DeadLock Ransomware: Smart Contracts for Malicious Purposes

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This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

DeadLock Ransomware Exploits Smart Contracts for Malicious Activities DeadLock is a ransomware family identified in July 2025, notable for its unique approach of utilizing Polygon smart contracts for proxy address storage. This method allows the ransomware to operate stealthily, impacting various targets without being linked to any known affiliate programs. 9 sources 37