In June 2017, the world was hit by a malware attack known as NotPetya. This malicious software spread rapidly across various countries and caused unprecedented damage to many businesses worldwide. The attack is believed to have originated from Ukraine, but it quickly spread beyond its borders and impacted organizations in Europe, Asia, and North America.
NotPetya is a type of ransomware that encrypts files on infected computers and demands payment in exchange for their release. However, unlike traditional ransomware attacks which focus on individual users, NotPetya targeted large corporations and government agencies. It quickly became clear that this was not a typical ransomware attack but rather an attempt to cripple entire industries.
The severity of the attack was due in part to its ability to spread laterally within networks using EternalBlue exploit developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) which had been stolen by hackers calling themselves “Shadow Brokers.” Once inside a network, the malware would move laterally until it found vulnerable systems and executed itself.
The impact of this cyberattack was devastating; shipping giant Maersk reported losses exceeding $300 million while other companies such as pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck also suffered significant financial losses. The economic implications were felt far beyond just these companies though – supply chains were disrupted around the world with ports unable to process shipments or trucks being held up at customs checkpoints.
Furthermore, there are suspicions that this malware wasn’t just about making money through extortion but also aimed at undermining international relations between nations since it appeared to target Ukraine specifically.
Overall, NotPetya demonstrated how damaging cyberattacks can be when targeted against large entities like governments or corporations; leaving us all with questions about how we can protect ourselves from such threats going forward.