Petya Ransomware Attack: Another Global Threat Emerges
Only 46 days after the WannaCry ransomware attack began making headlines, a new cyber threat has emerged—and it’s spreading fast.
Researchers from multiple cybersecurity firms have identified the new ransomware as Petya, malware that renders computers inoperable by encrypting their hard drives. Once infected, the system displays a ransom demand, asking victims to pay for a digital decryption key to regain access to their data.
"Researchers with multiple firms identified the ransomware as Petya, malware that makes computers inoperable by encrypting their hard drives and demands ransoms in exchange for a digital key to restore access." – Reuters
Among the reported victims are Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft, Ukraine’s Oschadbank, Kyiv’s international airport, and global shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk. Experts believe Petya, much like WannaCry, is exploiting the leaked NSA vulnerability known as EternalBlue to propagate rapidly across networks.
Cybersecurity researcher x0rz noted that Petya has previously operated as Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) on hidden Tor services, raising concerns about attribution and the potential for widespread distribution.
“Petya was known to be RaaS... Looks like a WannaCry copycat. Attribution will be hard.” – x0rz (@x0rz)
Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure, warns that the attack may soon reach the Americas and “could hit the U.S.A pretty bad.”
This outbreak underscores the critical importance of proactive cybersecurity. Despite recent warnings, many organizations failed to patch systems vulnerable to EternalBlue, leaving themselves open to this new ransomware variant.
Organizations should take immediate steps to update systems, back up data regularly, and adopt modern security solutions. For tips on reducing risk and minimizing ransomware impact, click here.
"We are working directly with @CyberpoliceUA on the issue. More information is forthcoming." – Talos Group (@TalosSecurity)
Stay vigilant and stay protected.
Written By: Eden Penman, LookingPoint Marketing Manager