Global ransomware outbreak spread in part due to NSA-linked hacking tool
A growing number of cybersecurity firms, including BitDefender, Kaspersky Lab and Symantec, along with a cohort of independent cybersecurity researchers, say that the quickly spreading ransomware variant, known as Petya, is proliferating in part due to two previously leaked NSA hacking tools, codenamed EternalBlue and EternalRomance. This is not the first time in recent months that hackers combined leaked NSA computer code with ransomware to make their attacks more potent. Some researchers disagree on how to define the quickly spreading malware; with various security experts calling the ransomware a variant of Peyta, or GoldenEye, and others explaining it as an entirely different computer virus. Regardless, commonalities do exist and incidents involving what appears to be the same “Peyta” ransomware were reported Tuesday across most of Europe. Peyta is believed to be more complex than a similar recent attack known as WannaCry, which was also powered by EternalBlue; although in a slightly different fashion. […]
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