Italy's National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) has warned that hackers have attempted to spread ransomware on thousands of computer servers across Europe and North America.
Italian news agency Ansa reported that the most affected countries in Europe have been France, Finland and Italy, while Canada and the United States have also seen a high number of attacks.
The majority have been so-called ransomware attacks, targeting VMware (VMW.N), where hackers have tried to blackmail organisations and businesses by using malware and then demanding ransoms to free up servers.
A spokesperson for VMware told the Reuters news agency that the firm is aware of the situation and previously issued patches in 2021 when it discovered the vulnerability that is now being exploited by hackers. The spokesperson urged customers to apply the patch if they have not yet done so.
Cybersecurity officials in the US said on Sunday that they are investigating the impact and scope of the attacks.
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