Ransomware Research

Serpent Danish Ransomware

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

Quick facts

Ransomware Family
Serpent Danish
First Seen
February 1, 2017
Known Aliases
Serpent 2017

How Serpent Danish ransomware works

File encryption patterns

Serpent Danish modifies encrypted files using specific patterns to mark them as encrypted:

Extensions added after encryption
.serpent.serp

Ransom note and payment demands

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

fileREADME_TO_RESTORE_FILES.txt
file/HOW_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES_[A-Za-z0-9]{3}.txt/
notes/HOW_TO_DECRYPT_YOUR_FILES_Hg5.txt

Technical indicators

Associated executable files

The following executable files are associated with Serpent Danish ransomware:

About this analysis

This Serpent Danish 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 Serpent Danish.

Last updated: December 30, 2025

Detection coverage

Elastio detects Serpent Danish inside your data and backups.

The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify Serpent Danish 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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