After WannaCry, Judy, here comes 'Petya' ransomware

After Wanna Cry, Judy ransomware which had infected more than 230,000 computers and millions of android smartphone around the world last month, a similar ransomware named Petrwrap or Petyalicious has attacked major firms, airports on Tuesday afternoon.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that shuts down a computer or its data and demands money to fix the problem.

How does it work?

It is a massive cyber attack just like Wanna cry ransomware. This time the software shuts down a computer system and then demands an extortionate sum of money to fix the problem.

How does the Petya ransomware work?

Unlike typical ransomware, which merely scrambles personal data files, Petya ransomware overwrites a computer's master boot record, making it tougher to restore even a machine.

How many countries affected?

It started from companies working with the Ukrainuan government. In Ukraine, government departments, the central bank, aircraft manufacturer, airport and metro network have all been paralysed by the hack. It has already caused disruption at firms in Europe, US and also in India. Danish and Spanish multinationals also paralysed by attack. In the UK, the advertising firm WPP said its systems had also been struck down.

Who is responsible for the attack?

The motives of those behind the malware remain unknown.

What can you do if you are affected by ransomware?

According to Twitter user HackerFantastic, the ransomware infects computers and then waits for about an hour before rebooting the machine. While the machine is rebooting, you can switch the computer off to prevent the files from being encrypted and try and rescue the files from the machine.

OneIndia News