Vect EXPOSED: .vect Files, !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt, and a 128 KB Wiper Bug

You open Documents the way you did yesterday. The first photo should still be 1.jpg. The second image should still be 2.png. The invoice should still be invoice-2026.pdf. Instead every familiar name has a second ending tacked on. 1.jpg is now 1.jpg.vect. 2.png is now 2.png.vect. A small text file named !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt is sitting in the same folder, as if it has always belonged there. The desktop may already be a VECT 2.0 wallpaper that says YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED.

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. Stay with the folder. Do not add the qTox ID. Do not invent an onion URL to finish a hyphen. Do not chase a decryptor for files over 128 KB. Those copies may already be gone.

Overview

Vect ransomware locks the files first. Then it keeps the old name and the old type, and hangs .vect on the end. Then it drops !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt, paints a VECT 2.0 wallpaper, and talks like a recovery desk. The note is a storefront. It claims your files were encrypted with ChaCha20. It claims they already copied databases, backups, and other personal information, and says that haul will be published on their website if you do not cooperate. It tells you the only way back is a decryption tool from them.

If you are staring at a pile of .vect files, that text note, and a VECT 2.0 wallpaper, 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.vect. 2.png becomes 2.png.vect. An executable such as 3.exe can stay 3.exe. You can still read what most of the files used to be. You cannot open the locked ones. Windows may call the type a VECT File and offer a useless “choose an app” box. An app cannot talk locked bytes back into a JPEG.

The second tell is the note. After the files are locked, the malware drops !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt into the same folders. READ ME sounds like a help file. The triple marks sound like an emergency. 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 a management memo. !!! README !!!. Dear Management, all of your files have been encrypted with ChaCha20 which is an unbreakable encryption algorithm. Sadly, this is not the only bad news for you. We have also exfiltrated your sensitive data, consisting mostly of databases, backups and other personal information from your company and will be published on our website if you do not cooperate with us. The only way to recover your files is to get the decryption tool from us. To obtain the decryption tool, you need to: 1. Open Tor Browser and visit: – 2. Follow the instructions on the chat page 3. Receive a sample decryption of up to 4 small files 4. We will provide payment instructions 5. After payment, you will receive decryption tool. WARNING: Do not modify encrypted files. Do not use third party software to restore files. Do not reinstall system. If you violate these rules, your files will be permanently damaged. Files encrypted: -. Total size: 121417406 bytes. Unique ID: -. Backup contact (Qtox): 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B.

The Tor visit line is a hyphen. This page will not invent an onion URL to finish it. Unique ID is a hyphen. Files encrypted is a hyphen. This page will not invent a victim ID, a Session inbox, a wallet, or a $ amount to make the flyer look complete. The only filled contact is that qTox string. Treat it as evidence, not as a number you should add.

That is the whole pitch. A locked folder of .vect names. A !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt file that talks like a board memo. A VECT 2.0 wallpaper. ChaCha20 as a scare word. A leak threat. A blank Tor line. A demo of up to 4 small files. Payment instructions that arrive later. One qTox ID. A sample note that prints 121417406 bytes and leaves the unique ID blank. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. There is a documented VECT 2.0 wiper bug for files larger than 128 KB. There is no reason to add that qTox ID today because a text file told you to.

The .vect name is the first warning

Most lockers pick an extension so you notice the change in seconds. Vect uses .vect. 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.vect. You can still see 2.png inside 2.png.vect. You can still see the invoice year. 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 .vect 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 messenger.

The extra ending also does advertising. Anyone who sees 1.jpg.vect next to !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt can pretend they already have your case. A later fake helper will quote the extension back to you as if that were expertise. The extension is public. It is sitting in the folder. Quoting it proves nothing except that they can read a listing.

!!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt is a sales floor, not a help file

The ransom note is a plain text file with a name that sounds like an emergency brief. !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt wants the first click after the panic. Plenty of real software drops a readme. 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. READ ME. Triple marks. A .txt ending Windows already trusts. 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 readme” when you write the incident down. Copy !!!_READ_ME_!!!.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 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B.

The VECT 2.0 wallpaper is a second flyer

Vect also changes the desktop wallpaper. The sample wallpaper is branded VECT 2.0. It shouts YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED. It says all your documents, photos, databases and backups have been locked. Then it points you back at the note: find the readme on your desktop, follow the instructions carefully, and do not delete or modify encrypted files. The ID line on that wallpaper is a hyphen. This page will not invent an ID to finish it.

A wallpaper is not a diagnosis. It is a billboard. It sits behind every window so you cannot forget the brand while you try to think. VECT 2.0 is meant to sound like a product version. YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED is meant to sound like a finished event. The desktop is still just another copy of the same shop.

Do not hunt for a “VECT 2.0 decryptor” in ads because the wallpaper used a version number. Do not treat the wallpaper as a second set of payment steps. Close the panic. Keep a screenshot of the desktop as evidence if you can do it from a safe machine. Do not follow the wallpaper into Tor, and do not add the qTox ID because the billboard told you the note is waiting.

Dear Management is a costume, not a board packet

The first line after the header is Dear Management. That greeting is theater. It wants the reader to feel like a company, even if the machine is a home PC with family photos. It wants the person who opens !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt to feel they are already in a negotiation with a professional crew. A calm greeting is cheaper than a skull graphic. Calm is how a locked folder starts to look like a ticket.

The note then talks about your company, your databases, your backups, and a website where stolen data will be published. That language is meant to pull in anyone who has a payroll folder, a client list, or a NAS in the other room. It is also meant to pull in a household that does not have any of those things. The same flyer can scare both rooms. The scare is the product.

Do not write a reply that starts with “Dear Management” because you think that is how this works. Do not forward the note to the qTox ID as proof you are the right victim. The greeting is public. Anyone can copy Dear Management. Copying it does not mean they can reverse .vect. It means they read the same flyer you did.

ChaCha20 is a shout, not a key in your hand

The note claims the files were encrypted with ChaCha20, “which is an unbreakable encryption algorithm.” That sentence is meant to shut down argument. It sounds like a standard. It sounds like a lab. It sounds like something you cannot argue with at the kitchen table. It is still attacker copy. Naming a cipher is not the same as handing you a proof. It is also not a reason to start adding keys into a messenger they own.

What the note is actually selling is helplessness. If the lock is “unbreakable” without their tool, then their chat page is the only aisle. If the lock is “unbreakable,” then later payment instructions start to feel like the last remaining lever. Naming ChaCha20 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 add that qTox ID.

People hear ChaCha20 and go looking for a matching “ChaCha20 decryptor” in ads. That search is the next trap. A tool that promises to reverse ChaCha20 because a ransom note printed the letters is selling the same fear in a different window. Leave the locked files alone. Do not feed them to a mystery app that asked for admin rights because a text file named a cipher.

Stolen databases and the leak site

The note does not stop at locked files. It says they already exfiltrated sensitive data, consisting mostly of databases, backups, and other personal information, and that the haul will be published on their website if you do not cooperate. That is the second threat. Lock the copies you can see. Wave a leak site for the copies you cannot see. Two fears, one checkout.

Vect runs a leak site as part of that costume. The group has also announced a partnership with TeamPCP, a name tied to recent supply-chain compromises, with plans to deploy the ransomware against affected organizations. A leak site is not a court. A partnership name is not a decryptor. This page will not invent a victim $ amount, a victim list, or a screenshot of that site. The threat is already printed in !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt. You do not need a dollar figure to know it is extortion.

Do not browse a leak site “just to see if you are listed.” Do not pay to keep a name off a page you cannot verify. Do not let a stranger quote TeamPCP as proof they already called the crew. TeamPCP is a public brand in this story. Quoting it proves they can read a headline. It does not prove they can open family.mp4.vect.

The Tor visit line is blank

Step 1 on the sample is Open Tor Browser and visit: then a hyphen. Public copies of that note redact the URL. This page will not invent an onion address to finish the sentence. A missing Tor line is not a puzzle. It is a redaction. If your own file on disk still shows a string on that line, treat it as evidence for a report, not as a travel plan.

Do not install Tor because a ransom note told you to. Do not type a guessed .onion into a browser. Do not paste a “fixed” chat URL from a comment, a Telegram channel, or a person who says they already recovered .vect files. Anyone can send you a link. A link does not open 1.jpg.vect. A link puts you in a room they own.

A blank Tor line also gives copycats a job. They will sell the missing URL. They will say they have the operator’s real chat page. They will ask you to add the printed qTox ID first, then paste what they send. That is still the same shop, or a second shop standing in the same doorway. The public flyer left the field redacted. Do not finish it for them.

Four small files is not a repair

Step 3 offers a sample decryption of up to 4 small files. That offer is a sales demo, not a kindness. Small is doing a lot of work in that sentence. A demo on a tiny file is cheap theater. It does not prove they can restore a database, a mailbox, a VM disk, or family.mp4.vect. It proves they can put on a show with a file that already sat under their own size line.

This matters more for Vect than for a lot of other lockers. VECT 2.0 has a documented 128 KB wiper bug. Files larger than 128 KB are permanently destroyed rather than encrypted. Only the last quarter of an affected file can be recovered, and even the people who wrote the locker cannot rebuild the rest. A test on 4 small files is exactly the class that might still reverse. It is not the class that holds your real work.

Do not send 4 files into a chat to “see if they are real.” Do not pick your smallest invoices as a demo. Do not treat a returned thumbnail as proof the rest of the disk will come back. A small-file demo is how they keep you in the aisle while the large files are already wrecked.

qTox is the inbox they want

The printed backup contact is Backup contact (Qtox): 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B. That is the aisle. A private messenger puts you in a room they own, on an account they can delete, with a thread they can screenshot and reuse. A long hex string looks like a technical ID. It is still a doorbell.

Do not install qTox because the note said to. Do not add that ID from a fresh account “just to see.” Do not send a test file to prove you are a real victim. Do not paste a folder listing into a new chat. Do not argue about a later $ amount as if a discount were available. Those handles belong to the people who locked the files. Writing them is the product.

The string is branding, the same way .vect is branding. Anyone can stand up a lookalike after a wave of locked folders. Adding the first contact does not start a warranty. It starts a conversation you cannot enforce. The blank Tor line is how they make that first add feel like the only remaining step. A first add is how a later bill can still appear.

Files over 128 KB may already be gone

Vect does not treat every file the same. Some files are deleted. Some are encrypted. Others are encrypted and hidden. Executables such as 3.exe can be left alone so the machine still boots far enough for you to read the note. That mix is not mercy. It is stage lighting. The OS still runs. The photos do not.

The worse fact sits on top of that mix. Check Point VECT 2.0 documents a 128 KB wiper bug across the Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi builds. For files larger than 128 KB, the locker splits the file into chunks, then throws away the material needed to reverse most of those chunks. Only the final quarter of an affected file can be recovered. The rest is destroyed. Paying does not put it back. A decryptor cannot invent bytes that were never saved.

128 KB is smaller than a typical photo, a typical PDF, a typical spreadsheet with real work in it, a mailbox, a database, or a virtual disk. If 1.jpg.vect is 1,248 KB, it is already over the line. If invoice-2026.pdf.vect is 246 KB, it is already over the line. If family.mp4.vect is tens of thousands of KB, it is already over the line. A 15 KB sheet might still be in the small class. Most of what you care about is not. Do not chase a decryptor for the large pile. Those copies may already be gone.

TeamPCP is a supply-chain name, not a decryptor

The Vect story includes a leak site and a TeamPCP mention. TeamPCP is a name tied to recent supply-chain compromises. Vect announced a partnership with that actor and talked about using the locker against organizations already hit in those campaigns. That is branding and targeting. It is not a help desk.

A later helper will quote TeamPCP the way they quote ChaCha20. They will say they already work those cases. They will say they can get you off the leak site. They will ask for a $ retainer to “hold the listing.” None of that is a key. A partnership announcement does not reverse .vect. A leak-site threat does not reverse it either. Both are pressure. Pressure is how a blank Tor line still feels like a door you should open.

This page will not invent a victim $ figure for that leak site. It will not invent a count of companies. It will not invent an onion for the listing page. If your own incident team needs those artifacts, they can pull them from your evidence, not from a filled-in blog sentence.

How The Attack Works

The shop is simple once you stop reading it as a rescue. Lock the files. Brand the names with .vect. Leave some executables readable so the desktop still works. Drop a readme that shouts ChaCha20 and Dear Management. Paint a VECT 2.0 wallpaper. Threaten a leak site. Leave Tor blank. Offer 4 small files as a demo. Print a qTox ID. Wait for someone else to sell the missing onion, a wallet, a Session inbox, or a $ amount. And for files over 128 KB, destroy most of the bytes while still calling it encryption.

1. The lock adds .vect so you recognize the loss

Vect encrypts the files it wants as leverage, then appends .vect. That is why 1.jpg is still readable as 1.jpg.vect, and why 2.png is still readable as 2.png.vect. The operators want you to inventory the damage in seconds. They want you to see the photo, the invoice, the tax sheet, and the family video 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. Unplug extra disks. Do not plug in a copy “just to check.” Checking is how the extra copy gets the same .vect 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 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B to confirm what you are looking at.

2. Not every file is treated the same

The sample rename list is blunt. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.vect. 2.png becomes 2.png.vect. 3.exe can stay 3.exe. Vect also deletes some files, encrypts others, and encrypts-and-hides a third set. That split is easy to misread as a half-failed job. It is not. A locker that leaves the OS runnable still wants you at the desktop, reading !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt and staring at VECT 2.0.

Hidden encrypted files are still encrypted files. Deleted files are still gone. Do not run a “show hidden files” pass and then double-click everything you find. Do not restore from the Recycle Bin on the same infected disk and call it a backup. Do not assume an untouched .exe means the rest of the folder is safe. The readable leftover is bait.

This is also where the 128 KB line starts to matter. A tiny leftover might still be a candidate for a later trusted tool. A large photo, a large PDF, a large video, a database, or a virtual disk is in the wiper class. Do not sort the folder by size and then send the small ones to qTox as a test. Sorting is inventory. Sending is checkout.

3. !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt turns a break-in into a ticket

Once the names are branded, the locker drops !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt. The filename does the first half of the work. The body does the second. Dear Management. ChaCha20. Stolen databases. A website. A Tor step that is blank on public copies. A chat page. A sample decryption of up to 4 small files. Payment instructions after that. A warning not to modify files, not to use third party software, and not to reinstall. Then the qTox backup.

Read that as a script, not as IT. Every line is there to stop you from doing the boring, correct things: unplug extra disks, keep the note, keep a .vect sample, move to a clean machine, restore from a backup that was not plugged in, and report the incident. The warning about third party software is especially rich. They locked the files. Now they want exclusive rights to the aftermath.

The sample even prints Files encrypted: – and Unique ID: – and Total size: 121417406 bytes. A byte count looks like a receipt. A blank unique ID looks like a field you should fill. Do not fill it. Do not invent a victim ID so the flyer looks complete. The 121417406 figure is a sample field on the note, not a $ ransom and not a reason to pay.

4. The wallpaper repeats VECT 2.0

After the note, or alongside it, the desktop becomes a VECT 2.0 billboard. YOUR FILES HAVE BEEN ENCRYPTED. Documents, photos, databases, and backups have been locked. Find the readme. Follow it. Do not delete or modify encrypted files. ID: -.

A wallpaper is persistence for the sales pitch. You can close Notepad. You cannot close the desktop unless you know how. Every time you minimize a window, the brand is waiting. That is why the version number is there. VECT 2.0 sounds like a finished product. It sounds like there will be a VECT 2.0 decryptor with a matching label. There is not a public free one known for this strain, and the 128 KB bug means a paid one cannot rebuild the large files anyway.

Do not change the wallpaper back as your first move and call the machine clean. The picture is a symptom. The locked files are the incident. Keep a photo of the desktop if you can take it without installing new software on the same box. Then leave the wallpaper alone until the machine is isolated.

5. ChaCha20 plus a leak threat

The note pairs an “unbreakable” cipher with a stolen-data claim. That pairing is the modern ransom costume. First they say you cannot get the files back without them. Then they say they will publish databases, backups, and personal information on their website if you stall. File recovery and leak prevention get sold as one bundle. You are supposed to feel that paying once solves both.

It does not. 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. For Vect the first half is even worse. Files over 128 KB may already be destroyed. A payment cannot restore 75% of a large file when those bytes were thrown away during the lock.

The leak site is the second stage of the same shop. TeamPCP is a supply-chain name used to make the shop feel bigger. Neither one is a reason to add qTox. Neither one is a reason to invent a $ figure so the threat feels priced. A priced threat is still a threat.

6. Tor stays blank and the demo is 4 small files

The recovery recipe on the note is a numbered list. Open Tor. Visit a URL that public copies redact. Follow the chat page. Receive a sample decryption of up to 4 small files. Then payment instructions. Then, they say, a decryption tool. That is a funnel. The blank URL is the first squeeze. The 4-file demo is the second. Payment is the third.

Do not complete the funnel because the numbering looks like a wizard. Do not treat “up to 4 small files” as a refund policy. Small is the class that might still reverse. Large is the class that holds payroll, photos, mail, and disks, and large is the class the 128 KB wiper already hit. A demo that only works on the cheap files is not proof. It is a filter.

If a later helper offers to “fill in step 1” with an onion they just happen to have, they are rewriting the flyer. If they offer a Session ID because Tor felt too hard, they are rewriting the flyer. If they name a wallet because the note said payment instructions would come later, they are rewriting the flyer. Leave the hyphen as a hyphen.

7. qTox is the backup contact

When the Tor line is blank, the note still gives you a doorbell. Backup contact (Qtox): 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B. Copy that string into an incident record. Do not copy it into a messenger. Do not photograph it into a group chat with a “is this real?” caption that includes the ID in the clear if you can avoid it. Do not type it into a “wallet checker,” a “qTox lookup,” or a form a stranger sends back.

A backup contact is still a contact. The word backup makes it sound like support. It is the same crew. Adding it “only because Tor was blank” is still adding it. Asking a friend to add it “just to see” still hands the crew a live victim. If you already sent a message before you found this page, stop there. Do not send a second message to confirm the first one arrived.

The length of the ID is part of the costume. A 76-character hex blob looks too serious to be a scam and too unique to be public. It is public. It is printed on the note. Quoting it is not expertise. Do not add that qTox.

8. The 128 KB wiper bug

Check Point VECT 2.0 documents the part the note will not tell you. For files larger than 128 KB, the locker does not merely encrypt. It destroys. The bug sits in how encryption keys and nonces are handled. The first chunks of a large file cannot be reversed by anyone, including the operators. Only the last quarter of an affected file can be recovered. The rest is gone at the moment of the lock.

That bug is not a rumor attached to one Windows sample. It is described across the Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi variants. Virtual machine disks, databases, backups, documents, spreadsheets, and mailboxes all sit over 128 KB in real life. A threshold that low turns a ransom note into a wiper with a chat page taped to the front.

This is why you should not chase a decryptor for the large pile, and why you should not pay to get one. A paid tool cannot rebuild 75% of a file when those bytes were never kept. A free tool cannot either. Keep the locked copies as evidence. Restore what you can from backups that were not attached. Treat the rest as data loss, not as a checkout you have not finished.

9. TeamPCP and the leak site

Vect’s public story includes a leak site and a TeamPCP partnership aimed at organizations already touched by supply-chain compromises. That pairing is how a locked desktop gets talked about like a company-wide event, even when the first machine you saw was a single PC. The leak site is the second threat. TeamPCP is the borrowed reputation.

Do not let those names rewrite your first hour. Your first hour is still isolate, preserve !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt, preserve a .vect sample, and stay off qTox. A partnership announcement does not change the 128 KB math. A leak site does not put a key on the desk. This page will not invent a victim $ amount to make that site feel priced, and it will not invent an onion for it.

If your legal or insurance team needs to know whether a listing exists, that is their job on a clean process, not a reason for you to browse from the infected box. Do not log into anything from that machine to “check the brand.”

10. Payment and adding that qTox close nothing

The note never prints a $ ransom on the sample. It says payment instructions will arrive after the 4-file demo. That delay is a tactic. A blank price lets them read the room. It also lets a copycat invent a $ amount in your inbox and sound official. This page will not invent a wallet, a Session ID, an onion, or a $ figure to finish their sentence.

Paying does not undo a wiper. Paying does not clean the machine. Paying does not take you off a leak site. Adding qTox does not hold a key. Sending 4 small files does not prove the large ones can return. The CISA StopRansomware Guide is the adult document in this story. The note is a storefront.

Third parties will sell a Vect conversation. They will recite ChaCha20, TeamPCP, 128 KB, and the qTox ID as proof they “already called the crew.” They read the same note you did. Do not complete their checkout. Do not help them fix the flyer.

What To Do

Do not pay. Do not add the qTox ID in !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt. Do not invent an onion address to finish the Tor line. Do not invent a Unique ID. Do not invent a wallet, a Session ID, or a $ amount. Do not type 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B into a messenger, a wallet checker, or a form a stranger sends back. Do not send proof of payment. Do not send 4 small files. Files over 128 KB may already be gone, so do not chase a decryptor for those. If you already opened the note before you found this page, stop there. Do not pay a deposit to hold a key for anyone who quotes the note.

• STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.
• STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove for Ransomware and Unwanted Programs
• STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Trojans and other Malware
• STEP 4: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Extensions and Adware
• STEP 5: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
• STEP 6: Restore the files encrypted by ransomware

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.

1. 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)

2. 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.

1. 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.

   

   DOWNLOAD MALWAREBYTES FOR WINDOWS (FREE)
   
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. 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.

   

3. 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.

     

4. 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.

5. Start the Scan

   Click the blue Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its virus database and start checking your computer for malware.

   

6. 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.

   

7. 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.

   

8. 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.)

1. Download HitmanPro

   Click the button below to download HitmanPro. Remember — the scan is free, so you have nothing to lose by checking your PC.

   DOWNLOAD HITMANPRO (FREE SCAN)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Install HitmanPro

   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.

   

3. 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.

   

   

4. 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.
   

5. 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.

   

6. 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.

1. Download AdwCleaner

   Click the button below to download AdwCleaner — it’s free, portable, and requires no installation.

   

   DOWNLOAD ADWCLEANER (FREE)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Run AdwCleaner

   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.

   

3. 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“.

   

4. Start the Scan

   Click “Dashboard” on the left side of the window, then click the “Scan” button.

   

5. 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.

   

6. 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.

   

7. 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.

1. Download ESET Online Scanner

   Click the button below to download ESET Online Scanner.

   

   DOWNLOAD ESET ONLINE SCANNER (FREE)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Run the Installer

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click “esetonlinescanner.exe“.
   

3. 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.
   

4. 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.

   

5. 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.

   

6. 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.

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:

• https://id-ransomware.malwarehunterteam.com/
• https://decrypter.emsisoft.com/
• https://noransom.kaspersky.com/
• https://www.avast.com/ransomware-decryption-tools

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.

1. Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free.

   You can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free by clicking the link below.

   

   EASEUS DATA RECOVERY WIZARD FREE DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new page from where you can download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard)

2. 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.

3. 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.
   

4. 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“.
   

5. 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.
   

6. 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.
   

7. 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.

1. Download ShadowExplorer.

   You can download ShadowExplorer from the below link.

   SHADOW EXPLORER DOWNLOAD LINK
   (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “ShadowExplorer”)

2. Install ShadowExplorer.

   Double-click on the ShadowExplorer-x.x-setup file to start the installation process, then follow the on-screen promts to install this program.
   

3. 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.

   

4. 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 .vect name exactly as it is. Do not bulk-rename 1.jpg.vect back to 1.jpg, or 2.png.vect back to 2.png, or invoice-2026.pdf.vect back to a normal PDF, or taxes.xlsx.vect back to a spreadsheet, or family.mp4.vect 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 .vect. You do not need to edit it to know what you lost. Keep a .vect sample with the note.

Keep !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt with the locked files. Do not clean up every copy of the note. Do not fill in a Tor URL so the flyer looks complete. Do not fill in a Unique ID so the flyer looks complete. The hyphen, or the string on your disk, is part of how you prove this was this strain and not a different locker that only sounds similar. Keep the contact marks as identifiers: the Dear Management line, the ChaCha20 line, the stolen-data line, the 4-small-files demo, the 121417406 bytes field, the VECT 2.0 wallpaper, and the qTox ID 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B. Those artifacts are evidence. They are not instructions you should carry out.

Do not add that qTox ID. Do not install a messenger for this. Do not ask a friend to add it just to see. A filled qTox line is still a ransom door. A calm readme is still the people who locked the files. If a later message quotes !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt and offers the real onion, that is still the same shop. If a later message skips the original note and asks for a $ amount over ordinary mail, that is still the same shop, or a copycat standing in the same doorway.

Files over 128 KB may already be gone. Do not chase a decryptor for those. Do not pay for a tool that claims it can rebuild the first 75% of a large file. Check Point VECT 2.0 already described that destruction. A helper who ignores the 128 KB line is selling hope, not a key. Keep the large .vect copies as evidence.

Do not pay. Do not invent a price. Do not invent a wallet. Do not invent a Session ID. If someone claims they can already decrypt .vect files for a fee because they can recite ChaCha20, TeamPCP, and the qTox ID, they are selling a report, not a key. If they mention the blank Tor line as proof they already called the crew, they read the same note you did. 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 .vect type, decline it. There is no player for that ending.

The Bottom Line

Vect ransomware is a locker with a readable filename, a readme that talks like a board memo, a VECT 2.0 wallpaper, and a checkout that lives in qTox. It keeps the old name and appends .vect. 1.jpg becomes 1.jpg.vect. 2.png becomes 2.png.vect. An executable such as 3.exe can stay 3.exe. The note is !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt. It claims ChaCha20, claims stolen databases, backups, and personal information, points you at a Tor chat page that public copies redact, offers a sample decryption of up to 4 small files, then payment instructions, and prints Backup contact (Qtox): 1A51DCBB33FBF603B385D223F599C6D64545E631F7C870FFEA320D84CE5DAF076C1F94100B5B. Unique ID is blank. Files encrypted is blank. Total size on the sample is 121417406 bytes. There is no printed $ amount. There is no printed wallet. There is no Session inbox. There is no public free decryptor known for this strain. Check Point VECT 2.0 documents a 128 KB wiper bug, so files larger than 128 KB may already be destroyed, with only the last quarter recoverable. Vect also runs a leak site and has announced a partnership with TeamPCP.

Do not pay. Do not add that qTox ID. Do not invent an onion URL. Do not invent a wallet. Do not chase a decryptor for files over 128 KB. Keep !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt and a .vect sample. Do not rename the pile in bulk. If you take one sentence with you, take this. A folder of names ending in .vect, plus !!!_READ_ME_!!!.txt with a ChaCha20 shout, a blank Tor line, and that qTox ID, is ransomware on the first sighting. Treat it that way before anyone offers to fill the hyphen, and before anyone sells you a key for files the 128 KB bug already wiped.