Ransomware Research

Help50 Ransomware

Help50 is a malicious ransomware strain that encrypts victim files and demands ransom payment for decryption. First observed in the wild on October 1, 2016, this ransomware has been actively targeting systems worldwide. Security researchers also track this malware under the aliases: Dat.

Quick facts

Ransomware Family
Help50
First Seen
October 1, 2016
Known Aliases
Dat

How Help50 ransomware works

File encryption patterns

Help50 modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:

Extensions added after encryption
.dat

Ransom note and payment demands

After encrypting files, Help50 displays ransom notes demanding payment for file recovery:

fileDECRYPT_FILES.txt
notes/DECRYPT_FILES.txt
Location: EveryFolder
fileDecryptFiles.txt
notes/DecryptFiles.txt

Technical indicators

Associated executable files

The following executable files are associated with Help50 ransomware:

About this analysis

This Help50 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 Help50.

Last updated: December 30, 2025

Detection coverage

Elastio detects Help50 inside your data and backups.

The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Help50 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.

See How the Hunt Engine WorksRequest a Demo

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What is Help50 Ransomware? | Elastio