Alwaght- Cyber-attacks using malware called “BadRabbit” hit Russia and other nations on Tuesday.
The new global cyber virus attack targeted corporate networks mainly in Russia, cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab said. A number of companies in Germany, Turkey and Ukraine have been affected on a smaller scale.
“Our observations show that the majority of the attack’s victims are located in Russia. We’re also registering similar attacks in Ukraine, Turkey and Germany, but on a considerably smaller scale. The malware spreads through a number of compromised websites of Russian media outlets,” the company said in its blog.
The new virus appears to be dubbed ‘BadRabbit,’ according to a dark net page where the details on ransom for the encrypted files were posted. The initial ransom is 0.05 Bitcoin ($300), but the virus features a timer and promises to raise the price if the ransom is not paid in time.
The attacks were reported by the Interfax news agency and Fontanka.ru news outlet, as well as by the subway system in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, and the airport of Odessa. The new cryptoware appears to be deliberately targeting corporate networks, according to Kaspersky Lab.
“In 2017 two major cryptoware epidemics have been registered – we’re talking about the notorious WannaCry and ExPetr (also known as Petya and NotPetya), and now the third one appears to begin,” Kaspersky Lab said.
Ransomware infections have the potential to halt activity at targeted organizations. The May “WannaCry” ransomware shuttered hospitals, factories and other facilities around the globe for days.
