Cerber-2021 Ransomware
Cerber-2021 is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on November 1, 2021, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide. Security researchers also track this malware under the aliases: CerberImposter 2021, CerberCrypt, CerberLocker.
Quick facts
How Cerber-2021 ransomware works
File encryption patterns
Cerber-2021 modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:
Ransom note and payment demands
After encrypting files, Cerber-2021 displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:
notes/__$$RECOVERY_README$$__.html
Technical indicators
Associated executable files
The following executable files are associated with Cerber-2021 ransomware:
- Cerber2.bin
- tmp.conf.2w
- 2ace8c4c98c050a9cf57e0e275848c6cf7122f19f4136dabb94a130a88d77997_.json
- 011c.bin
- tmp.conf.2p
About this analysis
This Cerber-2021 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 Cerber-2021.
Last updated: December 30, 2025
Elastio detects Cerber-2021 inside your data and backups.
The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Cerber-2021 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.
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