Ransomware Research

WantMoney Ransomware

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

Quick facts

Ransomware Family
WantMoney
First Seen
December 1, 2017
Known Aliases
Want Money

How WantMoney ransomware works

File encryption patterns

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

Extensions added after encryption
./\.WantMoney[0-9]{1,2}$/

Ransom note and payment demands

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

file_Want Money_.txt
notes/_Want Money_.txt
Location: Desktop, RootDiscs
screenshot
notes/_Want Money_.bmp
Location: Desktop

Technical indicators

Associated executable files

The following executable files are associated with WantMoney ransomware:

About this analysis

This WantMoney 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 WantMoney.

Last updated: December 30, 2025

Detection coverage

Elastio detects WantMoney inside your data and backups.

The Hunt Engine uses Deep File Inspection to identify WantMoney 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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