The B4WQ virus is ransomware that is descendant from the earlier B2DR threat. Like its parent it uses a modular engine that seeks to encrypt sensitive personal files. Our article explores the technical aspect of the infections and shows how victims can remove active infections.
Threat Summary
| Name | B4WQ |
| Type | Ransomware, Cryptovirus |
| Short Description | The ransomware encrypts sensitive information on your computer system with the .B4WQ extensions and demands a ransom to be paid to allegedly recover them. |
| Symptoms | The ransomware will encrypt your files with a strong encryption algorithm. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments |
| Detection Tool |
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss B4WQ. |
| Data Recovery Tool | Windows Data Recovery by Stellar Phoenix Notice! This product scans your drive sectors to recover lost files and it may not recover 100% of the encrypted files, but only few of them, depending on the situation and whether or not you have reformatted your drive. |
B4WQ Virus – Distribution Ways
The B4WQ virus is a newly reported ransomware that is being distributed in a small attack campaign. Due to the limited reports the analyst cannot trace down the preferred method of distribution, consequently all of the popular ones can be used.
The criminals can use email SPAM messages that rely on social engineering tricks that manipulate the recipients into interacting with the malicious content. The B4WQ virus can be either directly attached to the messages or hyperlinked in the body contents. They are also the main delivery method for distributing payload carriers. Two of the most popular types are the following:
- Infected Documents — The B4WQ virus code can be embedded in files of various types: text files, spreadsheets or presentations. The mechanism depends on a script execution which triggers a payload download command. Once the relevant files are opened by the victims a notification prompt appears which asks them to enable the built-in macros. When this is done the B4WQ virus infection begins.
- Software Installers — The hackers typically take application installers of famous software that are modified with the B4WQ virus code. Usually popular products are chosen — productivity and office apps, creativity suites, system utilities and etc.
The payloads can also be uploaded to hacker-controlled sites that are modeled to look like legitimate portals. The victims may also experience malicious scripts that can trigger the infections: banners, pop-ups, redirects and in-content links. In certain cases such infections can be found on legitimate sites as well through various affiliate or advertising networks.
If the B4WQ virus operators want to pursue a large-scale distribution then they can also use browser hijackers. They represent dangerous web browser plugins that are usually distributed on the relevant repositories. The hackers behind the threat usually make them compatible with the most popular web browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge. They are advertised with ads and descriptions that market it as an useful addition. Usually fake developer credentials and user reviews are used to coerce the users into interacting it. Once the browser hijacker is placed on the infected host it changes the default browser settings, this is done in order to redirect the victims to a hacker-controlled site. It then installs tracking cookies and other threats that can reveal sensitive information about the victims.
B4WQ Virus – In-Depth Analysis
The B4WQ virus is a direct descendant of the B2DR ransomware family. The security experts have discovered code snippets from the former ransomware which leads us to believe that it is very possible that the same culprits are behind these infections as well. Further modifications to its code can be made in future versions and upcoming offspring.
At the moment the initial security analysis is being conducted and all details are not known. A limiting factor is the small number of captured samples, they do not allow the researchers to register whether all currently released versions have the same mechanism of action. It is believed that the current versions may be test releases that simply test out the ransomware engine.
The infection can begin with a data harvesting component. It can be used to hijack sensitive information about the victims and their computers. The harvested information can be classified into two main groups:
- Personal Data — The virus can be used to hijack sensitive information revealing the victim’s identity. The criminals can expose them by identifying strings related to the user’s name, address, telephone number, location, passwords and account credentials.
- Campaign Metrics — The B4WQ virus can also be instructed to search for specific strings taken from the operating system. It also generates a profile of all installed hardware components.
The collected information can then be used by another component to achieve stealth protection from applications that can interfere with its correct execution. This includes the likes of anti-virus products, virtual machine hosts and sandbox environments.
Following the B4WQ virus execution it can be configured to conduct various changes to the Windows Registry. When operating system related entries are modified it overall performance may suffer. If user-installed applications are affected certain functions or features may be disabled.
The B4WQ virus can also be installed as a persistent threat. This means that it will reconfigure the host system in the prescribed way — the malicious engine will start every time the computer boots. It also removes the possibility for the users to enter into the boot recovery menu .
If a Trojan module is implemented it connects to a hacker-controlled server. It allows the hackers to spy on the victims in real time, harvest the collected information and take over control of their machines at any given time. This can be used to deploy additional malware to the victim computers as well.
B4WQ Virus -Encryption
Following the execution of all modules that are part of the B4WQ virus the ransomware part is started. Like its parent ransomware it uses a built-in list of target file type extensions. The most popular file types are affected, such as the following:
- Archives
- Documents
- Backups
- Images
- Music
- Videos
The victim data is then renamed with the setimichas1971@protonmail.com.b4wq which uses the well-known tactic of using the hacker’s contact email address before the virus’s extension. The typical tactic of producing a ransom note in a text message is retained. It is called Readme.txt and uses the same blackmail tactics as other famous ransomware. It tries to convince the users into paying the criminal operators money, usually in the form of cryptocurrency payments. They give out the hacker-controlled email address (setimichas1971@protonmail.com).
Remove B4WQ Virus and Restore .B4WQ Files
If your computer system got infected with the B4WQ ransomware virus, you should have a bit of experience in removing malware. You should get rid of this ransomware as quickly as possible before it can have the chance to spread further and infect other computers. You should remove the ransomware and follow the step-by-step instructions guide provided below.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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Attention! SensorsTechForum strongly recommends that all malware victims should look for assistance only by reputable sources. Many guides out there claim to offer free recovery and decryption for files encrypted by ransomware viruses. Be advised that some of them may only be after your money.
As a site that has been dedicated to providing free removal instructions for ransomware and malware since 2014, SensorsTechForum’s recommendation is to only pay attention to trustworthy sources.
How to recognize trustworthy sources:
- Always check "About Us" web page.
- Profile of the content creator.
- Make sure that real people are behind the site and not fake names and profiles.
- Verify Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter personal profiles.
About the B4WQ Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this B4WQ how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific malware and restore your encrypted files.
How did we conduct the research on this ransomware?
Our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, and as such, we receive daily updates on the latest malware and ransomware definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the B4WQ ransomware threat is backed with VirusTotal and the NoMoreRansom project.
To better understand the ransomware threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.
References
1. How to Recognize Spam Emails with Ransomware
2. How Does Ransomware Encryption Work?
3. How to Decrypt Ransomware Files
4. Ransomware Getting Greedier and Bigger, Attacks Increase by 40%
5. 1 in 5 Americans Victim of Ransomware
How to Remove B4WQ from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove B4WQ
1. Hold Windows Key + R.
2. The "Run" Window will appear. In it, type "msconfig" and click OK.
3. Go to the "Boot" tab. There select "Safe Boot" and then click "Apply" and "OK".
4. When prompted, click on "Restart" to go into Safe Mode.
5. You can recognise Safe Mode by the words written on the corners of your screen.
Step 2: Uninstall B4WQ and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
1. Hold the Windows Logo Button and "R" on your keyboard. A Pop-up window will appear.
2. In the field type in "appwiz.cpl" and press ENTER.
3. This will open a window with all the programs installed on the PC. Select the program that you want to remove, and press "Uninstall"
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by B4WQ on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by B4WQ there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
1. Open the Run Window again, type "regedit" and click OK.
2. When you open it, you can freely navigate to the Run and RunOnce keys, whose locations are shown above.
3. You can remove the value of the virus by right-clicking on it and removing it.
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Step 4: Scan for B4WQ with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
1. Click on the "Download" button to proceed to SpyHunter's download page.
2. After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
3. After the update process has finished, click on the 'Malware/PC Scan' tab. A new window will appear. Click on 'Start Scan'.
4. After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the 'Next' button.
Video Guide for Automatic and Fast Removal
Step 5 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by B4WQ.
Ransomware infections and B4WQ aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested a data recovery method that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that this method may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on the top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
Step 6: How to Restore Files Encrypted by Ransomware (Video Guide)
Get rid of B4WQ from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall B4WQ and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to B4WQ:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to B4WQ. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash
”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference.
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to B4WQ. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove B4WQ via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1: Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2: Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3: Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as B4WQ. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3 (Optional): Try to Restore Files Encrypted by B4WQ.
Ransomware infections and B4WQ aim to encrypt your files using an encryption algorithm which may be very difficult to decrypt. This is why we have suggested a data recovery method that may help you go around direct decryption and try to restore your files. Bear in mind that this method may not be 100% effective but may also help you a little or a lot in different situations.
1. Download the recommended Data Recovery software by clicking on the link underneath:
Simply click on the link and on the website menus on top, choose Data Recovery - Data Recovery Wizard for Windows or Mac (depending on your OS), and then download and run the tool.
B4WQ FAQ
What is B4WQ ransomware and how does it work?
B4WQ is a ransomware infection - the malicious software that enters your computer silently and blocks either access to the computer itself or encrypt your files.
Many ransomware viruses use sophisticated encryption algorithm how to make your files inaccessible. The goal of ransomware infections is to demand that you pay a ransom payment to get access to your files back.
How does B4WQ ransomware infect my computer?
Via several ways.B4WQ Ransomware infects computers by being sent via phishing e-mails, containing virus attachment.
This attachment is usually masked as an important document, like an invoice, bank document or even a plane ticket and it looks very convincing to users.
After you download and execute this attachment, a drive-by download occurs and your computer is infected with the ransomware virus.
Another way, you may become a victim of B4WQ is if you download a fake installer, crack or patch from a low reputation website or if you click on a virus link. Many users report getting a ransomware infection by downloading torrents.
How to open .B4WQ files?
You can't. At this point the .B4WQ files are encrypted. You can only open them once they are decrypted.
Decryptor did not decrypt my data. What now?
Do not panic and backup the files. If a decryptor did not decrypt your .B4WQ files successfully, then do not despair, because this virus is still new.
One way to restore files, encrypted by B4WQ ransomware is to use a decryptor for it. But since it's a new virus, advised that the decryption keys for it may not be out yet and available to the public. We will update this article and keep you posted as soon as this decryptor is released.
How Do I restore ".B4WQ" files (Other Methods)?
Yes, sometimes files can be restored. We have suggested several file recovery methods that could work if you want to restore .B4WQ files.
These methods are in no way 100% guarantee that you will be able to get your files back. But if you have a backup, your chances of success are much greater.
How do I get rid of B4WQ ransomware virus?
The safest way and the most efficient one for the removal of this ransomware infection is the use a professional anti malware software. It will scan for and locate B4WQ ransomware and then remove it without causing any additional harm to your important .B4WQ files.
Also, keep in mind that viruses like B4WQ ransomware also install Trojans and keyloggers that can steal your passwords and accounts. Scanning your computer with an anti-malware software will make sure that all of these virus components are removed and your computer is protected in the future.
What to Do If nothing works?
There is still a lot you can do. If none of the above methods seem to work for you, then try these methods:
- Try to find a safe computer from where you can can login on your own line accounts like One Drive, iDrive, Google Drive and so on.
- Try to contact your friends, relatives and other people so that they can check if they have some of your important photos or documents just in case you sent them.
- Also, check if some of the files that were encrypted it can be re-downloaded from the web.
- Another clever way to get back some of your files is to find another old computer, a flash drive or even a CD or a DVD where you may have saved your older documents. You might be surprised what will turn up.
- You can also go to your email account to check if you can send any attachments to other people. Usually what is sent the email is saved on your account and you can re-download it. But most importantly, make sure that this is done from a safe computer and make sure to remove the virus first.
More tips you can find on our forums, where you can also asks any questions about your ransomware problem.
How to Report Ransomware to Authorities?
In case your computer got infected with a ransomware infection, you can report it to the local Police departments. It can help authorities worldwide track and determine the perpetrators behind the virus that has infected your computer. Below, we have prepared a list with government websites, where you can file a report in case you are a victim of a cybercrime:
Cyber-security authorities, responsible for handling ransomware attack reports in different regions all over the world:
- Germany - Offizielles Portal der deutschen Polizei
- United States - IC3 Internet Crime Complaint Centre
- United Kingdom - Action Fraud Police
- France - Ministère de l'Intérieur
- Italy - Polizia Di Stato
- Spain - Policía Nacional
- Netherlands - Politie
- Poland - Policja
- Portugal - Polícia Judiciária
- Greece - Cyber Crime Unit (Hellenic Police)
- India - Mumbai Police - CyberCrime Investigation Cell
- Australia - Australian High Tech Crime Center
Reports may be responded to in different timeframes, depending on your local authorities.
