Ransomware Research
Surprise Ransomware
Surprise is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on March 1, 2016, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide.
Quick Facts
- Ransomware Family
- Surprise
- First Seen
- March 1, 2016
How Surprise Ransomware Works
Targeted Files
NOSAMPLE Encrypted_Files.Notepad on the Desktop
File Encryption Patterns
Surprise modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:
File extensions added after encryption:
..surprise..tzuRansom Note and Payment Demands
After encrypting files, Surprise displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:
DECRYPTION_HOWTO.NotepadRansom message:
notes/DECRYPTION_HOWTO.Notepad
Note locations:
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About This Analysis
This Surprise 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 Surprise.
Last updated: July 30, 2025