Ransomware has long been one of the most disruptive forms of cybercrime, crippling hospitals, governments, and private companies by encrypting files and demanding payment for their release. Traditionally, ransomware relies on relatively static malicious code, which makes it possible for cybersecurity tools to recognize patterns and signatures over time. However, the discovery of PromptLock, a proof-of-concept AI-powered ransomware, signals the beginning of a dangerous new chapter in the cybersecurity arms race.
Unlike conventional malware, PromptLock doesn’t just execute pre-written commands. Instead, it uses a locally hosted large language model (LLM) to generate unique malicious scripts on demand. This adaptability makes it harder to detect, analyze, or block. Security experts believe this could be a turning point, ushering in an era where ransomware becomes far more evasive, personalized, and difficult to fight.
What Is PromptLock?
PromptLock is the first known example of AI-powered ransomware that fully integrates artificial intelligence at its core. Developed as a proof-of-concept (PoC), it uses the gpt-oss:20b model running locally via the Ollama API to dynamically produce Lua scripts capable of carrying out ransomware-like behaviors.
Whereas typical ransomware contains hardcoded functions for tasks like scanning directories, encrypting files, or exfiltrating data, PromptLock instead generates new scripts in real time. This means every execution can be slightly different—what researchers call “non-deterministic behavior.”
How PromptLock Works
At the heart of PromptLock’s power is its integration with a local AI model. Instead of depending on external servers or APIs, the ransomware runs the model directly on the victim’s machine.
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Local Execution: By hosting the AI locally, PromptLock avoids detection through outbound API traffic. Many cybersecurity systems rely on spotting suspicious connections to third-party services—PromptLock sidesteps this completely.
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Dynamic Script Generation: Using Lua, the model creates scripts to perform key malicious functions:
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Scanning the file system
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Identifying valuable or sensitive files
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Encrypting data (encryption routines are still rudimentary in the PoC)
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Potentially deleting or exfiltrating files
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Unpredictable Variability: Since AI generates scripts differently each time, two attacks may look completely different at the code level. This defeats heuristic and signature-based detection, which depend on identifying repeating patterns.
Why PromptLock Is Different from Traditional Ransomware
Most ransomware follows a predictable lifecycle: infection → execution → encryption → ransom demand. Security solutions monitor for known behaviors, such as sudden bulk file encryption or network beaconing.
PromptLock, however, introduces several disruptive innovations:
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Vibe Coding: The AI’s randomness ensures no two attacks are the same, leaving defenders struggling to create reliable detection signatures.
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No API Calls: By operating fully offline, PromptLock prevents traditional monitoring tools from spotting suspicious communications.
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Adaptive Behavior: In theory, the ransomware could alter its tactics based on the environment—choosing different methods depending on whether it’s inside a hospital, a business, or a personal device.
This adaptability makes PromptLock less of a static piece of malware and more of a living system, capable of evolving within each infection.
Current Status: AI-Powered Ransomware Proof-of-Concept, Not Active (Yet)
It’s important to emphasize that PromptLock is not currently being deployed in real-world attacks. Researchers from ESET, Tom’s Hardware, and CyberScoop describe it as a research demo rather than a weaponized tool.
However, the proof-of-concept demonstrates what’s technically possible. Cybercriminal groups could adopt similar approaches quickly, given the growing accessibility of local LLMs and open-source AI models.
Just as earlier ransomware proofs-of-concept in the early 2010s eventually led to destructive families like WannaCry and Ryuk, PromptLock might represent the prototype for a new generation of threats.
The Larger Trend: AI-Augmented Cybercrime
PromptLock is not emerging in isolation. Security analysts have observed multiple criminal groups experimenting with AI for cybercrime:
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Ransomware Development: Some attackers are using AI chatbots to refine malware code, test encryption routines, or build modular attack kits.
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Phishing and Social Engineering: Generative AI is being used to craft highly personalized phishing emails that evade traditional grammar and language detection tools.
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Target Selection and Reconnaissance: AI can automate the identification of vulnerable networks or misconfigured servers.
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Ransom Negotiation: Attackers are even experimenting with AI bots that can negotiate ransom demands in real time with victims.
PromptLock differs because it integrates AI directly into the malware payload itself, making AI not just a tool for cybercriminals but an active engine of attack execution.
Security Implications and Challenges of AI-Powered Ransomware
PromptLock forces defenders to rethink cybersecurity strategies. Its design highlights several urgent challenges:
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Ineffectiveness of Signature-Based Detection: Traditional antivirus tools may become obsolete against non-deterministic, AI-generated threats.
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Need for Behavioral Analytics: Detection must focus on anomalous system behavior (e.g., unusual file access, encryption activity) rather than static code analysis.
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Local AI Risks: As LLMs become easier to run on personal hardware, they could be weaponized without reliance on cloud APIs, lowering barriers for attackers.
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Future Sophistication: Future versions might integrate self-modifying payloads, intelligent propagation strategies, or adaptive counter-forensics.
Conclusion
PromptLock may not be a weaponized ransomware campaign—yet—but its existence is a warning shot. It illustrates how artificial intelligence is no longer just a defensive tool in cybersecurity but is rapidly becoming part of the offensive arsenal.
The fusion of ransomware with local AI models marks a fundamental shift. Defenders must prepare for an era where malware doesn’t just execute pre-written commands but thinks, adapts, and evolves in real time. If left unchecked, AI-powered ransomware like PromptLock could render many current detection strategies obsolete, forcing the cybersecurity community into a new and uncertain battlefield.