Cyberattack Cripples Business in Europe and Threatens Life in Ukraine
A critical ransomware is spreading throughout Europe and beyond. The attack is creating flashbacks of May's WannaCry attack, and many companies had to shut down operations. The international cyberattack is still ongoing with Ukraine reportedly being hit the hardest.
So far, reports have confirmed a list of the affected businesses and countries. It includes a Russian oil giant, a Danish shipping and energy conglomerate, and Ukrainian government ministries. Perhaps the most dangerous effect of the cyberattack is that the virus managed to shut down the systems in the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which has forced scientists to manually monitor radiation levels. The affected businesses and companies were forced to cease operations as a wave of ransom demands followed the infiltration of the virus.
The hackers behind the ransomware, now identified as Petrwrap or Petya, have demanded for money in the form of the cryptocurrency bitcoin. Considering the nature of the virus, hackers are able to take hold of critical and most likely confidential information that can endanger the security and privacy of individuals.
"This ransomware attack is a wake-up call to all Australian businesses to regularly back up their data and install the latest security patches," said Dan Tehan, the cybersecurity minister, in a statement. "We are aware of the situation and monitoring it closely."
The U.S. has also been affected after a multinational law firm reported that they were hit by the ransomware. Hospitals were also not excluded after several in Pennsylvania had to shut down operations and all forms of communication. Because of the widespread and alarming attack, conspiracy theories have started to formulate, with many saying this ransomware is a mere smoke screen for an even alarming incident. Regardless, everyone is advised to update the security on their gadgets as well as be wary of suspicious sites and ads.
