What is Mekwyk ransomware?
Mekwyk is a computer virus created to encrypt the victims’ files so that the hackers could demand money for their decryption. As this can be seen as holding the data ransom, these types of viruses are named ransomware.
Although encrypting the files is the most damaging thing Mekwyk does, it also performs several other actions. It renames the files after encrypting them; the victim’s unique ID and .mekwyk file extensiion get appended to the end of each filename.
The virus also creates a ransom note to communicate its demands to the victim. This note is a text file named “RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt”. A screenshot of this file can be seen above. You might have to right-click on the image and select “Open image in new tab” to read the text.
The note mentions that the hackers want to be paid in a cryptocurrency named Monero, however, it does not mention the actual price. Perhaps you’re considering writing them just to find out how much money they want, but this is not a good idea. Contacting the hackers means they will be much more likely to attack you again in the future. This is why you should follow our guide instead. It contains several methods to remove Mekwyk ransomware and decrypt .mekwyk files that do not involve paying the hackers or messaging them.