Ransomware Research
District Ransomware
District is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on October 1, 2018, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide. Security researchers also track this malware under the aliases: CtrlAlt.
Quick Facts
- Ransomware Family
- District
- First Seen
- October 1, 2018
- Known Aliases
- CtrlAlt
How District Ransomware Works
File Encryption Patterns
District modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:
File extensions added after encryption:
..districtRansom Note and Payment Demands
After encrypting files, District displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:
READ_IT.districtRansom message:
notes/READ_IT.district
Note locations:
DesktopTechnical Indicators
Associated Executable Files
The following executable files are associated with District ransomware:
mutated_DistrictRansomware.binDistrictRansomware.binTrojan.Ransom.District.exeRansomware District.exe508.json2018-10-04 District.exeDistrict.exemyfile.exealt.exeDistrictRansomware.exe
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About This Analysis
This District ransomware analysis is part of Elastio's comprehensive ransomware detection database. Elastio provides advanced ransomware protection and recovery solutions, helping organizations defend against and recover from ransomware attacks like District.
Last updated: October 30, 2025
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