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LINUX VERSION OF BLACK BASTA RANSOMWARE TARGETS VMWARE ESXI SERVERS

By

SERGIU GATLAN

 * June 7, 2022
 * 03:06 PM
 * 1

Black Basta is the latest ransomware gang to add support for encrypting VMware
ESXi virtual machines (VMs) running on enterprise Linux servers.

Most ransomware groups are now focusing their attacks on ESXi VMs since this
tactic aligns with their enterprise targeting. It also makes it possible to take
advantage of faster encryption of multiple servers with a single command.

Encrypting VMs makes sense since many companies have recently migrated to
virtual machines as they allow for easier device management and a lot more
efficient resource usage.

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ANOTHER RANSOMWARE GANG TARGETING ESXI SERVERS

In a new report, Uptycs Threat Research analysts revealed that they spotted new
Black Basta ransomware binaries specifically targeting VMWare ESXi servers.

Linux ransomware encryptors are nothing new, and BleepingComputer has been
reporting on similar encryptors released by multiple other gangs, including
LockBit, HelloKitty, BlackMatter, REvil, AvosLocker, RansomEXX, and Hive.

Like other Linux encryptors, Black Basta's ransomware binary will search for the
/vmfs/volumes where the virtual machines are stored on the compromised ESXi
servers (if no such folders are found, the ransomware exits).

BleepingComputer was unable to find command-line arguments to target other paths
for encryption, suggesting that this encryptor is specifically designed to
target only ESXi servers.

The ransomware uses the ChaCha20 algorithm to encrypt the files. It also takes
advantage of multithreading to use multiple processors and speed up the
encryption process.

While encrypting, the ransomware will append the .basta extension to the
encrypted files' names and create ransom notes named readme.txt in each folder.

The notes include a link to the chat support panel and a unique ID that victims
can use to communicate with the attackers.

Black Basta Linux ransom note (BleepingComputer)

"The Black Basta was first seen this year during the month of April, in which
its variants targeted Windows systems," Uptcys' Siddharth Sharma and Nischay
Hegde said.

"Based on the chat support link and encrypted file extension, we believe that
the actors behind this campaign are the same who targeted Windows systems
earlier with the Black Basta ransomware."


ACTIVE SINCE APRIL

Black Basta ransomware was first spotted in the wild in the second week of
April, as the operation quickly ramped up its attacks targeting companies
worldwide.

Even though the gang's ransom demands are likely to vary between victims,
BleepingComputer knows of at least one who received a demand of over $2 million
for a decryptor and to avoid having its data leaked online.

While not much else is known about the new ransomware gang, this is likely not a
new operation but rather a rebrand due to their demonstrated ability to quickly
breach new victims and the negotiating style (possibly a rebrand of the Conti
ransomware operation).

Emsisoft CTO Fabian Wosar has previously told BleepingComputer that other
ransomware gangs (besides the ones we reported on), including Babuk,
RansomExx/Defray, Mespinoza, GoGoogle, Snatch, PureLocker, and DarkSide, have
also developed and used their own Linux encryptors.

"The reason why most ransomware groups implemented a Linux-based version of
their ransomware is to target ESXi specifically," Wosar explained.


RELATED ARTICLES:

New ‘Cheers’ Linux ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers

QBot now pushes Black Basta ransomware in bot-powered attacks

The Week in Ransomware - May 13th 2022 - A National Emergency

Conti, REvil, LockBit ransomware bugs exploited to block encryption

The Week in Ransomware - April 29th 2022 - New operations emerge


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 * Ransomware
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SERGIU GATLAN

Sergiu Gatlan is a reporter who covered cybersecurity, technology, Apple,
Google, and a few other topics at Softpedia for more than a decade. Email or
Twitter DMs for tips.
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 * R0BBIENZ - 8 HOURS AGO
   
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   Is keeping SSH and console shell off enough to defend against one of these?

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