Spreading of computer virus ‘WannaCry’ decreases rapidly

Computer code, Photo: pixabay

Spreading of the computer virus WannaCry decreases rapidly for the time being

The spread of software that has infected computers worldwide, WannaCry,  decreases rapidly after an IT expert bought the domain that has been used in the attack.

 

 

– The number is extremely low and decreases rapidly, Vikram Thakur at security company Symantec tells Reuters

Early Saturday morning reported the AFP news agency that an unnamed British expert in computer security by chance found and registered the domain has been used to spread extortion software WannaCry.

But this will not help machines that are already infected, and registration of the domain will only act as a protection until the sender of the software changes the code and try with another attack, said the expert, which on Twitter calls himself @MalwareTechBlog.

Update straight away!

The expert recommends that users update their systems as quickly as possible to avoid attacks.

– I acknowledge that I was not aware that registering the domain would stop the malicious software until after I had done so, therefore it was initially a fluke, the expert told the AFP news agency in a private conversation on Twitter.

According to data security company Avast, 99 countries are affected; Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan are supposedly hit hardest.

Hotel Chain drabbed

In Norway, at least three companies were hit, among them the Choice hotel chain, the National Security Authority reported to NRK.

Both the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the British Health Service, the Spanish telecommunications operator Telefónica and the US-based transport company FedEx experienced Friday that their IT systems were infected.

The software locks the computers by encrypting the contents of the hard disks until the users pay a ransom.

In the message that appears on the screens, a $ 300 lump sum will be required (equivalent to NOK 2,600) to regain access to your data files. The money is required to be paid in the digital currency bitcoin.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today