ROME (RockedBuzz via Reuters) – Thousands of computer servers have been targeted in a global ransomware hack attack against VMware ESXi servers, Italy’s National Cyber Security Agency (ACN) said on Sunday, warning organizations to take action to protect their systems.
The hack attempted to exploit a software vulnerability, ACN chief executive Roberto Baldoni told RockedBuzz via Reuters, adding it was large-scale.
A VMware spokesperson said the software company was aware of the report and that it released patches in February 2021 when it discovered the vulnerability that is now being exploited, urging customers to apply the patch if they haven’t.
Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing ACN, reported that servers had been compromised in other European countries such as France and Finland, as well as the United States and Canada.
Dozens of Italian organizations are likely to have been affected, and many more have been warned to take action to avoid being locked out of their own systems.
Telecom Italia customers reported problems with the Internet on Sunday, but the two problems are not believed to be related.
US cybersecurity officials said they were evaluating the impact of the reported incidents.
“CISA is working with our public and private sector partners to assess the impact of these reported incidents and provide assistance where needed,” the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said.
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Krystal Hu; Screenplay by Keith Weir; Editing by Jan Harvey, Lisa Shumaker and Tom Hogue)
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