On Friday May 12th, what is now known as the WannaCry ransomware attack began spreading around the world. This malware infects computers and encrypts their files, then demands a ransom to unlock them. The security firm Symantec reports that over 200,000 people have been affected by this attack so far and that number continues to grow at an alarming rate. Fortunately there are ways for you to protect yourself from this threat. The WannaCry ransomware attack was a titillating hacking event that many people were talking about.
How did it work?
Well, as hackers are wont to do these days the malware they used in this instance took advantage of vulnerabilities which allowed them access or were already present on your system before executing their nefarious plans against you. While you absolutely should be worried about the WannaCry Ransomware attack, there are ways to protect yourself from such attacks and for now, it seems as though this specific malware.
Who Created WannaCry Ransomware?
The recent massive cyber attack that has been impacting thousands of users around the world is now being attributed to North Korean hackers. The creator and distributor behind this malware seems very sophisticated as it was able bypass protection methods used by most security applications installed on devices such as mobile phones or computers running Microsoft Windows operating system which may be why they’ve infected many different IP addresses in various countries including Italy, Taiwan etcetera; moreover we know there were also attempts made against networks belonging AT&T (American telecommunications company), Deutsche Telekom AG(Germany’s largest telecom operator) – both said their infrastructure wasn’t affected however took precautionary measures to avoid further damage.
The motivation behind the WannaCry ransomware attack is not fully understood, but there are some theories. One of these ideas suggests that it may have been done for financial gain by hackers seeking asylum in countries like Russia and China which don’t allow them because they’re considered extraditable criminals under international law (so if you get caught committing crimes over here then we can send your ass back home). The other theory attributes their motive more towards pure trolling; meaning while this stuff does seem purposeful enough on paper with all its demands about paying up or elsewe will delete your files–it’s probably mostly just joke anyway.
Is WannaCry still active in 2021?
In recent months there have been several reports of new infections from the malware that started it all, including one at a hospital and another on critical devices like MRI machines. The most recent attack was especially worrying because while many had thought they were immune after running software updates or installing patches for this particular strain – some users hadn’t updated their systems since March 2017! This means people may not only be vulnerable physically but also online: if ransomware locks down your computer screen until you pay up with Bitcoin (BTC), SquareCash/GooglePayments etc., then chances are good someone out there can get access through these vulnerabilities too without even having malicious intentions towards you.