Malicious ESXi Virtual Machine Termination via esxcli (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Impact

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
- T1489Service Stop

What it detects

This rule detects enumeration and forced termination of running virtual machines through esxcli vm process list and esxcli vm process kill commands. The Linux variant of Helldown ransomware uses this technique to stop VMs before encrypting their datastore files on ESXi hosts. Killing virtual machine worlds ensures files are unlocked so the ransomware can encrypt them and disrupt the entire virtualized environment.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1489 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Service Termination via Net Stop Before Ransomware (via process_creation)

Malicious Lynx Ransomware Encryptor Execution via Distinctive CLI Flags (via process_creation)

Malicious Termination of Veeam Backup Services

Possible Akira Ransomware VM Shutdown via vim-cmd

Possible Ransomware Pre-Encryption VM Termination via esxcli

Malicious Massive Processes Termination Burst (via process_creation)

Malicious Service Deactivation - Command (via process_creation)

Malicious ESXi Virtual Machine Termination and Snapshot Removal

Malicious Stopping of Security or Backup Services Before Impact (via process_creation)

Malicious ESXi Virtual Machine Termination via esxcli (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1489 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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