Ygkz Ransomware

The STOP Ransomware family continues to be a major problem for users worldwide since it enables any cybercriminal to get their own file-locker up and running in a matter of minutes. Because of this, we have seen hundreds of similar ransomware threats flood the Internet in 2020 and, unfortunately, this trend is not dying down in 2021. The latest variant of the STOP Ransomware to be seen in the wild is called the Ygkz Ransomware, and it has already managed to cause problems for several victims who have reported the issue online. This ransomware follows the typical modus operandi of members of the STOP Ransomware family:

• After infecting a computer, it starts encrypting files in the background.
• When a file is locked, the extension '.ygkz' is added to its original name.
• The ransom note '_readme.txt' is created on the desktop.
• The system restore is disabled, and the Shadow Volume Copies are purged.

The criminals ask their victim for a ransom payment of $490 via Bitcoin. They also promise to decrypt 1 file for free if the victim contacts them via the emails helpteam@mail.ch and helpmanager@airmail.cc. However, they warn their victims that they will only decrypt non-valuable files small in size, preferably.

It is a bad idea to trust Ygkz Ransomware's creators and try to buy the tool they claim to sell. It is very likely that you will fall victim to a tactic if you try to pay. Instead, run a malware removal tool to prevent the Ygkz Ransomware from causing more damage. Once the threat has been disposed of, resort to recovering your files from a backup, or using alternative data recovery strategies and tools.