Group-IB printed its report on Jan. 15 and mentioned the tactic may make disruption tougher for defenders.
The malware reads on-chain knowledge, so victims don’t pay fuel charges.
Researchers mentioned Polygon just isn’t weak, however the tactic may unfold.
Ransomware teams often depend on command-and-control servers to handle communications after breaking right into a system.
However safety researchers now say a low-profile pressure is utilizing blockchain infrastructure in a method that might be tougher to dam.
In a report printed on Jan. 15, cybersecurity agency Group-IB mentioned a ransomware operation generally known as DeadLock is abusing Polygon (POL) good contracts to retailer and rotate proxy server addresses.
These proxy servers are used to relay communication between attackers and victims after methods are contaminated.
As a result of the knowledge sits on-chain and might be up to date anytime, researchers warned that this method may make the group’s backend extra resilient and more durable to disrupt.
Good contracts used to retailer proxy info
Group-IB mentioned DeadLock doesn’t rely on the same old setup of fastened command-and-control servers.
As an alternative, as soon as a machine is compromised and encrypted, the ransomware queries a particular good contract deployed on the Polygon community.
That contract shops the most recent proxy tackle that DeadLock makes use of to speak. The proxy acts as a center layer, serving to attackers keep contact with out exposing their most important infrastructure straight.
Because the good contract knowledge is publicly readable, the malware can retrieve the small print with out sending any blockchain transactions.
This additionally means victims don’t must pay fuel charges or work together with wallets.
DeadLock solely reads the knowledge, treating the blockchain as a persistent supply of configuration knowledge.
Rotating infrastructure with out malware updates
One motive this methodology stands out is how shortly attackers can change their communication routes.
Group-IB mentioned the actors behind DeadLock can replace the proxy tackle saved contained in the contract every time obligatory.
That offers them the flexibility to rotate infrastructure with out modifying the ransomware itself or pushing new variations into the wild.
In conventional ransomware circumstances, defenders can typically block site visitors by figuring out identified command-and-control servers.
However with an on-chain proxy record, any proxy that will get flagged might be changed just by updating the contract’s saved worth.
As soon as contact is established via the up to date proxy, victims obtain ransom calls for together with threats that stolen info will likely be offered if fee just isn’t made.
Why takedowns develop into tougher
Group-IB warned that utilizing blockchain knowledge this manner makes disruption considerably tougher.
There isn’t a single central server that may be seized, eliminated, or shut down.
Even when a particular proxy tackle is blocked, the attackers can swap to a different one with out having to redeploy the malware.
Because the good contract stays accessible via Polygon’s distributed nodes worldwide, the configuration knowledge can live on even when the infrastructure on the attackers’ facet adjustments.
Researchers mentioned this offers ransomware operators a extra resilient command-and-control mechanism in contrast with standard internet hosting setups.
A small marketing campaign with an ingenious methodology
DeadLock was first noticed in July 2025 and has stayed comparatively low profile up to now.
Group-IB mentioned the operation has solely a restricted variety of confirmed victims.
The report additionally famous that DeadLock just isn’t linked to identified ransomware affiliate programmes and doesn’t seem to function a public knowledge leak web site.
Whereas that will clarify why the group has obtained much less consideration than main ransomware manufacturers, researchers mentioned its technical method deserves shut monitoring.
Group-IB warned that even when DeadLock stays small, its approach might be copied by extra established cybercriminal teams.
No Polygon vulnerability concerned
The researchers burdened that DeadLock just isn’t exploiting any vulnerability in Polygon itself.
It’s also not attacking third-party good contracts akin to decentralised finance protocols, wallets, or bridges.
As an alternative, the attackers are abusing the general public and immutable nature of blockchain knowledge to cover configuration info.
Group-IB in contrast the approach to earlier “EtherHiding” approaches, the place criminals used blockchain networks to distribute malicious configuration knowledge.
A number of good contracts related to the marketing campaign have been deployed or up to date between August and Nov. 2025, in response to the agency’s evaluation.
Researchers mentioned the exercise stays restricted for now, however the idea might be reused in many alternative kinds by different risk actors.
Whereas Polygon customers and builders usually are not going through direct threat from this particular marketing campaign, Group-IB mentioned the case is one other reminder that public blockchains might be misused to help off-chain prison exercise in methods which are tough to detect and dismantle.
