching the file to what it was. Leave the locked copies as they are until you have a clean machine and a plan that does not start in a criminal chat.
The same readable names also make a later scam easier. Anyone who sees a pile of .BQTLOCK files can pretend they already “have your case.” They can quote 1.jpg.BQTLOCK back to you. They can mention READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt so they sound close. They can offer a paid unlock. The extension is branding. The leftover original name is branding. None of that is a hint that the file can be renamed back to normal.
READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt is a sales floor, not a help file
The note is named to be opened. READ ME. NOW. The digits in READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt make it look like a ticket, a case number, a file that belongs to you and only you. That is the point. A generic README might make you pause. A note with a number in the name feels like paperwork. Paperwork is easier to obey than a threat.
This page will not invent another ID to put next to that filename. The sample on disk is READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt. If you are writing the incident down, copy the name you actually have. Do not tidy it. Do not shorten it to “the readme.” Do not type a guessed string into Telegram so a stranger can “look you up.” The filename is evidence. It is not a password, and it is not a claim ticket you redeem in a chat.
The body of the note is a script. Encrypted files. Penetrated network. Strong algorithms. Do not use other tools. Contact us here. Hurry. We are watching. Each line has a job. The encryption line is there so you feel outmatched. The network line is there so you feel already surrounded. The tool-and-backup line is there so you do not try anything they do not control. The contact line is checkout. The clocks are the closer. The last line is there so you feel observed while you decide.
“Whole network penetrated” is a scare line, not a report
The note claims the entire network has been penetrated. That sentence is meant to end the argument in their favor. If “everything” is already theirs, then a local copy, a NAS share, or a colleague’s laptop starts to feel useless. If “everything” is already theirs, then waiting overnight feels like a mistake. If “everything” is already theirs, then the only adult move is to write @ZeroDayX1 before the 48 hours expire.
A ransom note is not an incident report. The people who locked 1.jpg.BQTLOCK have a reason to overstate the break-in. They want you to skip the slow questions. Which machine actually locked. Which shares were mounted. Whether a backup is offline. Whether the same note landed on every PC or only on the one you are staring at. Those questions still matter even if the flyer says the whole network is gone.
Treat the line as pressure. Do not treat it as a completed investigation. Do not repeat it into Telegram as if you are confirming their work. Do not forward it to a coworker as proof that every office file is already lost. The files you can see, the ones ending in .BQTLOCK, are the ones you know are locked. The rest is a claim printed in READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt.
AES-256 and RSA-4096 are a costume, not a key in your hand
The note names AES-256 and RSA-4096. Those strings are famous on purpose. They show up in product pages, in exam dumps, in other ransom notes. Dropping both in one paragraph is meant to sound like a lab report. It is meant to stop you from thinking a rename, a repair tool, or a “BQTLOCK decryptor” ad can walk the bytes back.
What the note is actually selling is helplessness. If the lock is “impossible” without their private key, then their Telegram is the only aisle. If the lock is “impossible,” then a 48-hour clock feels like the last remaining lever. Naming two algorithms does not put a key on your desk. It does not prove the implementation. It does not prove they still have a key. It does not prove they will send one if you write @ZeroDayX1.
You do not need to argue cryptography with a text file. You need to stop treating the file as a technician. Leave 1.jpg.BQTLOCK named as it is. Leave READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt where it is. The algorithms printed in that note are part of the pitch. They are not a recovery procedure.
The 48-hour clock and the 7-day threat are pressure
The note gives you 48 hours to make contact. After that, it says, the decryption price will double. After 7 days, it says, the key will be destroyed permanently. There is no independent clock. There is no printed $ amount that can double. There is no public ledger where you can watch a key get deleted. The timers start when you read the file, which is exactly when you are least able to think.
Forty-eight hours is long enough to feel official and short enough to stop you from sleeping, asking a friend, or reading a page like this one twice. Seven days is the second squeeze. If the first timer makes you rush the first message, the second timer makes you fear that even waiting for a real answer will burn the key. That is a sales sequence. It is not a service-level agreement.
A price that “doubles” with no starting number is a blank threat. They can name any figure in chat after you have already written. Destroying a key “after 7 days” is the same trick in a darker costume. Maybe they still have it. Maybe they never did. You cannot audit either claim from inside Telegram. The files are already locked. Another 48 hours of panic will not change the bytes in vacation.jpg.BQTLOCK.
The note says contact is exclusively through Telegram or Twitter at @ZeroDayX1. It names an official channel, the BQTLock Telegram account. Exclusive is the important word. Email would leave a record you could show someone else. A public form would leave a timestamp. A private messenger puts you in a room they own, on an account they can delete, with a chat they can screenshot and reuse.
Do not open Telegram today because READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt told you to. Do not open Twitter or X to hunt @ZeroDayX1. Do not join the BQTLock Telegram account to “see if it looks real.” Looking real is the job of a channel. A logo, a post history, a pin, a countdown, a sample decrypt screenshot: all of that is storefront design. None of it is a decryptor on your disk.
The handle is branding, the same way .BQTLOCK is branding. Anyone can copy @ZeroDayX1 into a second account. Anyone can stand up a second the BQTLock Telegram account lookalike. Writing the first message does not start a warranty. It starts a negotiation you cannot enforce, on a platform they chose because it is hard to unwind.
“We are watching” is theater
The last scare line in the note is “We are watching.” It is there so you feel late. It is there so you feel observed while you search, while you hesitate, while you open this page. A watcher implies a deadline that is already running even if you have not touched Telegram. That is the intended mood. Fear of being seen is a reason to comply in private.
A text file cannot see you. The people who dropped it may still have access to the machine. They may not. Either way, performing for them is a bad plan. Do not announce in the note’s channel that you found this page. Do not send a test file to prove you are “the real victim.” Do not keep the infected session open so you can “make the 48-hour window.” The line is theater. Treat it as theater.
How The Scam Works
1. The lock keeps the old name so you recognize the loss
The first move is the rename you can see in Explorer. BQTLOCK leaves the original filename in place and appends .BQTLOCK. 1.jpg is still readable inside 1.jpg.BQTLOCK. invoice-2026.pdf is still readable inside invoice-2026.pdf.BQTLOCK. That is not a courtesy. Recognition is the product. If the files became random blocks with no names, you might delay. If the names are still yours, you feel the loss immediately, and you look for the file that explains it.
The same listing trains you to believe a small edit could reverse it. The old extension is still sitting there. Photos still “should” open a JPG. Excel still “should” open an XLSX. The extra ending looks like a mistake you can clip off. That is why people try a rename before they try anything else. The lock is not in the last seven characters. Clipping .BQTLOCK off taxes.xlsx.BQTLOCK does not give you a spreadsheet. It gives you a damaged object with a prettier name.
2. READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt turns a break-in into a help file
Once the folder looks wrong, the note has to look like the answer. READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt is built for that moment. It is a .txt file, so Windows opens it in Notepad. It does not look like an installer. It does not look like a second payload. It looks like instructions. The ALL CAPS lead and the digits do the rest. You are already in a case. You already have a number. You should already be reading.
A help file is allowed to tell you what not to do. A help file is allowed to name a support channel. A help file is allowed to warn you that waiting will make things worse. The note borrows that voice. It is not support. It is the operators introducing themselves as the only vendor left, using the folder they just broke as the waiting room.
3. “Do not use third-party tools or backups” is a monopoly, not advice
The note warns against third-party recovery tools and against backups. It says those actions will cause irreversible loss. Read that again as a sales line. If other tools are forbidden, their chat is the only shop. If backups are forbidden, the copies you might still have become too scary to try. The warning is not a lab result. It is a fence around the storefront.
Random “BQTLOCK decryptor” ads are a real second scam, and you should not run those either. That does not make the criminals your IT department. A trusted restore path, when you have one, is not “a third-party tool” they get to veto. An offline copy they never touched is not theirs to poison with a sentence. The note wants you to treat every option except @ZeroDayX1 as sabotage. That is how a monopoly talks, not how a recovery team talks.
4. The 48-hour clock starts a timer they own
Forty-eight hours to make contact is the first closer. It does not ask you to pay yet. It asks you to write. Writing feels cheaper than paying. Writing feels reversible. Writing is how they get you into Telegram or Twitter, where the $ figure can appear for the first time. The note never had to print a ransom amount. The clock does the work of one.
There is no referee who checks whether 48 hours have actually passed. There is no listed price that can mathematically double. If you write at hour 47 or hour 49, they can still answer, ignore you, or invent a surcharge. The window is a mood. It is there so you skip the slow steps: a clean machine, a real report, a second opinion that is not the BQTLock Telegram account.
5. Seven days and a destroyed key is a second timer
If 48 hours is the nudge, 7 days is the cliff. The note says that after 7 days the key will be destroyed permanently. Permanent is the word that is supposed to end debate. People will pay a bad price to avoid a permanent loss. People will also send a first message they did not want to send, just to “stop the destruction.”
You cannot verify a deletion that happens on their side. You cannot see a key get shredded. You cannot see whether a key existed for your files at all. A threat to destroy something invisible is a threat you are meant to swallow whole. The files on disk remain 1.jpg.BQTLOCK and vacation.jpg.BQTLOCK either way. Their countdown does not unlock a single byte at hour 167, and it does not prove a byte becomes unrecoverable at hour 169.
6. Telegram and Twitter are checkout counters
@ZeroDayX1 is the name on the counter. Telegram and Twitter are the two doors. the BQTLock Telegram account is the sign over the shop. The note says exclusively, which means any other path is framed as a mistake. That framing is useful to them. It keeps you off email threads a responder can read. It keeps you off a ticket system they do not control. It keeps the first $ conversation inside an app that can vanish.
A handle is cheap to copy. A channel is cheap to clone. After a wave of .BQTLOCK files, copycats will stand in the same doorway. They will quote the 48-hour line. They will quote “We are watching.” They will ask for a test file. They will ask for a deposit to “hold the original price” before it doubles. The original operators and the copycats want the same first step from you: open the chat.
7. “We are watching” keeps you on their stage
Surveillance language is there to stop you from talking to anyone else. If they are watching, then a call to a colleague is a risk. If they are watching, then leaving the machine on “to keep the window” feels safer than pulling the plug. If they are watching, then searching for .BQTLOCK in a browser feels like a move they can punish. The line tries to make every healthy step feel like a provocation.
Do not perform for it. Do not send a screenshot of Explorer to @ZeroDayX1 to prove the lock. They already chose the extension. They already chose the note name. A photo of READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt sitting next to 1.jpg.BQTLOCK does not make you a verified customer. It makes you a person still following the flyer.
8. A second shop offers the same miracle
After a ransomware incident, search results and inbox ads fill up with companies that say they can decrypt BQTLOCK or “all .BQTLOCK files.” Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote the note pattern back to you. They will mention READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt so they sound close to the case. They will mention the 48-hour doubling line as if they already called the original crew. They will ask for a sample file, a remote-access session, or a deposit.
The second scam has a friendly website and a case manager. It may even open one junk file, because anyone who is in contact with the original criminals can borrow the same demo. Then the price rises, the chat dies, or the remote tool installs more malware. Quoting AES-256 and RSA-4096 in their sales copy does not make them the people who designed the lock. Quoting @ZeroDayX1 does not make them a decryptor.
A real public decryptor, when one exists, shows up on an official project page that already existed before your incident. It does not need a deposit in cryptocurrency. It does not need Telegram. It does not need Twitter. If the pitch is “we can decrypt, pay us first,” you are still in the market the ransomware created.
The No More Ransom project puts the rule in plain language. Paying is not guaranteed to bring the files back, and you should not pay. That is the line on the official landing page run with Europol and the project partners. Use that page. Do not use READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt as a vendor.
9. Payment closes nothing
Paying is not a guarantee. That sentence is not a slogan. It is the recorded experience of victims across ransomware families. The people who send the note can take the money and disappear. They can send a tool that only unlocks a few files. They can come back later and lock the same machine again. A Telegram thread and a Twitter DM make that outcome easier, not harder. You cannot leave a review on a criminal handle.
Even when a key arrives in some other campaign, it can fail on some file types, stop halfway, or demand a second payment. The same access that delivered BQTLOCK the first time can still be open. A payment teaches the operators that this victim pays. It does not close the hole that let them in. It does not give you a contract you can enforce. People who pay sometimes get a second bill for “deletion.”
If someone later tells you that 100% of paying victims got everything back, ask for a public source that is not the person selling the key. You will not get one that you should trust. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Until a trusted project publishes one, treat any site that says “we already have the BQTLOCK key” as a second sales pitch. The 48-hour doubling line does not change that math. Double of a $ figure they invent in chat is still a $ figure they invent in chat. A countdown is not a warranty.
What To Do If Your Files End in .BQTLOCK
Do not open Telegram today because READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt told you to. Do not open Twitter or X to find @ZeroDayX1. Do not join the BQTLock Telegram account. Do not copy a handle out of the note and paste it into a messenger. Do not type a key, a password, or the digits from the note filename into Telegram, Twitter, or a form a stranger sends back. Do not treat the 48-hour contact line as a sale you have to catch. Do not treat the 7-day “key destroyed” line as a real fuse. Those clocks are pressure. The handle and the channel are the storefront. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not send a test file. Do not pay a deposit to “hold the original price” before it doubles.
STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.
In this first step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate suspicious programs that may be running on your computer.
RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.
Download Rkill.
You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.
RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Rkill)
Run RKill.
After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder. The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.
When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.
STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Ransomware and Unwanted Programs
In this second step, we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.
Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and trusted anti-malware tools for Windows — and it’s completely free for removing infections. It catches threats that many antivirus programs miss, including adware, browser hijackers, and trojans. Follow the steps below to scan and clean your PC in just a few minutes.
Download Malwarebytes
Click the button below to download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows from the official source. The free version is all you need — it will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software at no cost.
(The link opens in a new page where your download will start)
Install Malwarebytes
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the MBSetup file. If Windows shows a User Account Control pop-up, click “Yes” to allow the installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
The setup wizard will walk you through a few quick screens:
Choose where you’re installing the program — “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” — then click Next.
Malwarebytes will now install on your device. This usually takes under a minute.
When installation is complete, the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen will open automatically.
On the final screen, click Open Malwarebytes to launch the program.
Enable “Scan for Rootkits”
Before scanning, turn on rootkit detection so Malwarebytes can find even the most hidden threats. Click the Settings gear icon on the left side of the screen.
In the settings menu, find “Scan for rootkits” and click the toggle so it turns blue.
Done? Click “Dashboard” in the left pane to return to the main screen.
Start the Scan
Click the blue Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its virus database and start checking your computer for malware.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
The scan checks your entire system for browser hijackers and other malicious programs, so it can take several minutes. Feel free to do something else — just check back occasionally to see the progress.
Quarantine the Detected Threats
When the scan is done, you’ll see a list of everything Malwarebytes found — malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all of them at once.
Malwarebytes will now remove the malicious files and registry entries and move them safely into quarantine.
Restart Your Computer
Some threats can only be fully removed after a reboot. If Malwarebytes asks you to restart, click Yes. Once you’re logged back in, your PC is clean and you can continue with the next steps in this guide.
STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware
In this third step, while the computer is in normal back, we will download and run a scan with HitmanPro to remove Trojans, rootkits, and other malicious programs.
HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner — it’s designed to catch what your main antivirus might have missed. Instead of relying on a single detection engine, it checks the behavior of files in the locations where malware usually hides. Anything suspicious gets sent to the cloud, where it’s analyzed by two of the best antivirus engines available: Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Good news: scanning is completely free, with no limits. You only need a license when it’s time to remove what was found — and even then, you can activate a free one-time 30-day trial to clean your PC at no cost. (A full license is $24.95 per year for 1 PC.)
Download HitmanPro
Click the button below to download HitmanPro. Remember — the scan is free, so you have nothing to lose by checking your PC.
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the file: “hitmanpro.exe” on 32-bit Windows, or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” on 64-bit Windows.
If a User Account Control pop-up asks whether HitmanPro can make changes to your device, click “Yes” to continue.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts
On the HitmanPro start screen, click “Next” to begin the system scan. No lengthy setup required — it goes straight to work.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
HitmanPro will now check your computer for malicious programs. This usually takes just a few minutes thanks to its cloud-based scanning.
Review the Results and Click “Next”
When the scan is done, HitmanPro will show you everything it found. Click “Next” to remove the detected threats.
Click “Activate Free License”
To remove the malicious files, click the “Activate free license” button. This starts your free 30-day trial — no payment details needed — and unlocks the full cleanup.
When the removal is complete, HitmanPro will show a summary of everything it cleaned. Click Next, then click Reboot if prompted. If there’s no reboot prompt, just click Close — your PC is clean.
STEP 4: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Extensions and Adware
In this next step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies and unwanted browser extensions from your computer.
AdwCleaner is a free on-demand scanner that specializes in adware, browser hijackers, and unwanted toolbars — the exact threats that mainstream antivirus programs often miss. It also includes tools that repair the damage malware leaves behind, like hijacked browser settings and malicious policies. It’s a quick scan that’s well worth running.
Download AdwCleaner
Click the button below to download AdwCleaner — it’s free, portable, and requires no installation.
Open your Downloads folder and double-click the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe“. There’s no installation — the program starts right away.
If Windows asks whether you want to allow AdwCleaner to run, click “Yes“. When the license agreement appears, click I agree to continue.
Enable “Reset Chrome policies”
This setting removes malicious browser policies — a trick malware uses to lock your browser settings so you can’t change them back. Click “Settings” on the left side of the window, then turn on “Reset Chrome policies“.
Start the Scan
Click “Dashboard” on the left side of the window, then click the “Scan” button.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
AdwCleaner will now check your computer for adware and other malware. This usually takes only a few minutes — it’s one of the fastest scanners around.
Quarantine the Detected Threats
When the scan finishes, AdwCleaner will list everything it found. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all the malicious items at once.
Click “Continue” to Finish the Cleanup
Save any open work first — AdwCleaner needs to close your open programs before it can clean. When you’re ready, click the “Continue” button.
AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. If it asks you to restart your PC, allow it — your computer will be clean when you log back in.
STEP 5: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
This final step involves installing and running a scan with ESET Online Scanner to check for any additional malicious programs that may be installed on the computer..
ESET Online Scanner is a free second-opinion scanner that performs a deep, full-system check for viruses, trojans, rootkits, and other malware. We use it as the final step because it’s thorough — if anything slipped past the previous scans, ESET will find it. A clean result here means your computer is malware-free.
Download ESET Online Scanner
Click the button below to download ESET Online Scanner.
When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click “esetonlinescanner.exe“.
Install ESET Online Scanner
On the start screen, select your language from the drop-down menu and click Get started.
On the Terms of use screen, click Accept.
Choose your preferences for the Customer Experience Improvement Program and the Detection feedback system (either choice is fine), then click Continue.
Start a Full Scan
Click Full Scan — this checks your entire computer, not just the common hiding spots.
Select Enable for Detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications — this lets ESET catch adware and bundled junk programs, not just viruses. Then click Start scan.
Wait for the Scan to Finish
ESET will now check every file on your computer. Because it’s a full scan, this can take a while — often an hour or more, depending on how much data you have. Leave it running in the background and check on it from time to time.
Review the Results
When the scan completes, the Found and resolved detections screen appears. Any threats found were automatically cleaned and quarantined — there’s nothing extra you need to do. Click View detailed results if you want to see exactly what was removed.
If ESET found nothing — congratulations, your computer has passed the final check and is malware-free.
STEP 6: Restore the files encrypted by ransomware
Unfortunately, in most cases, it’s not possible to recover the files encrypted by this ransomware virus because the private key which is needed to unlock the encrypted files is only available through the attackers. However, below we’ve listed three options you can use to try and recover your files.
Make sure you remove the malware from your computer first, otherwise, it will repeatedly lock your system or encrypt files. If you suspect that your computer is still infected with malware, you can run a free scan with Emsisoft Emergency Kit.
Option 1: Search a decryption tool for this ransomware
The cybersecurity community is constantly working to create ransomware decryption tools, so you can try to search these sites for updates:
Option 2: Use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free to recover the encrypted files
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free can restore files and repair corrupted files with simple clicks. Its powerful scanning algorithms can identify and retrieve huge file type library, including all of the popular video files, audio files, photos, and document formats. While the free version only allows you to recover 2 GB of data, this can be helpful to see if the recovery is possible and restore back the most important files from your computer.
Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free.
You can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free by clicking the link below.
Double-click on the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free setup file.
When EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow EaseUS to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free installation.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.
When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation begins, click on the “Install Now” as seen in the image below.
When your EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard installation completes, click the “Start Now” button to start the program.
Select a location to start recovering the encrypted files.
Choose the drive or folder where you are the encrypted files that you want to recover and click “Scan“.
Wait for the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan to complete.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will now scan your computer files that can be restored. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Find the files you want to recover.
When the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard scan is finished scanning it will show a screen that displays the files that can be recovered. This tool can recover a lot of data, use the “Filter” button to quickly filter specific file types and find the files that you want to recover.
Click the “Preview” button or double-click on a file for a full preview.
Select your files and click “Recover”.
Finally, select the the files you want to recover and click “Recover“. Choose a safe location to save all the files. The free version only allow you to recover 2 GB of data, however, this will allow you to recover the most important files and see if EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can correctly recover them.
Option 3: Try to restore your files with ShadowExplorer
This ransomware will attempt to delete all shadow copies when you first start any executable on your computer after becoming infected. Thankfully, the infection is not always able to remove the shadow copies, so you should continue to try restoring your files using this method.
Download ShadowExplorer.
You can download ShadowExplorer from the below link.
Double-click on the ShadowExplorer-x.x-setup file to start the installation process, then follow the on-screen promts to install this program.
Select snapshot date.
Open ShadowExplorer and then from the top bar select the drive where the files that you want to save are located, then select from the snapshot available one previous to this infection.
Export the files that you want to recover.
Once you have found a copy of the original file or folder, right-click on it and the select “Export”. A window will prompt you where you want to save the file or folder.
Keep every .BQTLOCK name exactly as it is. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.BQTLOCK back to 1.jpg, or vacation.jpg.BQTLOCK back to vacation.jpg, or invoice-2026.pdf.BQTLOCK back to a normal PDF, or taxes.xlsx.BQTLOCK back to a spreadsheet, or family.mp4.BQTLOCK back to a video. Stripping the extra ending is not a repair. It can make a later trusted tool worse, not better. The original name is already sitting in front of .BQTLOCK. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost.
Keep READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt with the locked files. Do not “clean up” every copy of the note. Do not invent a unique ID string if you are writing the incident down. The number in the sample filename is 2526968. Leave it in the filename. Keep the contact marks as identifiers: Telegram or Twitter @ZeroDayX1, and the channel name the BQTLock Telegram account. Those artifacts are how you prove this was BQTLOCK and not a different locker that only sounds similar. They are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.
The 48-hour line is not a reason to rush a payment. The 7-day line is not a reason to skip a report. Neither clock is a reason to stay on the infected machine so you can “make the window.” The clocks are theirs. The files are already locked. Another 48 hours of panic will not change the bytes, and a 7-day threat printed in Notepad is not a fuse you can see.
If a later message quotes READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt and offers “the real Telegram,” that is still the same shop. If a later message skips Telegram and asks for a $ figure over ordinary email, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. If someone claims they can already decrypt BQTLOCK files for a fee because they can recite AES-256 and RSA-4096, they are selling a report, not a key. Do not answer. Do not complete their checkout. Do not help them fix the flyer.
If Windows still offers to pick an app for the .BQTLOCK type, decline it. There is no player for that ending.
The Bottom Line
BQTLOCK ransomware is a locker with a readable filename and a note that wants a private chat. It keeps the old name and appends .BQTLOCK. In the sample this page uses, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.BQTLOCK. vacation.jpg becomes vacation.jpg.BQTLOCK. invoice-2026.pdf becomes invoice-2026.pdf.BQTLOCK. taxes.xlsx becomes taxes.xlsx.BQTLOCK. family.mp4 becomes family.mp4.BQTLOCK. The note is READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt. This page will not invent a unique ID string beyond that sample filename.
The note does not print a ransom $ amount. It does not print a wallet. It claims the whole network has been penetrated. It names AES-256 and RSA-4096. It tells you not to use third-party tools or backups. It names Telegram or Twitter @ZeroDayX1 and an official channel, the BQTLock Telegram account. It gives you 48 hours to make contact before the price doubles. It says the key is destroyed after 7 days. It says “We are watching.” There is no public free decryptor known for this strain.
Do not pay. Do not open those chats. Do not join that channel. Do not type a key into a messenger they own. Do not rename the pile in bulk. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .BQTLOCK, plus a READ_ME-NOW_2526968.txt file that sells a 48-hour clock and a 7-day threat, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone in that chat names a $ figure.
10 Rules to Avoid Online Scams
Here are 10 practical safety rules to help you avoid malware, online shopping scams, crypto scams, and other online fraud. Each tip includes a quick “if you already got hit” action.
Stop and verify before you click, log in, download, or pay.
Most scams win by creating urgency. Verify using a trusted method: type the website address yourself, use the official app, or call a known number (not the one in the message).
If you already clicked: close the page, do not enter passwords, and run a malware scan.
Keep your operating system, browser, and apps updated.
Updates patch security holes used by malware and malicious ads. Turn on automatic updates where possible.
If you saw a scary “update now” pop-up: close it and update only through your device settings or the official app store.
Use layered protection: antivirus plus an ad blocker.
Antivirus helps block malware. An ad blocker reduces scam redirects, phishing pages, and malvertising.
If your browser is acting weird: remove unknown extensions, reset the browser, then run a full scan.
Install apps, software, and extensions only from official sources.
Avoid cracked software, “keygens,” and random downloads. During installs, choose Custom/Advanced and decline bundled offers you do not recognize.
If you already installed something suspicious: uninstall it, restart, and scan again.
Treat links and attachments as untrusted by default.
Phishing often impersonates delivery services, banks, and popular brands. If it is unexpected, do not open attachments or log in through the message.
If you entered credentials: change the password immediately and enable 2FA.
Shop safely: research the store, then pay with protection.
Be cautious with brand-new stores, “closing sale” stories, and prices that make no sense. Prefer credit cards or PayPal for dispute options. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto payments.
If you already paid: contact your card issuer or PayPal quickly to dispute the transaction.
Crypto rule: never pay a “fee” to withdraw or recover money.
Common patterns include fake profits, then “tax,” “gas,” or “verification” fees. Another is a “recovery agent” who demands upfront crypto.
If you already sent crypto: stop paying, save evidence (wallet addresses, TXIDs, chats), and report the scam to the platform used.
Secure your accounts with unique passwords and 2FA (start with email).
Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. Enable 2FA using an authenticator app when possible.
If you suspect an account takeover: change passwords, sign out of all devices, and review recent logins and recovery settings.
Back up important files and keep one backup offline.
Backups protect you from ransomware and device failure. Keep at least one backup on an external drive that is not always connected.
If you suspect infection: do not connect backup drives until the system is clean.
If you think you are a victim: stop losses, document evidence, and escalate fast.
Move quickly. Speed matters for disputes, account recovery, and limiting damage.
Stop payments and contact: do not send more money or respond to the scammer.
Call your bank or card issuer: block transactions, replace the card if needed, and start a dispute or chargeback.
Secure your email first: change the email password, enable 2FA, and remove unfamiliar recovery options.
Secure other accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, and log out of all sessions.
Scan your device: remove suspicious apps or extensions, then run a full malware scan.
Save evidence: screenshots, emails, order pages, tracking pages, wallet addresses, TXIDs, and chat logs.
Report it: to the payment provider, marketplace, social platform, exchange, or wallet service involved.
These rules are intentionally simple. Most online losses happen when decisions are rushed. Slow down, verify independently, and use payment methods and account controls that give you recourse.
Hello! I'm Lapain Epuran, your go-to source for detailed and honest product reviews. From tech gadgets to miracle cures, I provide insights to help you make informed choices. Join me as we discover what's truly worth your time and money.
