Cry36 Ransomware
Cry36 is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on May 1, 2018, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide. Security researchers also track this malware under the aliases: X3M.
Quick facts
How Cry36 ransomware works
File encryption patterns
Cry36 modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:
Ransom note and payment demands
After encrypting files, Cry36 displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:
notes/#DECRYPT_MY_FILES#.txt
notes/### DECRYPT MY FILES ###.txt
About this analysis
This Cry36 ransomware analysis is part of Elastio's comprehensive ransomware detection database. Elastio provides advanced ransomware protection and recovery, helping organizations defend against and recover from ransomware attacks like Cry36.
Last updated: December 30, 2025
Elastio detects Cry36 inside your data and backups.
The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Cry36 across live data, replicated data, and backups. If this family is in your environment, Elastio finds it before encryption completes. Run a scan against your recovery points to confirm.
Recent ransomware
Explore other threats in our database