Developers of WannaCry are expected to launch DDoS attack

There’s no doubt that WannaCry ransomware is the worst what has happened this year to the online community. Nevertheless, the major distribution campaign has been slowed down;[1] cyber criminals are looking for a way to continue spreading the virus. It seems that hackers are thinking about launching a DDoS attack. Thus, computer users who still haven’t taken any precautions to avoid this horrible threat should consider strengthening not only computer’s security but securing router and wireless network as well. Backing up files is also a good idea. No one can be sure when cyber criminals might strike again and what shady surprises they are preparing for us.

Developers of WannaCry are expected to launch DDoS attack

The first wave of WannaCry distribution has been launched on May 12th and affected more than 200,000 computer users worldwide during the weekend.[2] However, ransomware’s dissemination has been slowed down by Marcus Hutchins. The programmer has been analyzing the code and accidentally found the kill-switch function. Thus, he quickly registered the malicious domain, and that was enough to cause problems for the hackers. However, he has recently noticed an increased activity and traffic to this malicious domain. M.Hutchins suspects that authors of malware are looking for a way to launch another attack, and it seems they are planning a DDoS attack by overwhelming the domain.

DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service, attack[3] is arranged towards particular websites, networks or computer systems by driving traffic from various sources. After a successful attack, the computer gets infected with malware that is responsible for connecting it to a botnet. Thus, all the affected devices become “zombies army.” Then attackers get remote access to the attacked computers and can do whatever they like. Therefore, in this way developers of WannaCry ransomware would be able not only install and execute malware but have control over the targeted device. Thus, malware might create even more problems that it does now.

While malware researchers are waiting for the second wave of WannaCry attack, computer users should also prepare themselves for another cyber attack. The most important task is to patch Windows operating system and install all necessary updates.[4] Malware employs exploit kits that are designed to take advantage of system vulnerabilities and in order to infiltrate the computer. However, if these suspicions will be confirmed, users should also secure router and make sure that home (or work) Wi-Fi networks are safe and sound. Following other security tips,[5] such as avoiding high-risk websites, staying away from strange emails attachments and making data backups, are also necessary.

About the author
Olivia Morelli
Olivia Morelli - Ransomware analyst

Olivia Morelli is News Editor at 2-Spyware.com. She covers topics such as computer protection, latest malware trends, software vulnerabilities, data breaches, and more.

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