Nearly 100 countries across the globe were hit by a large-scale cyberattack Friday.
NBC News reports hackers held tens of thousands of computers for ransom in at least 99 countries.
Over a dozen hospitals in the United Kingdom and major companies were affected by the ransomware attacks.
The extent of the attack is still unclear, but cyber security experts said the scale is “unprecedented.”
In a statement, FedEx said they were also affected. “Like many other companies, FedEx is experiencing interference with some of our Windows-based systems caused by malware. We are implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible.”
This particular ransomware reportedly exploits a hole in out-dated Windows operating systems. It encrypts all the data it can find then demands a ransom for the encryption key.
Many users report the amount of the ransom as $300 worth of bitcoin, a form of digital currency.
Experts said hospitals and larger companies are especially susceptible to this latest attack, as they’re slow to upgrade their networks and may be using pirated programs.
Ransomware is a growing problem. Malwarebytes reports that 60 percent of all malware observed in 2017 was ransomware.
Adam Kujawa, director of malware Intelligence for Malwarebytes, said ransomware is a fantastic moneymaker for criminals.
According to cybersecurity experts, more criminals are expected to deploy ransomware because they can easily buy the ready-made software from “super hackers”, making it possible for anyone with basic computer knowledge to launch attacks.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.