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PromptLock is a Golang-based, cross-platform ransomware prototype that ESET identified in August 2025 and named as the first known AI-powered ransomware. High-confidence reporting in the provided content indicates it is a proof of concept or work in progress rather than malware observed in real-world attacks, and later reporting linked the samples to the academic NYU Tandon research prototype "Ransomware 3.0: Self-Composing and LLM-Orchestrated." PromptLock uses a locally accessible large language model—reported as OpenAI gpt-oss-20b via the Ollama API—to dynamically generate and execute malicious Lua scripts at runtime. Those scripts are described as performing filesystem enumeration, file inspection, data exfiltration, and file encryption; some reporting also notes unfinished or inactive destructive/wipe logic. The malware is described as targeting Windows and Linux, with multiple sources also stating the generated Lua logic was intended to be cross-platform across Windows, Linux, and macOS. ESET reported Windows and Linux variants uploaded to VirusTotal and classified them as Linux/Filecoder.PromptLock.A and WinGo/Filecoder.PromptLock.A. Reported sample SHA-1s include Linux: 24BF7B72F54AA5B93C6681B4F69E579A47D7C102, AD223FE2BB4563446AEE5227357BBFDC8ADA3797, BB8FB75285BCD151132A3287F2786D4D91DA58B8, F3F4C40C344695388E10CBF29DDB18EF3B61F7EF; Windows: 639DBC9B365096D6347142FCAE64725BD9F73270, 161CDCDB46FB8A348AEC609A86FF5823752065D2, 8C7BCAFCE90F5FB121131ECB27346ECFC6E961C5. The content consistently associates PromptLock with ESET’s discovery and later academic attribution, not with a confirmed criminal threat actor or active campaign.
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19 distinct techniques documented for this family, organized by ATT&CK tactic.
It generates Lua scripts customized for each victim's specific computer setup, maps IT systems, and identifies environments
It generates Lua scripts customized for each victim's specific computer setup, maps IT systems, and identifies environments, determining which files are most valuable... In addition to stealing and encrypting data | the AI also wrote a personalized ransom note based on user info and bios found on the infected computer
The malware "has the ability to exfiltrate, encrypt and possibly even destroy data" and "PromptLock leverages Lua scripts generated from hard-coded prompts to enumerate the local filesystem, inspect target files, exfiltrate selected data, and perform encryption."
Ransomware 3.0 / PROMPTLOCK Ransomware with exfiltration and wipe capability... generate Lua scripts that perform file listing, encryption, exfiltration, and (unfinished) wipe logic.
10 indicators attributed across vendor reports, sandbox runs, and researcher write-ups. Full values are available in Mallory.
File hashes (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256) from samples and reports.
47 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
Referenced only as earlier AI-powered ransomware identified by ESET.
Proof-of-concept LLM-assisted malware mentioned for comparison with JADEPUFFER; described as relying on a human-built workflow with the LLM used for specific subroutines.
A proof-of-concept AI-driven ransomware sample previously thought to be the first of its kind, later determined to be a researcher-developed demonstration rather than a real-world attack.
A previously cited AI-powered ransomware example mentioned only for comparison; the content says it was tied to controlled research rather than real criminal deployment.
Match every observed IP, domain, and hash against your live telemetry.
Named campaigns wielding this family, with evidence pinned to each claim.
CVEs this family uses for access and lateral movement.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.
Reddit, Mastodon, and CTI community discussion around this family.