Ransomware Research

MaxCat Ransomware

MaxCat is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on August 1, 2024, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide.

Quick Facts

Ransomware Family
MaxCat
First Seen
August 1, 2024

How MaxCat Ransomware Works

File Encryption Patterns

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

File extensions added after encryption:

./\.[0-9a-z]{4}$/

Ransom Note and Payment Demands

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

fileread_it.txt

Ransom message:

notes/read_it.txt

Note locations:

EveryFolder
screenshot

Ransom message:

notes/3vsa4e1vv.jpg

Note locations:

Desktop

Technical Indicators

Associated Executable Files

The following executable files are associated with MaxCat ransomware:

  • svchost.exe
  • svchost.scr.chaos.jpg
  • svchost_protected.exe

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About This Analysis

This MaxCat 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 MaxCat.

Last updated: July 30, 2025

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