Ransomware attack hits China, Europe warns more coming
BEIJING/LONDON: The WannaCry “ransomware” cyber attack hobbled Chinese traffic police and schools on Monday as it rolled into Asia for the new work week, while authorities in Europe said they were trying to prevent hackers from spreading new versions of the virus.
In Britain, where the virus first raised global alarm when it caused hospitals to divert ambulances on Friday, it gained traction as a political issue just weeks before a general election. The opposition Labour Party accused the Conservative government of leaving the National Health Service vulnerable.
Shares in firms that provide cyber security services rose with the prospect that companies and governments would have to spend more money on defences.
Some victims were ignoring official advice and paying the $300 ransom demanded by the cyber criminals to unlock their computers, which was due to double to $600 on Monday for computers hit by Friday’s first wave.
Brian Lord, managing director of cyber and technology at cyber security firm PGI, said victims had told him the hackers offered good service, with helpful advice on how to pay: “One customer said they actually forgot they were being robbed.”
But the hackers do not appear so far to have been well rewarded: only about $50,000 has been transferred to their online wallets so far, according to Elliptic Labs which tracks transactions using the internet currency bitcoin.
Although the virus’s spread was curbed over the weekend in most of the world, France, where carmaker Renault was among the world’s highest profile victims, said more attacks were likely.
“We should expect similar attacks regularly in the coming days and weeks,” said Giullaume Poupard, head of French government cyber security agency ANSSI. “Attackers update their software ... other attackers will learn from the method and will carry out attacks.”
Companies and governments spent the weekend upgrading software to limit the spread of the virus. Monday was the first big test for Asia. China appeared over the weekend to have been particularly vulnerable.
Yang Lin, a journalism student at China’s Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, said she had lost her work from four years of study. She had just finished revising her thesis late on Friday when her screen went black and the hackers’ message appeared. “I was connected to the university network. I didn’t open any link,” she said. “I just cried. I was afraid to believe it, but had to accept it.”
PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT
Russia had nothing to do with the attack, President Vladimir Putin said, calling for urgent consultations on countering the hackers. “As for the source of these threats, Microsoft’s leadership stated this directly, they said the source of the virus was the special services of the US,” Putin said.
VICTIMS SAID HACKERS OFFERED THEM GOOD SERVICE, WITH HELPFUL ADVICE ON HOW TO PAY THEM. ONE CUSTOMER SAID THEY FORGOT THEY WERE BEING ROBBED