NotPetya far worse than WannaCry

 

Another massive cyber attack has begun to strike several companies worldwide using the same exploit as the WannaCry ransomware attack that occurred just over a month ago to take advantage of software vulnerabilities. The former Petya Ransomware has been in existence since 2016 and differs from typical ransomware. However, the NotPetya variant is an extreme variation of Petya and doesn’t just encrypt files; it also overwrites and encrypts the master boot record (MBR). As a result of this more destructive mode of attack NotPetya is considered far more dangerous and crippling than WannaCry in many ways.

Thus far the NotPetya ransomware attack has impacted on numerous businesses in Ukraine, spreading through Europe and has also made its way to the US. Energy companies, telecom operators, retailers and government agencies have been targeted by this particular malware attack.

Just over a month ago, WannaCry ransomware crippled more than 250 000 computers worldwide. Infected, old and outdated Windows software that did not have the latest security patches were the main cause for the Wannacry attack.

And now NotPetya is taking advantage of a similar flaw, but on a whole other level. Instead of encrypting and locking files on the system, it restarts the infected computer and locks up the entire system, leaving the computer unable to boot up. Just like WannaCry, organisations are locked out of their systems until a ransom of $300 in bitcoins is paid to the criminals. It is essential that victims understand that payment may not actually allow them to access their data, and will inevitably fund the hackers to commit other crimes.

One would think that the global online massacre that WannaCry executed was a big enough wake-up call to all business owners about their company’s data security. It is imperative to ensure that your operating system is adequately patched and that all important files are backed up. Installing all updates should help to keep computers safe from this particular attack and any other similar possible threats.