Reynolds EXPOSED: .locked Files, ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt, and a qTox Inbox
Written by: Lapain Epuran
Published on:
You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The snapshot should still be 2.png. The installer copy should still be 3.exe. The vacation shot should still be vacation.jpg. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf. Instead every familiar name has a second ending tacked on. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.locked. 2.png is now 2.png.locked. 3.exe is now 3.exe.locked. A small text file named ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt is sitting in the same folder, as if it has always belonged there.
That is the trap, not a glitch.
This page is for the hour those names appear. It is not a miracle key. It is a map of the trap, so the note does not become your incident plan.
Encrypted files after Reynolds ransomware. The .locked names and ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt are the tell.
Overview
Reynolds ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name and the old type, and hangs .locked on the end. Then it drops ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt and talks like a recovery desk. Then it tries to silence the guards. Documented copies of this locker drop a vulnerable driver and use it to terminate security processes, a trick often called BYOVD. The note is a storefront. It shouts that all your important files have been encrypted. It tells you to contact them for a price and to get decryption software. It gives you 3 days to contact them for negotiation. If you do not, it says they will attack you again and leak your files. The only live inbox it prints is a qTox “poison ID.” It also tells you to install a qTox client and, later, Tor Browser. The Tor line then ends on a blank “open” step. This page will not invent a leak URL, a wallet, a Session handle, an email address, or a $ figure to finish their sentence.
If you are staring at a pile of .locked files and that RestoreYourFiles note, you are in a ransom incident, not a broken disk and not a Windows pop-up. The folder is the evidence. The note is a checkout. Stay with the folder, not with the script.
The first tell is the rename. In the sample used for this page, 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.locked. 2.png becomes 2.png.locked. 3.exe becomes 3.exe.locked. You can still read what the file used to be. You cannot open it. Windows may call the type a LOCKED File and offer a useless “choose an app” box. An app cannot talk locked bytes back into a JPEG. There is 0% chance Photos can open 1.jpg.locked because you picked a viewer.
.locked is not unique to this strain. Other lockers hang the same generic ending on photos, invoices, and installers. Do not identify this incident by the extra ending alone. A folder of .locked names without ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt can be a different crew. A Ryan Reynolds scam page in search results is also not this locker. Match the note, the documented names, and the qTox ID. The extra ending is only the first warning, not the whole fingerprint.
The second tell is the note. After the files are locked, the malware drops ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt into the same folders. Restore sounds like a fix. Your Files sounds like the machine is on your side. Three underscores on each side make it look like a banner. Put them together and the first English you can still read after the photos break is a sales flyer. The flyer is meant to be opened. It is not meant to be trusted.
The body of that sample is short on purpose, and the typing is sloppy on purpose. All your important files have been encrypted! Contact us for price and get decryption software. You have 3 days to contact us for negotiation. If you do not contact us within three days, we will attack you again and leak your files. Then a contact step that says to use qTox, prints a download address for the public qTox client, and labels the long hex string as “Our poison ID.” Copy that ID exactly: 6F7831EBB5EEB933275BD6F4B4AA888918E9B7E40454A477CADDE7EE02461153D3B77AE50798. Then a line that says this server is available via Tor browser only. Then a how-to that tells you to open the Tor Project site, download Tor Browser, install it, and run it. Then: Now you have Tor browser. In the Tor Browser open: and a dash. That is the whole costume. The door they actually printed is qTox. The Tor paragraph is a blank hallway.
That is 100% of the contact they printed. There is no email under it. There is no Session messenger handle. There is no Bitcoin wallet. There is no onion to copy. There is no printed $ ransom. “Contact us for price” is the whole price list. This page will not invent a $ sticker, a leak blog, or a mailbox to make the flyer look finished. A missing wallet is not a coupon. A blank Tor “open” line is not a puzzle you solve by guessing a link.
That is the whole pitch. A locked folder of .locked names, which other families also use. A ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt file that talks like a recovery brief. A 3-day contact clock. A second-attack-and-leak threat with no leak URL. A qTox poison ID. A BYOVD step that tries to kill security processes with a dropped vulnerable driver. A Tor how-to that ends on a dash. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is no reason to add that qTox ID today because a text file told you to. Reynolds here is the locker name on that flyer. It is not a review of Ryan Reynolds, and it is not a report on Russell Reynolds.
The .locked name is the first warning, not a unique brand
Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. This one uses .locked. 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.locked. You can still see 2.png inside 2.png.locked. You can still see 3.exe inside 3.exe.locked. 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 .locked 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 extra ending also does advertising, and it does it cheaply. Anyone who sees 1.jpg.locked can pretend they already have your case. Plenty of other lockers use the same generic ending. A later fake helper will quote .locked back to you as if that were expertise. Quoting a public, shared suffix proves nothing except that they can read a listing. The note filename and the qTox poison ID are how you tell this strain from the next locker that also likes .locked.
___RestoreYourFiles___.txt is a sales floor, not a help file
The ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like a restore wizard. ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt wants the first click after the panic. Plenty of real software drops a restore note. This one uses that habit against you. It is meant to be the first English you can still read when the photos will not open.
Double-clicking it opens Notepad. That is why a panicked first click feels like opening the help page. It is not help. It is the demand, written so it looks official enough to follow. The filename is built to look like paperwork. Restore. Your Files. A .txt ending Windows already trusts. Three underscores so it sorts to the top of the folder. Paperwork is easier to obey than a threat.
Keep the file on disk. Then close it. Do not treat it as a set of steps you should follow. Do not tidy the filename. Do not shorten it to “the restore note” when you write the incident down. Copy ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt the way you would copy a serial off a stolen laptop. That string is how a responder matches this locker. It is not a coupon you redeem by adding a qTox ID.
All your important files have been encrypted is a shout, not a lab report
The first line of the sample is not a diagnosis. It is a headline. All your important files have been encrypted! does the same job a fake breaking-news banner does on a supplement page. It names the disaster in capital feeling so the rest of the flyer feels like the only adult in the room. You are supposed to stop thinking and start obeying.
The shout is also a brand. Later search ads will quote it. Later “helpers” will paste RestoreYourFiles so they sound close to your folder. Anyone can copy a headline. Copying all your important files have been encrypted does not mean they can reverse 1.jpg.locked. It means they read the same note you did, or they read a screenshot of it.
If the shout is sitting in more than one folder, that is normal for this family. Lockers drop the same text in many places so you cannot miss it. Finding five copies is not five incidents. It is one incident with a loud flyer. Keep one clean copy as evidence. You do not need to open every copy. You do not need to compare them inside qTox.
Contact us for price is a shop with no $ sticker
The second line is the checkout. Contact us for price and get decryption software. They did not print a $ ransom. They did not print a bitcoin total. They did not print a wallet. They tell you to add them on qTox and ask. That missing number is not mercy. It lets whoever answers set a price after they see who you are. A family photo folder and a contractor laptop can get two different asks. Inventing a $ amount here would only help the costume.
Do not convert a made-up $ figure in your head. Do not let a later “helper” invent one and call it the original Reynolds price. The published flyer left the amount off. A blank price plus a 3-day threat is how they make you feel late before you have even spoken. You do not owe that feeling a payment.
Three days is a fuse, not a courtesy
The note prints the clock like a shipping policy. You have 3 days to contact us for negotiation. That sentence does two jobs. It makes waiting feel expensive. It also hides the fact that they never printed the first price. There is no $ sticker. “Negotiation” of a blank number is still a blank number. The clock is the product. The missing $ is the hook.
Do not start a kitchen-timer because a text file said 3 days. Do not convert a made-up $ figure in your head and decide it is “not that much if we pay today.” The flyer never gave you one. Do not “test” a smaller amount to see if they answer. A test payment is still a payment. It still tells them this victim pays.
The CISA StopRansomware Guide is blunt about this kind of squeeze. Paying does not ensure the files come back, does not ensure the systems are clean, and does not ensure anyone on the other side keeps a promise. A chat that starts with a locked folder and a 3-day clock is not a vendor. A qTox ID is not a checkout you should complete.
Attack again and leak is a second squeeze
The next sentence is the second product. If you do not contact us within three days, we will attack you again and leak your files. First they lock the files. Then they threaten a second hit. Then they threaten a leak. They do not print a leak site. They do not print a blog. They do not print a sample of “your data.” They print a feeling. Wait, and something worse happens. Add the qTox ID, and maybe the worse thing stays off.
Treat the leak line as attacker copy, not as a completed theft report. Naming a leak does not prove a leak. It does not prove they have payroll, mail, or photos sitting on a server. It also does not prove they have nothing. It is a missing proof dressed as a deadline. This page will not invent a leak URL to make that sentence look finished. A stranger who later adds a screenshot of a leak site you cannot verify is still selling the same squeeze.
The qTox poison ID is an inbox, not a help desk
The contact step is the door they actually built. Contact our qtox.session download address, they write, then they point at the public qTox client page, then they print Our poison ID. The printed ID is 6F7831EBB5EEB933275BD6F4B4AA888918E9B7E40454A477CADDE7EE02461153D3B77AE50798. Copy every character. Do not tidy a digit. Do not add a space. Do not guess a shorter handle because the string looks ugly. That mark is how you prove this was this strain. It is not a support ticket you should open.
qTox is an ordinary messenger used by plenty of people who are not running a locker. This page is not a smear of the qTox project. The problem is the ID they want you to add after the files already end in .locked. Adding a stranger from a ransom note is still walking into their shop. Do not install a second chat client tonight because Notepad told you to. Do not paste that poison ID into a random “Tox finder” page. Do not ask a friend to add it “just to see if someone answers.”
The note’s “qtox.session” wording is their sloppy label for a qTox download, not a Session messenger account. This page will not invent a Session ID. If a later helper says “the real Reynolds contact is Session,” they are rewriting the flyer. The published note printed qTox. Leave the rest uninvented.
BYOVD is how they try to silence the guards
Documented copies of Reynolds do more than rename files. They drop a vulnerable driver and use it to terminate processes belonging to security products. That pattern is often called BYOVD, bring your own vulnerable driver. The idea is simple and ugly. A driver looks like a trusted system part. A vulnerable one can be abused to get a privileged foothold. From there the locker tries to kill the tools that would have stopped the rest of the night.
You do not need a lab diagram to use that fact. If antivirus went quiet right before the .locked names appeared, that is consistent with this strain’s documented behavior. It is not a reason to hunt a random driver file as a hobby. It is not a reason to download a “driver fixer” from an ad. It is a reason to treat the machine as hostile, keep the evidence, and do the cleanup from a known-good environment instead of from inside the same session that just lost its guards.
This page will not name a driver that the public note never printed. A missing driver filename is not a puzzle. Do not let a later helper invent one and call it the official Reynolds driver. The documented behavior is enough: a dropped vulnerable driver, used to kill security processes, then the lock, then ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt.
The Tor paragraph is a costume with a blank door
After the qTox ID, the note adds a Tor lecture. It says this server is available via Tor browser only. Then it tells you to type the Tor Project address, download Tor Browser, install it, and run it. Then: Now you have Tor browser. In the Tor Browser open: and a dash. That is where the map stops. There is no onion. There is no second URL. There is a blank.
Do not treat that blank as a riddle. Do not hunt an onion “just to see if the Reynolds portal loads.” Do not install Tor because ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt included a how-to. The live contact they printed is still the qTox poison ID. The Tor block is extra theater, or leftover template text they never finished. Either way, a dash is not an address. This page will not invent one.
Reynolds is a locker name, not a celebrity and not a firm
Reynolds looks like a surname. It looks like a brand. Search will happily mix this locker with unrelated Ryan Reynolds scam pages and with ordinary results about Russell Reynolds. Those pages are not this strain. This page is not a smear of Ryan Reynolds. This page is not a smear of Russell Reynolds. If a celebrity site, a recruiting firm, or a movie listing shares the word, that does not make them this locker.
Do not hunt an actor’s fan mail because a ransomware note stole a last name. Do not call a consulting firm as if they ran the lock. Do not mail a studio as if they dropped ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt. The brand on the locker is costume. The evidence is the extra ending on 1.jpg.locked, 2.png.locked, and 3.exe.locked, plus that RestoreYourFiles note, plus the printed qTox ID. Unrelated Ryan Reynolds scam posts in search are noise. They are not a reason to treat this locker as a celebrity story, and they are not a reason to skip the folder in front of you.
How The Attack Works
The shop is simple once you stop reading it as a rescue. Get in. Drop a vulnerable driver and try to kill security processes. Lock the files. Brand the names with a generic .locked ending. Drop ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt. Shout that the files are encrypted. Hide the $ figure behind “contact us for price.” Print a 3-day clock. Threaten a second attack and a leak with no leak URL. Point recovery at a qTox poison ID. Add a Tor how-to that ends on a dash. Then wait for someone else to sell a wallet, a Session handle, or a fake Reynolds decryptor.
1. The lock keeps the old name so you recognize the loss
Reynolds encrypts the files it wants as leverage, then appends .locked. That is why 1.jpg is still readable as 1.jpg.locked, why 2.png is still readable as 2.png.locked, and why 3.exe is still readable as 3.exe.locked. The operators want you to inventory the damage in seconds. They want you to see the photo, the snapshot, and the installer in one glance. A coded filename can confuse you. A readable filename makes you feel the theft.
If only one folder looks wrong, do not assume the rest of the disk is safe. Ransomware walks trees. It hits Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Downloads, and any drive letter it can reach, including a USB stick you forgot was plugged in. Do not plug in a copy “just to check.” Checking is how the extra copy gets the same .locked ending.
Double-clicking a renamed file does not bring the photo back. The thumbnail may already look broken. Excel may ask for a workbook that is still sitting in the same folder, only the bytes inside are no longer a workbook. That broken open is the first proof. The second proof is the extra ending. Together they are enough. You do not need to add a qTox ID to confirm what you are looking at.
2. ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt takes the first click
Once the names are branded, the malware needs a voice. Other families cover the glass. This one drops a text file. ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt feels like the machine itself left you a restore wizard. It feels like a help file you must finish before you can do anything else. That is how a locked photo folder starts to feel like a checkout.
The note is also a hiding trick. While you are reading it, you are not calmly sorting 1.jpg.locked next to 2.png.locked. You are not photographing Explorer. You are not calling someone who can help. The demand is in Notepad. The evidence is in the listing. Read the note as a sales flyer. Then close it. Keep the file. The files next to it still matter more than the shout.
Notice what the note does not give you. It does not give you a company, a refund policy, or a way to prove the other side will ever send a key. It does not give you a $ price. It does not give you a test decrypt. It gives you a tone that says this is already decided. That tone is the product.
3. A generic .locked ending makes the note do the branding
Plenty of lockers use .locked. That is why this page keeps repeating the note filename. If you only remember the extra ending, you will match the wrong family, download the wrong “decryptor,” or talk to a helper who only knows how to Google the suffix. Reynolds is the locker that pairs that generic ending with ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt and the printed qTox poison ID.
Leave 1.jpg.locked named as it is. Leave 2.png.locked named as it is. Leave 3.exe.locked named as it is. The suffix is a label shared with other shops. The RestoreYourFiles banner is the brand. Mixing them up is how people lose a weekend to the wrong tool.
4. A vulnerable driver is used to kill security processes
Before or during the lock, documented copies of this strain drop a vulnerable driver and use it to terminate security-product processes. That is the BYOVD step. It is not a magic invisibility cloak. It is a way to make the rest of the lock quieter. If the tray icon for your antivirus vanished, or if a protection service stopped answering, that can be part of the same incident, not a separate mystery.
Do not try to “re-enable protection” from inside the same infected session as if that were a decrypt. Do not download a driver pack from a forum that quotes Reynolds. Do not run a random killer-tool because a comment said BYOVD. Isolate the machine. Keep the locked samples. Keep the note. Let a clean environment and a real responder deal with leftover drivers. The flyer in Notepad is still not the cleanup plan.
5. The qTox ID is the door they want
The recovery step is not a key sitting on the desk. It is a messenger they tell you to install, then a poison ID they tell you to add, then a conversation they will call a negotiation. That is the whole door. It looks like support because support uses chat. Criminal shops use chat too, because a thread is where a missing $ figure becomes a number and a locked photo becomes a sample they asked you to attach.
Do not add 6F7831EBB5EEB933275BD6F4B4AA888918E9B7E40454A477CADDE7EE02461153D3B77AE50798 because ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt said to. Do not send a screenshot of Explorer to prove the lock. They already chose the extension. They already chose the note filename. A photo of 1.jpg.locked sitting next to 2.png.locked does not make you a verified customer. It makes you a person still following the flyer.
If someone later says they will “talk to Reynolds for you” through a qTox ID they found, that is a broker pitch. Brokers need you in the same funnel. You do not owe them a seat. Report the incident through official desks. Let counsel decide if contact is ever required for a specific legal reason. That decision is not yours to make from Notepad at midnight.
6. Three days keeps you from thinking
The 3-day line is a fuse. Contact us for negotiation. After that, they say, they attack again and leak. Other families print a $ amount so you can pay without talking. This one prints a clock and hides the amount. You are supposed to feel that waiting is already a mistake. You are supposed to add qTox before you have even asked what the number is.
Do not add a $ sticker the flyer never printed. Do not start a personal countdown because a later message said “pay $ now to keep the original deal.” The published note did not print a first price. Double of nothing is still a sales trick. Leave the amount uninvented. Leave the qTox ID un-added.
7. Attack again and leak keeps you from reporting
The second-attack line is doing a lot of work. It makes an official report feel slow. It makes counsel feel slow. It makes breakfast feel slow. It is still a sentence in a text file. It is not a court date. It is not a confirmed publication. It is not a scheduled second encryption you can stop by saying hello in qTox.
Do not try to beat the 3-day clock by sending a first message “just to stop the leak.” That first message is the product. It tells them a victim is live. It tells them a victim reads English. It tells them a victim is afraid of the leak line. You can still tell the people whose files lived on the machine. You can still tell counsel. You can still tell an official desk. The people who locked the files do not get a seat in that call.
8. Tor Browser plus a blank open line is leftover theater
The Tor how-to is long enough to feel like a procedure and empty enough to be useless. Download. Install. Run. Then open: dash. If you follow it, you end up in a browser with nowhere to go, which is a great moment for a later helper to paste an onion they invented. That is the copycat opening. The original flyer already had a contact method. It did not need a guessed portal.
Do not finish their sentence. Do not install Tor as a Reynolds recovery step. If you already use Tor for other reasons, that is your business. Using it tonight because a ransom note included a how-to is still following the shop. The blank “open” line is evidence that the template is sloppy. It is not a treasure map.
9. Third parties will sell a Reynolds conversation
After a ransomware incident, search results fill up with companies that say they can decrypt Reynolds or “all .locked files.” Some of those shops are ordinary overpriced consultants. Plenty are a second scam. They will quote ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt so they sound close to the case. They will mention the 3-day clock. They will mention the leak line. They will mention qTox as if they already added the original crew. They will ask for a sample file, a remote-access session, or a deposit. Some of them will mix this locker with a Ryan Reynolds scam headline so they can ride a famous name. That mix is still a sales trick. It is not identification.
A demo that “unlocks one file” is not proof they can unlock the vacation photo. Anyone can open one junk file they control. Anyone can send you a qTox ID that makes a chat window appear. A chat window is not Photos opening 1.jpg again. If a later message skips the original poison ID and asks for coin over ordinary mail, that is still the same market, or a copycat standing in the same doorway. Do not answer. Do not help them set a wallet the public copy left off on purpose. Do not help them invent a Session handle or an email the note never printed.
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 $ send. It does not need a qTox add. If the pitch is “we can decrypt, pay us first,” you are still in the market the ransomware created. 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 Reynolds key” as a second sales pitch.
10. Payment and adding that qTox close nothing
Paying a stranger for a private key is not a guarantee. The people who send the note can take the money and disappear. They can send a string that only makes a decryptor show an error. They can come back later and lock the same machine again, which is exactly what their “attack you again” line already threatened. A chat thread makes that outcome easier, not harder. You cannot leave a review on a poison ID.
Adding that qTox ID is the free version of the same dead end. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Starting a thread does not rebuild a JPEG. It only keeps you in their story while the rest of the disk still needs a real plan.
If this is a company machine, tell counsel and your incident lead. If this is a home PC, tell the people whose files lived on it. Change passwords from a clean device. Watch bank and email alerts. Opening that qTox inbox is not useful work. Filling a blank Tor “open” line is not useful work. It is the checkout, even when the flyer never printed a $ figure and never printed a leak URL.
What To Do If You See ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt
Do not pay. Do not add that qTox ID. Do not invent a leak URL, a wallet, a Session handle, an email, or a $ figure to finish ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt. Do not type a guessed onion into Tor “just to see.” Do not send a test file. Do not send proof of payment. If you already opened a qTox chat before you found this page, stop there. Do not pay a deposit to “hold the original 3-day price” for anyone who quotes the note. Remember that .locked is not unique to this strain. Match the RestoreYourFiles note, not the suffix alone. This locker is not Ryan Reynolds, and it is not Russell Reynolds.
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 .locked name exactly as it is, and keep at least one locked sample, including a documented name such as 1.jpg.locked, 2.png.locked, or 3.exe.locked. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.locked back to 1.jpg, or 2.png.locked back to 2.png, or 3.exe.locked back to a normal program. 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 .locked. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost. And do not treat the suffix as unique. Other lockers use .locked too. The sample is for matching this pile to this note, not for proving a brand that plenty of families share.
Keep ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt with the locked files. Do not “clean up” every copy of the note. Do not fill in an onion so the flyer looks complete. Do not invent a wallet, a Session handle, or an email. The 3-day clock, the attack-again-and-leak line, and the printed poison ID are part of how you prove this was this strain and not a different locker that only reused .locked. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.
Do not add that qTox. Do not ask a friend to write them “just to see.” A calm messenger ID is still the people who locked the files, or whoever is standing in that doorway today. If a later message quotes ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt and offers “the real onion,” that is still the same shop. If a later message skips qTox and asks for coin over a different address, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.
Do not pay. There is no printed $ figure to “match.” A calm chat is still a ransom. The 3-day threat is still a ransom. The leak claim is still a ransom. If someone claims they can already decrypt Reynolds files for a fee because they can recite RestoreYourFiles and a 3-day clock, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention Ryan Reynolds as proof they “already know the crew,” they mixed a celebrity search result with a locker. This is not Ryan Reynolds. 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 .locked type, decline it. There is no player for that ending, and there is no player that can tell this strain from the next locker that also likes .locked.
The Bottom Line
Reynolds ransomware is a locker with a generic filename ending, a restore note that shouts encrypted, a 3-day contact clock, and a qTox inbox. It keeps the old name and appends .locked, an ending other lockers also use. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.locked. 2.png becomes 2.png.locked. 3.exe becomes 3.exe.locked. The note is ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt. It tells you to contact them for a price, gives you 3 days, and says they will attack again and leak if you do not. The printed contact is qTox ID 6F7831EBB5EEB933275BD6F4B4AA888918E9B7E40454A477CADDE7EE02461153D3B77AE50798. Documented copies drop a vulnerable driver to kill security processes. The Tor how-to ends on a blank. It prints no $ figure, no wallet, no email, no Session ID, and no leak URL. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Reynolds here is the locker. It is not Ryan Reynolds, and it is not Russell Reynolds.
Do not pay. Do not add that qTox. Do not invent a leak URL. Do not rename the pile in bulk. Keep ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt and a .locked sample. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .locked, plus ___RestoreYourFiles___.txt with a 3-day clock, an attack-again-and-leak threat, and that qTox poison ID, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone offers to fill the $ line the flyer left empty, and before a search ad tries to turn a locker into a celebrity story.
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.
