'Accidental hero' finds kill switch to stop spread of ransomware cyber-attack

[duncang]

From the Guardian


"Saturday 13 May 2017 00.11 EDT
First published on Friday 12 May 2017 21.41 EDT

An “accidental hero” has halted the global spread of the WannaCry ransomware, reportedly by spending a few dollars on registering a domain name hidden in the malware.

The ransomware has wreaked havoc on organizations including FedEx and Telefonica, as well as the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), where operations were cancelled, x-rays, test results and patient records became unavailable and phones did not work.

However, a UK cybersecurity researcher tweeting as @malwaretechblog, with the help of Darien Huss from security firm Proofpoint, found and activated a “kill switch” in the malicious software."

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/13/accidental-hero-finds-kill-switch-to-stop-spread-of-ransomware-cyber-attack?CMP=share_btn_tw


Looks like it had a built in kill switch. It would check if a domain was live. And if it was live (AKA registered) it would shut down.

[Cha]

1. Wow.. Fascinating!

Mahalo, Duncan

ETA~

Link to tweet

[Cha]

2. ETA a Tweet from the NYDN above... in case

you missed it..

Link to tweet

[ucrdem]

3. '"The exploit was leaked last month as part of a trove of NSA spy tools. "

Released by Wikileaks, natch. Thank Jules!





p.s.

[Cha]

4. Oh yeah.. wikileaks felt they had to fuck up the

British Health System as well as everything else they touch

I hope someday that asshole assange gets what's coming to him.

I remember back in the day when he was revered by some around here.. I always knew he was fishy and now his permeating stench is recognized World Wide.

ucr