New LockBit Ransomware Variant Targets AI Infrastructure
An analysis from Check Point Research detailed LockBit 5.0, a new strain designed to cripple the virtualized data centers that run AI models.
A Threat to Virtualized Environments
The cybersecurity threat landscape is evolving to target the core infrastructure of artificial intelligence. Check Point Research on Sep 29, 2025, published an analysis of the new LockBit 5.0 ransomware, which has variants for Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi.
Researchers highlighted the ESXi variant as particularly concerning. ESXi is a hypervisor, a type of software that creates and runs the virtual machines that form the foundation of modern data centers. By targeting the hypervisor layer, the ransomware can encrypt an entire virtualized environment with a single payload, potentially taking hundreds of virtual machines offline …
Archive Access
This article is older than 24 hours. Create a free account to access our 7-day archive.