NOS News•
Thousands of computer servers worldwide have been hit by a ransomware attack, reports the Italian cybersecurity organization ACN. Also the Dutch National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) warns for the ransomware.
Ransomware blocks files on computers and only releases them when the victim pays. According to the NCSC, the ransomware attacks a more than two-year-old vulnerability in ESXi software from the company VMware. This is a commonly used system that makes it possible to run multiple operating systems on one server. The vulnerability became discovered in 2020.
More and more servers were affected this weekend. Initially, many computers in France were affected, but according to the Italian ACN, servers in Finland, the US and Canada are also targets of the attack. Dozens of organizations have been affected in Italy. The American Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is also investigating the impact and calls on organizations to report cyber attacks.
The cyber security centers warn companies and organizations to take action and provide ESXi systems with all security updates to prevent them from being unable to access their files due to the ransomware.
