These Are the 5 Most Fearsome Ransomware Attacks of All Time

Security weaknesses are always being exploited by hackers, which is why it’s important for businesses to constantly keep their security measures updated. The biggest trend has been in the form of ransomware, which holds organizations, hostage until ransom amounts are paid. Here are the five biggest ransomware attacks that have happened in the history of security exploitation.

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   TeslaCrypt

This ransomware was first discovered in 2015, and because of a popular means of invading computer systems. It has gone through many iterations that Managed IT services for Perth businesses have had to deal with and upgrade technologies to deal with them. TeslaCrypt started off by using social engineering to make a person click on a link in a phishing e-mail that later added malicious attachments to these e-mails to slip past a computer’s security.

When the link is clicked on, the user’s files are encrypted and they receive a message asking them for $500 in Bitcoins in order to receive the key to decrypt the files.

2. REvil or Sodinokibi

This form of ransomware made its first appearance in 2019. What makes it stand out is that it has a sophisticated evasion capacity and employs a high number of measures to remain undetected by antivirus software. It has mostly made an appearance in Europe, India, the United States, and Japan. It works by encrypting a user’s files and then obtaining admin access to them by exploiting a known vulnerability.

3. WannaCry

This was a fast-spreading piece of malware that was detected in 2017.  It infected at least 7,000 computers within the first hour and 110,000 distinct IP addresses within the first two days. It spread so quickly that even industries like Honda and Renault lost control over their industrial processes. It employed the use of a phishing e-mail that disseminated a worm that exploited the Windows SMB vulnerability. The first ransom asked for $300 in Bitcoin and then was increased to $600 in Bitcoin.

4. SamSam

First detected in 2015, it really gained some ground in 2018. The goal of this ransom wasn’t to affect as many computers as possible; it was actually used against specific entities such as hospitals and colleges because they were more likely to pay to get their data back. Because of this targeted infiltration, SamSam has earned its creators almost $6 million U.S. since 2015. It would focus on the weak passwords of the Remote Desktop Protocol to gain access to the network. The attack itself takes several days and doesn’t spread like a traditional virus.

5. NotPetya

Noticed in 2017, NotPetya was first discovered in Ukraine, and then quickly spread across Europe. It hit banks, airports, industries, and power companies, just to name a few. It ended up causing about $10 million in damage to businesses and is considered one of the most devastating forms of ransomware in history.

Being able to fight ransomware offers some challenges that have forced collaboration between government bodies and private sectors. Conferences are being held all the time to keep businesses and industries aware of these attacks so that they can employ better security measures to minimize their impact as much as possible