🛑 WannaCry: The Ransomware That Brought the World to Its Knees 💻🔒
What Happened?
- Type: Ransomware worm that spreads via a Windows vulnerability called EternalBlue.
- Impact: Infected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries 🌍, affecting hospitals, businesses, and governments.
- Notable Victims: UK’s **NHS**, FedEx, and Telefónica 🚑🏢. It caused billions in damages 💰.
Why So Deadly?
- Self-Spreading: Once in a network, it spreads without user interaction 🕸️.
- Critical Targets: It hit key services like healthcare and forced ransom payments 💼.
- Slow Patching: Microsoft had patched the vulnerability, but many systems were outdated ⏳.
Mitigation & Lessons:
- A researcher accidentally found a **kill switch** 🛑, halting its spread.
- Emphasized the importance of **patching systems** and having **data backups** 🔄.
Key Takeaways:
- Always keep systems updated 📅.
- Segment networks to prevent rapid spreading 🚧.
- Backup critical data regularly 🗂️.
