Eternal Ransomware
Eternal is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on May 1, 2018, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide.
Quick facts
How Eternal ransomware works
File encryption patterns
Eternal modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:
Ransom note and payment demands
After encrypting files, Eternal displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:
notes/_YOUR_FILES_GOT_ENCRYPTED_.txt
notes/_YOUR_FILES_GOT_ENCRYPTED.vbs
About this analysis
This Eternal 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 Eternal.
Last updated: December 30, 2025
Elastio detects Eternal inside your data and backups.
The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Eternal 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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