What Is WannaCry Ransomware?
WannaCry ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that infects computers and encrypts files, making them inaccessible until the user pays a ransom. It was first discovered in May 2017 and quickly spread across the world, affecting hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries. The malware exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows operating systems to gain access to vulnerable machines. Once inside, it uses an encryption algorithm to lock down all data on the computer and demands payment for its release.
The WannaCry attack caused significant disruption as many organizations were unable to access their data or networks due to the encrypted files. In addition, some hospitals had their medical records locked up by the ransomware which prevented doctors from accessing patient information needed for treatment decisions. To prevent further damage from occurring, Microsoft released patches for affected versions of Windows shortly after news broke about WannaCry’s spread around the globe. Despite this effort however, many users failed to update their systems leaving them open to future attacks using similar methods employed by WannaCry ransomware