Widespread damage occurring in over 150 countries since Friday due to the ransomware cyber attacks. The internet hacking affects windows based computers in involuntarily lock down and asks to pay ransom or the data in the computer's file will be deleted.
Microsoft says that the ransomware cyber attack is a wake-up call for the world to protect itself from such unwanted software illegally penetrating into the system. This time it is for real as it asks for ransom money in exchange for the return to normalcy of the PC's system. The ransom money is in the form of bitcoins. An analyst says that the preferred ransom is in bitcoins as it is harder to trace than money transfers.
US Intel identified the entry of the ransomware through a flaw of a Microsoft Windows version. The ransomware cyber attacks target on institutions with low cyber security budgets like schools, hospitals, and small to medium sized businesses. The ransomware has other names like Wannacry ransomware, aka Wannacryptor, or Wcry.
The ransomware cyber attacks managed to infiltrate computers in Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs and its Investigative Committee. Over 60 NHA organizations are being asked for ransom bitcoins and several hospitals are on the hijack list in the UK. South Korea have nine incidents as of today. Australia has reports of 3 small and medium scale enterprises under attack. New Zealand says a small number of businesses are under investigation, reports BBC News.
Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith blames CIA and US Government Authorities for hoarding cyber flaws that had shown up in WikiLeaks and was taken advantage by cyber hackers to perform this cyber crime. The countries that are hit by the initial onslaught of hacking are the US-Fedex delivery Company, Spain - Gas and Telecom Companies, UK- 61 NHS Organizations, France - Renault Companies had to stop operations, and Russia - Minister of Internal Affairs, reports The Star.
There are still warnings of future cyber hacks. Counter hacking measures are being implemented by cyber security groups to prevent this assault from happening again.
