Massive Ransomware Attack Hits Ukraine And Is Spreading Across The Globe

Another massive ransomware attack has broken out in Ukraine and appears to be spreading across the world in a similar vein of the WannaCry cyber attack.

The attack appears to be a variant of the Petya ransomware that has already been spotted in the cyber security wilds before, and hit multiple organisations in Ukraine, including the nation’s state power distributor,  the National Bank of Ukraine and Kiev’s main airport.

Now the ransomware appears to have gone global with British advertising and marketing giant WPP noting that IT systems in several of the agencies it owns have been hit by the ransomware, which demands victims send $300 (£234) worth of  Bitcoins to the hackers.

Companies in the Netherlands, Russia, and Germany. amongst others, are also reporting ransomware attacks.

Petya panic

GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre noted it is leeping a close eye to the spread of Petya:  “We are aware of a global ransomware incident and are monitoring the situation closely.”

Further details of the cyber attacks, how they have spread and what types of systems Petya is attacking have yet to surface. Some speculation is laying blame at the doorstep of Russia, which has a rather tense relationship with Ukraine.