Almost a quarter (23.56%) of all encryption ransomware attacks that occurred in 2019 had encountered the WannaCry virus according to new research from PreciseSecurity.com.
Ransomware attacks against government agencies, healthcare organizations, the energy sector and education continue to rise. While the effects of some simple ransomware can be reversed, more advanced malware exploits a technique called crypto-viral extortion to put money in the hands of cybercriminals.
WannaCry targets computers running Microsoft’s Windows operating system, encrypts their data and demands payment of a ransom in cryptocurrency to get it back. According to estimates, the WannaCry ransomware attack affected 230k computers around the world and caused $4bn in damages.
- WannaCry still hitting thousands of users worldwide
- Older Windows devices at risk of classic hacks
- Over a thousand schools hit by ransomware in 2019
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