Ransomware Research

Knot Ransomware

Knot is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on December 1, 2020, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide.

Quick Facts

Ransomware Family
Knot
First Seen
December 1, 2020

How Knot Ransomware Works

File Encryption Patterns

Knot modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:

File extensions added after encryption:

..encrypted

Ransom Note and Payment Demands

After encrypting files, Knot displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:

file{origin_filename}-HELP.txt

Ransom message:

notes/DOC6.docx-HELP.txt

Note locations:

EveryFile

Elastio Can Help You

Don't let Knot ransomware take over your data

Elastio provides advanced ransomware protection and recovery solutions to keep your organization safe.

Learn MoreRequest a Demo

About This Analysis

This Knot 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 Knot.

Last updated: October 30, 2025

Recent Ransomware

Explore other threats in our database

View all ransomware