Ransomware Research

French HT Ransomware

French HT is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on March 1, 2017, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide. Security researchers also track this malware under the aliases: Putty.

Quick facts

Ransomware Family
French HT
First Seen
March 1, 2017
Known Aliases
Putty

How French HT ransomware works

File encryption patterns

French HT modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:

Extensions added after encryption
.oups

Ransom note and payment demands

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

fileREADME.html
notes/README.html
Location: Desktop

Technical indicators

Associated executable files

The following executable files are associated with French HT ransomware:

About this analysis

This French HT 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 French HT.

Last updated: December 30, 2025

Detection coverage

Elastio detects French HT inside your data and backups.

The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify French HT 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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What is French HT Ransomware? | Elastio