Petya Cyber Attack: Ransomware Virus Strikes Computer Servers Across the World

Hackers produced extensive disturbance today by releasing a huge cyber-attack on computers all over the world. Companies in countries including Russia, UK, France and India have been affected along with radiations monitoring system of Chernobyl.

It is supposed to be a ransomware attack just like the recent NHS hack. Telegraph.co.uk posted on June 27th, 2017, stating that in Ukraine, the central bank, government departments, an aircraft manufacturer run by the state, airport in Kiev and the metro network have all been paralysed by the hack.

Petya malware compels an infected PC to restart as soon as it completes encrypting files, so you will see the demands for ransom amount. Researchers of Recorded Future said that there is also a hidden Trojan on Petya which steals usernames and passwords of victims.

This is the second ransomware attack globally during past two months. It follows the WannaCry outbreak which entangled over 200,000 computers, banks, universities and locking up hospitals. Like WannaCry, Petya and the GoldenEye attacks affect only computers running the Windows operating systems.

Central bank of Ukraine was tight-lipped about the attack, refusing to disclose the name of the banks affected but accepting that they were "having difficulties in serving clients and with banking operations." It told Reuters that it was confident about its defenses against cyber fraud. In the meantime, Ukrenergo, a state energy provider, announced that its service has not been affected by an attack on its IT system.

In March, Microsoft fixed the vulnerability in Windows software which was used by Eternal Blue but according to demonstration by WannaCry attacks, hundreds of thousands of groups all over the world could not install the fix properly.

The roots of the malware could not be identified. Researchers, gathering the program separately, found evidence revealing its creators had borrowed from leaked National Security Agency code raising the possibility of spreading digital havoc by using tools funded by US taxpayers.

Victims can also use Peta Sector Extractor of Fabian Wosar to seize this data automatically. Once this process is finished, the hard drive can be attached again, decrypted and the system restarted but free of this nasty strain of malware. The developer initially designed this software to help his father-in-law to unlock a system which was infected with Petya.

» SPAMfighter News - 6/30/2017