Ransomware

Hhwq Virus Removal (+Decrypt .hhwq files)

Hhwq is another dangerous variant of Stop/Djvu Ransomware. It is a file-encrypting virus that makes all the data inaccessible on the infected PC. It generates ransom note “_readme.txt” to extort money from victims after locking their files.

Hhwq

This dubious .Hhwq file virus also marks your files encrypted by adding its own extension to the end of every file name. For example, if there was a file on your computer named “mypic.jpg” then after the encoding, it will get renamed as “mypic.jpg.hhwq” and you will need a decoder to open that file.

SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware

Threats like Hhwq Virus keep getting back on PC if all associated files are not removed. So you are advised to use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your PC and delete all threats at once.

Compatible with: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Special Offer SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware offers a 7-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter 5 Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.

What is Hhwq Virus

.Hhwq File Virus is yet another evil creation of professional hackers. Actually, it is a kind of very harmful file-encrypting virus also known as ransomware. Well, the only motive behind the distribution of this devastating PC virus is to extort a huge amount of money from users.

Programmed with a very powerful cryptographic algorithm this particular ransomware virus is quite capable to infect and lock your entire computer system. Hhwq Virus mainly targets Windows computers using several deceptive methods such as software bundling, email scooping, clicking unknown links, visiting porn sites, social engineering, network sharing, using infected media drives, and so on.

Hhwq Ransomware uses a very sophisticated and highly advanced encryption algorithm to encode your files. Once it is done with the locking of your files, it creates a private decryption key that is stored on a remote server. If you want access to your file and decrypt the data, you will need that decoder.

This nasty ransomware takes the advantage of that and asks you for hefty ransom money through BitCoin to give you that decryption key. It will leave a note “_readme.txt” in every folder on your computer demanding $490 as ransom. It also threatens to double the price if users don’t within 72 hours.

Working of Hhwq Virus

Once .Hhwq File Virus invades your Windows system, it executes itself. It scans the entire hard drive for files and renders them useless using a powerful encryption algorithm. After locking all the files, it blackmails users to pay a huge amount of ransom.

It leaves a ransom note to inform users about the encryption and instructs them to pay money to buy decryption tools. According to this nasty .Hhwq File Virus infection, the only possible way to recover encrypted data is by paying ransom money. However, it is not true. Creators of this malware will not decrypt your files even after getting the money.

They are only trying to cheat you. You will have no leverage after paying the ransom to force them to give you the decryption key. They will stop all communications and leave you helpless. But there are ways you can use to recover your files even without a decryptor. Most importantly, you need to completely remove .Hhwq File Virus before you try to restore your files or it will keep encrypting them.

Hhwq Ransomware: Threat Analysis

Name Hhwq
Type Ransomware, File-Encrypting virus
Family STOP/DJVU Ransomware
Extension .Hhwq
Threat Level High (Encrypt all your data and Restrict access to your files).
Symptoms Victims cannot access any files on their PC and find Ransom notes asking for money.
Damage Hhwq Ransomware will encrypt your data by adding “.Hhwq” extension to file names and demand ransom money for the decryption key
Ransom Note _Readme.txt
Ransom Amount $490 USD to $980 USD
Distribution It is mainly distributed through spam emails, bundled freeware, porn or torrent sites.
Removal Download SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware
File Recovery Download Data Recovery Software

Do not pay the Ransom

Hhwq Virus is a dangerous malware infection. It is only intended to extort your money. It has no intention of releasing your files. It claims to provide your decryption key after you pay the ransom money but it is highly possible that Hhwq File Ransomware will simply delete your files instead.

Ransom note “_readme.txt” contains the following text message :

ATTENTION!

Don't worry, you can return all your files!
All your files like pictures, databases, documents and other important are encrypted with strongest encryption and unique key.
The only method of recovering files is to purchase decrypt tool and unique key for you.
This software will decrypt all your encrypted files.
What guarantees you have?
You can send one of your encrypted file from your PC and we decrypt it for free.
But we can decrypt only 1 file for free. File must not contain valuable information.
You can get and look video overview decrypt tool:
hxxps://we.tl/t-aMsnHoiJcO
Price of private key and decrypt software is $980.
Discount 50% available if you contact us first 72 hours, that's price for you is $490.
Please note that you'll never restore your data without payment.
Check your e-mail "Spam" or "Junk" folder if you don't get answer more than 6 hours.

To get this software you need write on our e-mail:
support@bestyourmail.ch

Reserve e-mail address to contact us:
supportsys@airmail.cc

Your personal ID:
-

It is also possible that the decryption key is some sort of backdoor creator infection. In simple words, it is not wise to pay money to hackers because it can start another set of a chain of reactions that can even bring more problems. You should use a powerful malware removal tool to delete this infection from your system. You can easily recover your files using data recovery software. In this way, you can easily get rid of this Hhwq File Ransomware Virus and recover your data without paying money to hackers.

How To Remove Hhwq Virus

Hhwq File Virus is a dangerous malware that can cause major damage to your computer. This nasty threat will bring several new problems on your PC. This is why it is quite imperative to delete this threat permanently before it completely damages your entire computer system. Once it manages to infiltrate your system, it will make your system vulnerable. This nasty malware is capable of bringing other harmful viruses on your system without your consent. It can completely obliterate your system performance in no time. This virus also has tendency to hide its malicious copies at various locations on your PC under different names. It is not an easy job to find and remove those virus related files manually.

In this guide, you will find instructions for two very different techniques to get rid of Hhwq Virus infection . The first one is the Automatic Removal which is quite fast, effective and accurate. The second method is Manual Removal which usually takes lots of time, needs technical expertise, and often fails to give desired results. However, it is advised to take help of both techniques to ensure complete removal of the malware from your system. In case you are not handy with system operations and techincal stuff, just opt for the automatic malware removal process to eliminate Hhwq Ransomware.

Automatic Hhwq Virus Removal Guide

As you already know, Hhwq Virus is a notorious and cunning malware that is not hard to remove easily by any user through manual means. This virus can keep coming back on the infected computer through files and shortcuts or settings that it has already created on your machine. Removing all those at once is the only way to get rid of this infection and stop it from getting into your system ever again.

So the best way to remove Hhwq effectively is to use a powerful Automatic Removal Tool and save your time and efforts. This software is a well-trusted and very powerful anti-malware program that can detect all hidden threats like Trojan, Ransomware, Worms, Spyware, Rootkits, and many others. It also provides 24X7 customer support and one-on-one Spyware HelpDesk support for Custom Malware removal. Advanced System Guard feature detects and removes threats in real-time. It has a very User-Friendly Interface and regular Malware updates make it most effective against the latest malware attacks.

How SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware Works

  • First, you need to click on the below download button to get the software.

Geek’s Recommendation

Sometimes threats like Hhwq Virus keep getting back on the machine if all associated files are not removed. So you are advised to use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your PC and delete all threats at once.

Compatible with: Windows 11/10/8/7 (32 Bit and 64 Bit)

Special Offer SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware offers a 7-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter 5 Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.
  • Then double-click on the installer you downloaded to install the program.

SpyHunter Installeruser access control

  • Launch the Anti-Malware application and click on Start Scan Now button.

Scan for Hhwq

  • The software will scan your PC for all hidden threats and viruses on your system.

Scan for Hhwq

  • Click on the Next button to see results and delete Hhwq and other threats.

Remove Hhwq

How To Recover .Hhwq Files

Now all your files got encrypted by the .Hhwq Virus then you need to recover your data without paying ransom money to hackers. If your files are important then you must have created a backup and you can use that backup to recover your files. If you don’t have a backup or this virus has encrypted your backup files, then you are left to seek professional help.

As there is no Hhwq ransomware decryptor available, we recommend you use powerful data recovery software to decrypt .Hhwq Files. It is a risk-free and smart way. You can just download the free version and scan your PC for files. There is a high probability that it can recover most of your files in a fraction of the amount that hackers are demanding. It is also needless to say that paying hackers will only motivate hackers to carry out more attacks.

  • First, you need to download Data Recovery software on your PC.

Download Data Recovery Software Now

  • Install the program, launch it then select the Data type to recover, and click the Next button.

select Data type

  • Select the location from where you want to recover data and click the Scan button.

Select location

  • After the scan, the software will list all files, select them and click the Recover button.

Recover Hhwq encrypted files

Manual Hhwq Removal Guide

Before you start Manual Removal

Please Bookmark This Page by pressing the {ctrl+D} button or print it out on paper before you start the Manual Removal because you may need to restart your PC or browser.) Attention! For the safety of your system, please confirm a few things before you begin Hhwq Ransomware Removal:

  1. You have done this before, which means you have experience in removing the virus manually;
  2. That you know your way around PC and  all necessary processes and applications;
  3. You know about Registry entry and the Serious repercussions of any mistake;
  4. Make sure you can reverse any mistake made during .Hhwq Virus removal.

If you don’t attain any of the above standards, then manual removal could be a very risky idea. It is most likely best for you to use the Hhwq Ransomware Removal Tool which is totally secure and efficient method.

Compatible with: Windows 11/10/8/7 (32 Bit and 64 Bit)

Special Offer SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware offers a 7-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter 5 Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.

 

Start PC in safe mode with networking

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
  • Type msconfig in the Run Box then click the OK button.
  • Click on the Boot tab then the System configuration window will appear.
  • Choose Safe Boot, check the network box, Click Apply, and press the OK button.

Safe boot

Kill Malicious Process From Task Manager

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
  • Type taskmgr in Run Box and then click the OK button.
  • Find Hhwq related or any malicious process.
  • Now right-click on it then click End process.

Stop Hhwq related task

How To Uninstall Hhwq from Windows PC

  • First of all Press Windows Key + R buttons together.
  • Type appwiz.cpl in the Run box and then click the OK button.
  • Now Programs and Features windows will appear on the screen.
  • Find and remove all Hhwq related or malicious programs.

Remove Hhwq

Warning: Do not play with Windows registry, host file or restore options if you don’t have previous experience with it. Removing wrong files may break your system entirely. So if you are not sure, then stick to the Automatic Malware Removal option.

Compatible with: Windows 11/10/8/7 (32 Bit and 64 Bit)

Special Offer SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware offers a 7-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter 5 Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.

Remove Virus related IP addresses from Hosts’ Files

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
  • Type C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc in Run Box and then click the OK button.
  • Now open the host file with Notepad.
  • Look for any suspicious IP addresses that might be related to Hhwq Virus.
  • Delete all the malicious IP addresses and save the host files.

Remove Hhwq virus related IP address

Remove Virus related Windows Registry entries

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
  • Type regedit in Run Box and then click the OK button.
  • Registry Editor will open, then press CTRL +F buttons together.
  • Now type Hhwq and then click on Find Next button.
  • Find all the related entries and delete them one by one

Remove Hhwq related registry

Delete Virus related files from your PC

When a threat gets on to a PC, it most likely creates some files at different locations on the system. These files are used to perform a specific action and also help malware in getting back to the computer once it’s removed. So you just need to find also delete all those files associated with this .Hhwq File Virus. For that follow the below instruction :

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard
  • Type each of the following in Run Box and press the OK button
  1. %AppData%
  2. %LocalAppData%
  3. %ProgramData%
  4. %WinDir%
  5. %Temp%

For the first four options, look for any recent folder related to the .Hhwq File Virus and remove them. For the Temp folder, you can delete all the files.

Remove Hhwq Virus via system restore

  • Press Windows Key + R buttons together on the keyboard.
  • Type cmd in Run Box and then click the OK button.
  • Type cd restore and press Enter, then type rstrui.exe and press Enter.
  • When the System Restore window opens on your computer screen click the Next button, then choose a System Restore point you have created in the past and click the Next button.
  • Finally, click on the Yes button to start the system restoration process.

Remove Hhwq via system restore

Note: This will only work if you have a restore point set on your PC or it will give an error message. Restoring the computer to a previous version may or may not remove .Hhwq File Virus. Most of the time, viruses just delete all the restore points. If this trick does not work for you then don’t get disappointed.

After restoring your computer, we recommend you run a thorough scan of the PC using a Powerful Anti-Malware program to detect and remove any hidden threats. In most cases, viruses may spread through any files outside of the C drive because system restoring only affect the C drive. There may be some Virus related files hiding your PC, and it never hurts to double-check.

Sometimes, system restore doesn’t work or viruses can just remove the restore points. As such you will probably have no other choice than to choose the Automatic Removal Process. It is the best and error-free method to find and remove threats from your computer. Additionally, you should also check some important malware prevention tips provided here in this guide to avoid similar virus attacks in the future.

Remove Hhwq Virus From MacOS

If you are a mac user, and your machine got infected by this nasty file-encrypting malware then you need to remove it as soon as possible. Although Mac systems are quite safe they still do get infected. So you can delete this infection using the below steps:

Stop Malicious Program From Activity Monitor

  • First, you need to open Utilities folder on your Mac system.
  • Find the Activity Monitor icon and double-click on it to open it.
  • Find Hhwq related process, click the cross button from the upper left side corner to end task.
  • A pop-up dialogue box will appear on the screen, click on the Force Quit button.

Remove Virus From Application Folder

  • First, go to the Dock option (bottom of your screen) then click on Finder App.
  • Now you have to open the Applications Folders to see all the programs.
  • Find Hhwq or any other unwanted program then move it to Trash.

Remove Hhwq From Mac

Remove Hhwq Virus Related Files From Mac

When any program is installed on your Mac, it creates several files on your system that support the functioning of that application. If you need to remove any virus from your Mac, then you need to delete all related files completely. These files could be found at :

  1. LaunchAgents
  2. Application Support
  3. LaunchDaemons

Follow the below steps to remove virus related files from these locations:

  • First of all press the Command+Shift+G buttons together on your keyboard.
  • Now you can see Go To Folder option on your Mac screen.
  • Type in /Library/LaunchAgents in the text field and click on Go button.
  • Find and remove any Hhwq Virus related or malicious file.

Now follow the same process for Application Support and LaunchDaemons folders. But be careful, don’t delete any important files or you can break down your entire system.

Attention: If you are not tech-savvy, then it could be quite difficult to remove Hhwq File Virus manually from your Mac. The best way is to download SpyHunter Mac Anti-Malware and see if it can detect all hidden threats and viruses on your computer. It’s really super easy and you should give it a try.

How SpyHunter Mac Anti-Malware Works

  • First, download the SpyHunter for Mac by clicking on the below button.

Sometimes threats like Hhwq Virus keep getting back on the machine if all associated files are not removed. So you are advised to use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your Mac and delete all threats at once.

Special Offer SpyHunter for Mac offers a 15-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter for Mac Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.
  • Now go to the Download Folder from the Docs and Install the SpyHunter Anti-Malware For Mac.

Install SpyHunter for Mac

  • Launch the Program, and click on Start Scan Now button.

Spyhunter for Mac start scan now

  • The software will start running a full scan of your mac instantly to look for any malware, virus, threats, malicious programs or security risks, and so on.

Spyhunter for mac scanning

  • Finally, you will see a list of malware detected on your mac, now click on the Next button to start the removal process.

Remove Malware with spyhunter for mac

Tips To Prevent .Hhwq Virus in Future

  • Use a good anti-virus, be it a free version but don’t use cracked security programs.
  • Make sure that your Windows firewall is active, so it can block upcoming threats.
  • Keep your Windows/Mac OS and other programs updated to avoid vulnerabilities.
  • Download updates only from official websites, don’t use suspicious sites.
  • Never download and install pirated software, games, or illegal patches on your PC.
  • Do not open spam emails from an unknown sender and scan all attachments before opening.
  • Never download freeware third-party programs from unreliable sources or websites.
  • Avoid connecting your PC to unsafe public Wi-Fi to protect your privacy.
  • You can also use a VPN to spoof your connection and avoid malicious sites.
  • Create a system restore point on your system for security purposes.
  • Keep a backup of all your important files to avoid data loss.
Still, having issues? Need help?

Sometimes threats like Hhwq Virus keep getting back on the machine if all associated files are not removed. You should use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your PC and delete all threats at once.

Compatible with: Windows 11/10/8/7 (32 Bit and 64 Bit)

Special Offer SpyHunter 5 Anti-Malware offers a 7-day fully-functional Free Trial. Credit card required, NO charge upfront. No charge if you cancel up to two business days before the trial period ends. Read SpyHunter 5 Review, and Free SpyHunter Remover details.

About the author

Robert Calvert

Robert is the Chief Security Expert and Founder of PCSafetyGeek.com website. He is a cybersecurity enthusiast who loves to research about Malware outbreaks and write about their remedies. He also like to spend time trying new software, reviewing them and sharing IT news. However he is a real coffee lover and likes to play chess in spare time (which is quite rare 😜).

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