Outdated Apps Put 3.2M Servers at Risk for Ransomware

A recent ransomware scheme known as SamSam has put up to 3.2 million servers at risk, according to Cisco's security division Talos, thanks in part to less-than-vigorous bug patching.

Talos analyzed the "JBoss vectors that were used as the initial point of compromise" and discovered approximately 2,100 backdoors have been installed across nearly 1,600 IP addresses.

The company added that the backdoors affect schools, governments, and even aviation companies. Specifically, the report points to library management software known as Destiny from Follett. The company has since started patching the affected software to blunt the threat's potential impact.

"Based on our internal systems security monitoring and protocol, Follett identified the issue and immediately took actions to address and close the vulnerability on behalf of our customers," the company said in a statement. "Follett takes data security very seriously and as a result, we are continuously monitoring our systems and software for threats, and enhancing our technology environment with the goal of minimizing risks for the institutions we serve."

The issue is just the latest in a long line of problems companies are facing in trying to stay a step ahead of malicious hackers. Indeed, recent studies and reports have shown that threats are on the rise and hackers have found a profitable enterprise in ransomware to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.

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"With around 2,100 servers affected, there are a lot of stories about how this happened. But a consistent thread in them all is the need to patch," Talos said in a statement. "Patching is a key component to software maintenance. It is neglected by both users and makers of the software far too often. Failures anywhere along the chain will ensure that this type of attack remains successful. With the addition of ransomware, the potential impacts could be devastating for small and large businesses alike."