Ransomware Research

Clown-2026 Ransomware

Clown-2026 is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on May 1, 2026, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide.

Quick facts

Ransomware Family
Clown-2026
First Seen
May 1, 2026

How Clown-2026 ransomware works

File modification behavior

Clown-2026 updates file modification timestamps after encryption.

File encryption patterns

Clown-2026 modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:

Extensions added after encryption
  • ./\.[A-Za-z0-9]{9}$/

Ransom note and payment demands

After encrypting files, Clown-2026 displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:

fileREADFORDECRYPTION.txt
notes/READFORDECRYPTION.txt

Location: EveryFolder

screenshot
notes/w8XdziDFw.jpeg

Location: Desktop

Technical indicators

Associated executable files

The following executable files are associated with Clown-2026 ransomware:

  • LB3.exe

About this analysis

This Clown-2026 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 Clown-2026.

Last updated: September 9, 2026

Detection coverage

Elastio detects Clown-2026 inside your data and backups.

The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Clown-2026 across live data, replicated data, and backups. If this family is in your environment, Elastio finds it before encryption completes. Run a hunt against your recovery points to confirm.