SSH Shenanigans: Ransomware’s Stealthy Dance on ESXi Hypervisors
Ransomware actors target ESXi bare metal hypervisors by exploiting SSH tunneling to remain undetected. With organizations often neglecting to monitor ESXi SSH activity, hackers can persist like house guests who won’t leave, all while sneaking off with valuable data. Remember, it’s easier to spot suspicious activity when the logs aren’t scattered like confetti.
Hot Take:
Looks like ransomware actors have found the perfect Airbnb in your ESXi hypervisors, setting up camp with SSH tunnels while you’re busy counting virtual sheep. Who knew cybercriminals could be such resourceful tenants? Time to start charging rent, or better yet, kick them out before they throw a data-wrecking party!
Key Points:
- Ransomware actors are exploiting VMware ESXi hypervisors using SSH tunneling to remain undetected.
- ESXi hosts multiple virtual machines on a single server but often lack active monitoring, making them a prime target.
- Attackers utilize built-in SSH services for persistence and lateral movement.
- Log management on ESXi is fragmented, creating visibility gaps that attackers exploit.
- Centralizing logs into a SIEM system is recommended to detect anomalies and potential threats.
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