XCry ransomware: what it is and how to remove it
XCry ransomware is a file locking malware that encrypts all data with the help of AES encryption cryptography and then demands a ransom to be paid for the key. The virus targets documents, .zip, video, audio, picture, databases and appends .xcry7684 file extension after the encoding procedure is complete.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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XCry ransomware: summary
| Distribution | The virus uses typical ransomware distribution techniques, including spam emails, brute force attacks, fake updates, repacked or hacked executables, torrent files, etc. |
|---|---|
| Name | XCry |
| Type | Ransomware |
| Encryption | AES |
| File extension | .xcry7684 |
| Ransom note | HOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.htm; the text is quoted in full below |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 12 more facts
| Contact | funnybtc@airmail.cc |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Encrypted file extension | .xcry7684 |
| Decryptor | No free decryptor is known for this variant; check No More Ransom (nomoreransom.org) for updates |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Files renamed with a new extension and a ransom note left in folders |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
| Encrypted files | .xcry7684 |
| Attacker contacts | funnybtc@airmail.cc |
| Free decryptor | No free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026) |
| First seen | 21 January 2019 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Names and addresses to look for
- File extension:
.xcry7684 - Note file:
HOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.html - Contact:
funnybtc@airmail.cc
How XCry ransomware behaves
From our report of Jan 2019 · not reviewed since
XCry is a new ransomware family that uses blackmail to gain money
XCry ransomware is a file locking malware that encrypts all data with the help of AES encryption cryptography and then demands a ransom to be paid for the key.
The virus targets documents, .zip, video, audio, picture, databases and appends .xcry7684 file extension after the encoding procedure is complete. XCry virus then performs substantial changes to the system and immediately contacts C&C server that is controlled by malware authors.
By doing that, the virus uploads the unique key to the remote server and uploads the ransom note HOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.html which explains the situation to the victims. The brief note, hackers urge users to find the encryption key inside the APPDATA folder and send it to funnybtc@airmail.cc to receive further instructions.
Distribution method of XCry ransomware does not differ much from similar malware. Cybercriminals use many different techniques to make users to install the malicious payload themselves and sometimes rely on vulnerabilities or weak passwords. The latter is called brute-forcing and has become more prominent among hackers recently.
The ransom note is relatively short and states the following:
The payment amount varies from virus to virus. For example, GandCrab 5.0.4 authors ask as much as $2,400 in Dash or Bitcoin once victims fail to pay the ransom within a predetermined amount of time.
Warning: Regardless of how much money XCry ransomware developers ask, do not pay them.
Most security researchers advise not to pay the ransom, as bad actors often ignore their victim and never send the decryptor. Therefore, the possibility of being scammed is pretty high. Additionally, it will prove XCry virus authors that ransomware works and they will be motivated to create more sophisticated malware and infect more innocent individuals.
Do not try to get rid of XCry manually, as you will most likely fail.
Once you remove XCry ransomware, you can proceed with file recovery. Currently, there is no official decryptor created yet, but if you have backups, there should be no problems.
From our report of Jan 2019 · not reviewed since
Ransomware virus distribution methods
As we already mentioned, most ransomware authors rely on multiple distribution methods to ensure prevalence.
While it is impossible to stay away from viruses 100%, there are many prevention steps that can reduce the possibility of infection to a minimum. Experts suggest following these simple tips:
- Employ reputable security software and keep it up to date;
- Patch your system as soon as updates are released;
- Stay away from emails that contain attachments or links, unless you know they are legitimate;
- When using Remote Desktop Protocol, ensure it with VPN and a strong password;
- Avoid third-party websites that distribute questionable software or other files;
- "Cracks" and "Serial generators" can be infected with malware - stay away from them;
- Prepare some backups for your files regularly;
- Do not participate in surveys, promotions, "free gifts" scams, and similar;
- When installing freeware from the internet, always pick Advanced or Custom settings in order to remove unwanted programs before finalizing the installation.
The XCry ransomware note
Your files have been encrypted.
To decrypt your files, follow instructions
Open your explorer, in the pathbar, enter %appdata%
Find the file encryption_key and send it to email: funnybtc@airmail.cc
Await payment instructions
How to remove XCry ransomware
Tools you'll need
All of these are free except where noted. Download them on a clean device if the infected PC is offline.
- A USB stick: to keep the ransom note, two or three encrypted files and screenshots off the infected PC.
- Microsoft Defender Offline: built into Windows 11 and Windows 10; scans before Windows starts, so running malware cannot hide.
- Microsoft Safety Scanner: a second, portable scanner with current signatures; each download works for 10 days.
- ID Ransomware: identifies the family from the note and one encrypted file and says whether a decryptor exists.
- No More Ransom: the free decryptors from police and security companies; check it again every few months.
- Fortect (optional): scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. The free scan is in the box above.
How to remove XCry and get your files back
Work in this order.
Disconnecting comes first, removal comes before any restore, and nothing here asks you to contact the attackers.
Step 1: Disconnect the PC and unplug backup drives
Unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi, and disconnect USB drives, external disks and network shares, so XCry cannot reach more files. Pause OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox sync, because synced folders upload the encrypted copies over the good ones.
Leave the PC on but offline while you read the next steps, since a restart can let the ransomware run again. This applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.
Windows 11: turn off Wi-Fi to take the PC offline. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 2: Save the ransom note and confirm the family
Your files now end in
.xcry7684and the instructions are inHOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.html. Save both to a USB stick, a copy of the note and two small encrypted files, before anything else.On another device, check them with ID Ransomware or Crypto Sheriff: the family name decides which decryptor, if any, can help. Keep the note's ID and contact line for your report.
Windows 11: the ransom note and encrypted files to copy for identification. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 3: Check for a free decryptor
Our last check found that for XCry, no free decryptor is known (checked 7 October 2026). Look again yourself in the No More Ransom list and the free decryptor pages of Emsisoft, Avast and Kaspersky, which add new families every year.
A decryptor needs the ransomware gone first, or it encrypts the files again. Keep at least one copy of the encrypted files on an external drive, even if no tool works yet.
Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 4: Remove the ransomware before you restore or decrypt
Removing XCry does not bring the files back, but it has to come first. Start with Defender's Full scan, then the offline scan from the same Scan options page, which checks the disk before Windows loads.
If the scan cannot start, use Safe Mode with Networking. Delete the ransom notes only after you have saved a copy, because removal tools sometimes leave them behind on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 5: Look for shadow copies of the files
Windows keeps shadow copies for restore points and backups, and some ransomware fails to delete them.
vssadmin list shadowsin an administrator Command Prompt tells you at once whether any exist.If they do, right-click the folder that held your files, open Properties > Previous Versions, select a version from before the attack, and click Open to check it before you Restore or copy the files out. Windows 11 and Windows 10 both have the tab.
Windows 11: vssadmin list shadows shows whether shadow copies exist. Full procedure with screenshots: Ransomware: first steps, finding a decryptor and recovering files
Step 6: Restore the files from a backup or recover deleted originals
A backup made before the attack is the surest way back. Connect it only once the PC is clean, then restore from File History, Windows Backup, OneDrive's Restore your OneDrive or your own external copies.
Without a backup, try file recovery: the originals that XCry deleted may still be on the disk until something overwrites them. Install nothing new on the drive you want to recover from on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC.
Full procedure with screenshots: Recover deleted files (Recycle Bin, backups, OneDrive) On uGetFix
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
From our report of Jan 2019 · not reviewed since
Get rid of XCry ransomware and only then proceed with file recovery
Unfortunately, but retrieving the access to data that was encrypted by XCry virus can be difficult, as no official decryptor is created yet.
To remove XCry ransomware safely, you should use reputable security tools - or might be good choices. Be aware that some malware can prevent anti-virus software from working correctly. In such a case, enter Safe mode with Networking as explained below and perform full XCry ransomware removal from there.
If you are not able to get personal files back after you try the third-party software, we suggest you keep a copy of encrypted data and wait till security researchers create an official decryptor. Note - this process might take awhile.
[GI=method-1]To remove XCry ransomware from your device safely, enter Safe Mode with networking:
[GI=method-2]System Restore can also be useful when trying to disabling malware:
Make use of Windows Previous Versions feature
This method will allow you to recover each file individually. However, it will not work unless you had System Restore enabled before the malware infection
ShadowExplorer might be able to restore all of your files
In case you were lucky enough and XCry failed to delete Shadow Volume Copies, ShadowExplorer will be able to help you and get all of your data back.
No official decryptor is created yet
Report it and recover your files
Report it
Report the attack even if you do not expect the files back: insurers and banks ask for the report number, and police use the contacts in the note to link cases.
- United States
- FBI IC3 · FTC ReportFraud
- United Kingdom
- Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) · NCSC
- Australia
- ReportCyber (ASD)
- EU countries
- Europol: national reporting sites
Give the victim ID, the note and the date the files were encrypted. A business that holds personal data may also have to notify its data protection authority, in the EU within 72 hours.
Protect the files you restore
Restore only after the scans are clean and the PC no longer shows files that end in .xcry7684 and no longer open; otherwise the restored copies can be damaged again.
Then build a backup that survives the next infection:
- one copy in the cloud with version history
- one on an external drive that is disconnected between backups
- the working copy on the PC
Version history matters because a backup that syncs damaged files overwrites the good ones.
How to do this with the tools built into Windows: the 3-2-1 backup rule on Windows.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
Questions about XCry ransomware
Is there a decryptor for .xcry7684 files?
That depends on the family behind the .xcry7684 extension, which this guide cannot confirm yet from the reports alone. Check No More Ransom and ID Ransomware with your ransom note and one encrypted file; they list families with free tools.
If none exists today, keep the encrypted files and a copy of the note on a separate drive, because decryptors are sometimes published months later after flaws are found or servers are seized. Never buy a decryptor from a website that is not the security company that made it.
How do I open .xcry7684 files?
You cannot open them by renaming or by choosing another program. The .xcry7684 ending shows that XCry encrypted the content, and only the matching key can reverse it. Renaming a file back to .docx or .jpg changes nothing except the icon, and it can confuse a future decryptor, so leave the names as they are.
To get the content back, use a backup, an unencrypted copy elsewhere, or a decryptor listed on No More Ransom if one exists for XCry. Store the encrypted files on an external disk until then.
How did XCry get on my computer?
The way XCry spreads has not been documented yet, so look at your own recent activity. On home PCs, ransomware most often comes with cracked programs, game cheats, key generators and fake updates, or with an e-mail attachment that was opened. On business networks, attackers usually log in through Remote Desktop with a stolen or guessed password.
Think back to what was downloaded or installed in the days before files that end in .xcry7684 and no longer open, and check the Downloads folder and Installed apps sorted by date. Keep anything suspicious for your report, but do not run it again.
Did XCry steal my files or passwords?
We do not know yet. Nothing published so far shows data theft by XCry, but the only confirmed sign is files that end in .xcry7684 and no longer open, which says nothing about what happened before. Many current ransomware attacks copy files or run a password stealer first, so it is wise to act as if they did.
From a clean device, change the passwords that were saved in the browsers on this PC, starting with e-mail and banking, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification. Watch bank statements and account activity for the next few weeks.
Should I pay the ransom?
We advise against it, and so do the FBI, Europol and national cyber agencies. Payment does not guarantee a working tool: some attackers never reply, some tools damage files, and some variants have no decryptor at all. Paying also funds further attacks and can make you a target again.
Before considering payment, try every recovery option in this guide and report the attack. Companies must involve their legal adviser and insurer, because payments to sanctioned groups can be illegal. If files are truly irreplaceable, store the encrypted copies and wait; decryptors sometimes appear later.
Can a data-recovery company decrypt my files for a fee?
Only if a decryptor already exists or the company pays the attackers for you. Some "ransomware recovery" services advertise that they can decrypt families with no known flaw; in practice they negotiate with the attackers and add their own fee. Others use the same free tools listed on No More Ransom.
Before you hire anyone, ask in writing how they will recover the files, whether they will contact the attackers and what happens if they fail. A legitimate service answers clearly. If a free decryptor exists for your family, you can run it yourself.
Is XCry the same as other ransomware with a similar name?
Not necessarily. Ransomware names come from the file extension, the note or a word in the code, so unrelated families often end up with similar names, and one family can appear under several names. The difference matters: a decryptor or advice for one family does not fit another and can damage files.
Compare the ending added to your files and the exact name of the note with the summary table at the top of this guide, then upload the note and one encrypted file to ID Ransomware from a clean device. If the result names another family, follow the guide for that family instead.
Should I open HOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.html?
Reading it is fine if you open it in Notepad. A plain text HOW_TO_DECRYPT_FILES.html cannot harm the PC. Be careful with notes in HTA or HTML format: double-clicking those runs them in a window that can contain scripts, so right-click and choose Open with > Notepad instead.
The note tells you the contact addresses, the claimed amount and the deadline. Do not visit links or write to the addresses from this PC. Use the note to identify the family and check for a free decryptor first.
Should I reinstall Windows after the .xcry7684 attack?
Reinstalling removes the ransomware but not the encryption: your files ending in .xcry7684 stay encrypted afterwards. So first copy the encrypted files and the ransom note to a separate drive, in case a decryptor appears later. Then decide:
- a clean-up with an offline scan is often enough for home PCs
- while a full reset is safer if remote access was involved
- scans keep finding new items
Restore your backups only after the PC is clean, and change passwords from another device.
Will Fortect remove XCry?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For XCry, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Trend Micro: Command and Control [C&C] Server (read October 7, 2026)
- Virus Total: e32c8b2da15e294e2ad8e1df5c0b655805d9c820e85a33e6a724b65c07d1a043 (read October 7, 2026)
- LesVirus: LesVirus (read October 7, 2026)
- CISA: StopRansomware (read October 7, 2026)
- No More Ransom (read October 7, 2026)