Petya Ransomware Attack

Why in news?

Petya ransomware hit operations at one of the three terminals at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT)

What is Petya?

• Petya is a ransomware, similar to the Wannacry attack.
• It is part of a new wave of cyberattacks that has hit computer servers all across Europe, locking up computer data and crippling enterprise services in the corporate sector.

How exactly does Petya spread?

• The ransomware locks up a computer’s files and demands $300 Bitcoins as ransom to unlock the data.
• All data on a computer, network gets encrypted.
• Once the malware infects the computer, it will wait for an hour and then reboots the system.
• After the rebooting, the files are encrypted and the user gets a ransom note on their PC asking them to pay up.
• Users are also warned against switching off their PC during the rebooting process, because it could make them lose their files.

Which are the most affected countries?

• The attack is believed to have started in Ukrainian software called MeDoc.
• It is used by many government organisations in the country.
• According to reports, this is also the reason why Ukraine was the worst affected.
• Over 60% of attacks took place in Ukraine.
• Russia is second on the list with 30%.

How can the ransomware attack be stopped?

• When it comes to decrypting files, currently there is no solution.

• For now, users who have lost their data can’t really recover it unless they have a backup.
• There’s no way of getting the decryption key from the hackers, since the email account has been shut down.
• However, according to a tweet from HackerFantastic, when the system goes in for a reboot, the user should power off the PC.
• There is no way of stopping the attack from the spreading, given it exploits vulnerabilities in the network.
• For users, it is best to keep a back up of all their data. Preferably this data should not be online, and it should be encrypted.
• Users should also not click on email links from suspicious ids or click on links asking for access to personal information.
• Also keep your Windows PC updated with the latest software.

Source: LiveMint, Indian Express