SEXi? Severely? What are you speaking about this time?
Don’t fret, I am not attempting to conjure photographs in your thoughts of Rod Stewart in his iconic leopard print trousers. As a substitute, I need to warn you a couple of cybercrime group that has gained notoriety for attacking VMware ESXi servers since February 2024.
Excuse me for not realizing, however what’s VMWare EXSi?
EXSi is a hypervisor – permitting companies who need to scale back prices and simplify administration to consolidate a number of servers onto a single bodily machine.
ESXi is a well-liked selection with cloud suppliers and knowledge centres which have a require to host 1000’s of digital machines for his or her clients, however there are additionally use instances in healthcare, finance, training, and different sectors.
So the SEXi gang breaks into EXSi servers and encrypts the information?
That is right. For example, in April Chilean knowledge centre and internet hosting supplier IxMetro PowerHost had its VMware ESXi servers and backups encrypted. The attackers demanded a ransom of $140 million price of Bitcoin.
140 million {dollars}? Sheesh!
It is rather a lot is not, is not it? Apparently, the ransomware group calculated the determine by demanding two Bitcoins for each PowerHost buyer whose knowledge had been encrypted.
Apparently, the ransomware group calculated the determine by demanding two Bitcoins for each buyer of PowerHost who had had their knowledge encrypted.
PowerHost’s CEO says that he personally negotiated with the attackers, described the demand as “exorbitant”, and refused to pay up.
So how have you learnt in case your computer systems have, err.. received SEXi?
Encrypted recordsdata have their filenames appended with “.SEXi”. Information associated to digital machines, similar to digital disks, storage, and backup photographs, are focused.
As well as, a ransom observe is dropped onto affected methods referred to as SEXi.txt.
The ransom message tells victims to obtain the end-to-end encrypted messaging app Session, and make contact with the extortionists.
Are there any recognized weaknesses within the encryption used within the SEXi assaults that might be used to get well your knowledge with out paying?
Sadly not, and so there are not any freely accessible instruments to get well encrypted knowledge. Companies hit by SEXi ransomware assaults must hope that they’ve made a backup of important knowledge that has not been compromised by the cybercriminals.
None of this sounds very SEXI in any respect…
I agree. And perhaps the attackers do too. From final month onwards they seem to have tried to rebrand themselves with the marginally much less disturbing title of “APT Inc.” Which, after all, means an replace to the ransom observe – though not a lot has modified in the way in which the criminals function.
What can my firm do to higher defend its VMware EXSi servers?
You possibly can considerably strengthen the safety of your VMware ESXi setting and defend priceless knowledge by following these steps:
- Replace and patch your VMware EXSi methods in opposition to vulnerabilities.
- Disable the default root account and create separate consumer accounts granting customers solely the permissions they want.
- Be sure that passwords are robust, can’t be guessed or cracked, and are distinctive.
- Proactively monitor and log occasions to detect potential safety breaches.
For additional recommendation, learn VMware’s suggestions for securing EXSi.
Editor’s Be aware: The opinions expressed on this visitor creator article are solely these of the contributor and don’t essentially replicate these of Tripwire.