May
18
2017
As people logged in to their computers, the worldwide ransomware cyber attack known as the WannaCry virus spread to even more devices on Monday, bringing a halt to school operations, hospitals and businesses. Aside from this new expansion, no new significant outbreaks of the WannaCry virus have been reported thus far and British officials say that the second round of these infections they once feared have yet to come to fruition.
British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt noted that the criminal activity that has occurred so far with the virus was not quite up to par with what they had once thought possible.
Britain's health service, among the higher profile victims, was targeted in the online extortion scheme that has taken over both local and worldwide news. To date, however, the new infections of the WannaCry virus have been mostly detained to portions of Asia.
While the ransomware was thought to have slowed on Monday, many companies and governments effected are still picking up the pieces from the first round of attacks.
Tim Stevens, a global security expert at King's College London, warned that this attack should not strike fear but prompt action in both private and public sectors. A tightening of security is warranted to prevent even larger attacks in the future.
Global Cyber Attack Chaos Wanna Cry Ransomware