Deadbolt Ransomware Targeting Asustor NAS Devices

Storage solutions provider Asustor this week issued a warning to alert users of Deadbolt ransomware attacks targeting its network-attached storage (NAS) appliances.

Claiming to be exploiting a zero-day vulnerability for initial access, Deadbolt ransomware operators have been targeting Internet-facing QNAP NAS devices since January and managed to quickly hack many systems.

In the attacks targeting QNAP appliances, the ransomware operators were asking victims to pay a 0.03 Bitcoin (roughly $1,100) ransom in exchange for the decryption key. In light of these and other attacks, QNAP extended the security updates for some EOL devices until October 2022.

QNAP also encouraged users to properly secure their NAS devices and to make sure they are not exposed directly to the Internet.

In the wake of the new Deadbolt ransomware attacks, Asustor too urges users to improve the security of their NAS appliances, by changing default ports (including web access ports), immediately backing up data on the device, turning off Terminal/SSH and SFTP services, and disabling EZ Connect.

[READ: QNAP Warns NAS Users of DeadBolt Ransomware Attacks]

Asustor recommends immediately unplugging from the Internet and turning off devices infected with Deadbolt. Such devices should not be initialized – as this would erase all data; instead, users are advised to contact the company.

In an alert this week, the New Zeeland CERT team notes that Asustor models AS5104T, AS5304T, AS6404T, AS7004T, AS5202T, AS6302T, and AS1104T that are exposed to the Internet and running ADM operating systems are at risk of infection.

Users can identify infected devices by logging into their QNAP or Asustor NAS and searching for devices that have the .deadbolt extension.

CERT NZ encourages all organizations to apply security updates where available, as the attackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in NAS devices to gain access and encrypt data.

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