Virtual Machines targeted in latest ransomware attacks – April 5th

TLDR:

• Ransomware attacks targeting virtual machines, like VMware ESXi, are causing widespread disruption in enterprises.
• Panera, Omni Hotels, and Chilean hosting provider IxMetro Powerhost all experienced ransomware attacks encrypting virtual machines.

The article discusses how these attacks have impacted various companies, including Panera, Omni Hotels, and IxMetro Powerhost. It highlights the severity of the outages caused by ransomware encrypting virtual machines, leading to disruptions in services such as reservation systems, websites, and phone systems. Admins are advised to tighten security on virtual machine platforms by applying security updates, using different administrative credentials, and implementing tighter access controls.

The Chilean government’s CSIRT issued an advisory urging enterprises to upgrade VMware software and secure servers. The article also mentions other ransomware-related incidents, such as the attack on MarineMax, emergence of new ransomware variants, and the laundering of ransom payments by cybercrime gangs.