It was the ransomware attack heard ’round the world. And it’s not over yet.
It began on May 12, impacting everything from hospitals to corporate offices. As of Monday morning, the attack had hit 120,000 machines in at least 150 countries, including China, Germany, Russia and Japan, according to CNN.
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Called “Wanna Decryptor” or “Wanna Cry,” the ransomware, which exploits a flaw in Microsoft software, was sent via email. Through it, users are locked out of their computer and forced to pay ransom in order to regain access to files. The requested amount seems to be about $300, payable in Bitcoin.
As the situation unfolded, experts warned that we could see a second wave of the ransomware. And we might already be there.
On Friday, a researcher known as MalwareTech unintentionally activated a “kill switch” in the software, stopping it from spreading further.
But MalwareTech’s attempt wasn’t quite enough, as hackers have since updated the software. Researchers at Heimdal Security said a new strain, called Uiwix, is quickly spreading. And unfortunately, Uiwix doesn’t have a kill switch.
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Meanwhile, the world of healthcare is busy responding to the attack.
Overseas, Britain’s National Health Service was among the first to report the attack. A total of 47 NHS organizations in England and 13 in Scotland had been impacted, according to BBC. Of the 47 in England, 16 were still facing problems as of Monday. Facilities have been forced to cancel procedures, redirect patients and use pen and paper in the absence of computers.
But for now, it seems to have slowed down a bit. “We’ve not seen a second wave of attacks and the level of criminal activity is at the lower end of the range that we had anticipated,” Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said, according to BBC.
In the United States, the ransomware has impacted parts of the healthcare system, including medical devices, according to The Wall Street Journal.
For its part, HHS has been urging hospitals and health systems to proceed with caution. In a recent email, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology encouraged ransomware victims to contact the FBI Field Office Cyber Task Force.
HHS also said it’s working with various organizations, including NHS and the Department of Homeland Security, as the situation evolves.
“HHS through its law enforcement and intelligence resources with the Office of Inspector General and Office of Security and Strategic Information, have ongoing communications and are sharing and exchanging information with other key partners including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” HHS said in a statement, according to HealthITSecurity.
Photo: HYWARDS, Getty Images
