3 answers
Ricardo
Student
Herndon, Virginia
2
Questions
Asked
446 views
What's the worst cyber "attack" you have encountered?
Curious to know real issues the world has faced -#cybergeek
Login to comment
3 answers
Carlos Gonzalez
Threat Intel
9
Answers
Updated
Carlos’s Answer
The list of real world cyber attack issues is one that grows daily.
One that affected customers I worked with was called Mirai. It's malware that infected Internet connected devices like security cameras, routers, and more. The affected devices could then be used as part of a botnet to flood targets with traffic and take them offline for a time - known as a DDoS attack. You can read a bit more about it here: https://www.csoonline.com/article/564711/security/the-mirai-botnet-explained-how-teen-scammers-and-cctv-cameras-almost-brought-down-the-internet.html
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
4389
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Ricardo,
The WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017 stands as the most severe cyber attack in history. It wreaked havoc on over 200,000 computers across 150 nations, inflicting substantial harm to key sectors like healthcare, finance, and transportation. The WannaCry malware locked users out of their files and demanded a Bitcoin ransom to unlock them.
What made this attack especially catastrophic was its exploitation of a weak spot in Microsoft Windows known as EternalBlue. This loophole enabled the malware to proliferate swiftly from one computer to another within a network, compromising systems even if they weren't directly targeted. The swift spread was made possible because many organizations had not yet installed the Microsoft update that fixed the vulnerability.
The WannaCry attack's financial impact was staggering, with an estimated cost exceeding $4 billion USD. But the damage wasn't just monetary. The attack interfered with critical services like hospitals and emergency response systems, potentially endangering lives.
Reliable Sources Consulted:
KrebsOnSecurity (2017). WannaCry Ransomware: A Decade in the Making. Retrieved from https://krebsonsecurity.com/wannacry-ransomware-a-decade-in-the-making/
Symantec (2017). WannaCryptor (WanaCrypt0r) Ransomware Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.symantec.com/security-center/threats/wannacrypt-ransomware
BBC News (2017). WannaCry ransomware: What is it and how does it spread? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39896856
Take care,
JC.
The WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017 stands as the most severe cyber attack in history. It wreaked havoc on over 200,000 computers across 150 nations, inflicting substantial harm to key sectors like healthcare, finance, and transportation. The WannaCry malware locked users out of their files and demanded a Bitcoin ransom to unlock them.
What made this attack especially catastrophic was its exploitation of a weak spot in Microsoft Windows known as EternalBlue. This loophole enabled the malware to proliferate swiftly from one computer to another within a network, compromising systems even if they weren't directly targeted. The swift spread was made possible because many organizations had not yet installed the Microsoft update that fixed the vulnerability.
The WannaCry attack's financial impact was staggering, with an estimated cost exceeding $4 billion USD. But the damage wasn't just monetary. The attack interfered with critical services like hospitals and emergency response systems, potentially endangering lives.
Reliable Sources Consulted:
KrebsOnSecurity (2017). WannaCry Ransomware: A Decade in the Making. Retrieved from https://krebsonsecurity.com/wannacry-ransomware-a-decade-in-the-making/
Symantec (2017). WannaCryptor (WanaCrypt0r) Ransomware Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.symantec.com/security-center/threats/wannacrypt-ransomware
BBC News (2017). WannaCry ransomware: What is it and how does it spread? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39896856
Take care,
JC.
Luke Trimberger
Student
147
Answers
Champaign, Illinois
Updated
Luke’s Answer
Here are a couple of examples:
Shamoon (2015): This cyberattack targeted Saudi Aramco, a major oil producer. The attackers used malware to wipe data from over 35,000 computers, causing significant disruption to the company's operations and costing billions to recover. It's considered one of the most destructive attacks in history due to the targeted destruction of data.
WannaCry Ransomware Attack (2017): This global ransomware attack affected hundreds of thousands of computers in over 150 countries. The WannaCry ransomware encrypted victims' data, demanding payment in Bitcoin to decrypt it. This attack caused widespread disruption to businesses, hospitals, and government agencies. It highlighted the vulnerability of many systems to ransomware attacks and the potential for widespread damage.
These are just a couple of examples, and cyberattacks are constantly evolving. Here are some resources where you can learn more about real-world cyberattacks:
List of security hacking incidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_security_hacking_incidents This Wikipedia page provides a historical timeline of major hacking incidents.
Significant Cyber Incidents: https://www.csis.org/programs/strategic-technologies-program/significant-cyber-incidents This report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies details some significant cyber incidents in recent years.
These resources can give you a deeper understanding of the real issues the world faces in the cybersecurity landscape.
cybersecurity cyberattacks
Shamoon (2015): This cyberattack targeted Saudi Aramco, a major oil producer. The attackers used malware to wipe data from over 35,000 computers, causing significant disruption to the company's operations and costing billions to recover. It's considered one of the most destructive attacks in history due to the targeted destruction of data.
WannaCry Ransomware Attack (2017): This global ransomware attack affected hundreds of thousands of computers in over 150 countries. The WannaCry ransomware encrypted victims' data, demanding payment in Bitcoin to decrypt it. This attack caused widespread disruption to businesses, hospitals, and government agencies. It highlighted the vulnerability of many systems to ransomware attacks and the potential for widespread damage.
These are just a couple of examples, and cyberattacks are constantly evolving. Here are some resources where you can learn more about real-world cyberattacks:
List of security hacking incidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_security_hacking_incidents This Wikipedia page provides a historical timeline of major hacking incidents.
Significant Cyber Incidents: https://www.csis.org/programs/strategic-technologies-program/significant-cyber-incidents This report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies details some significant cyber incidents in recent years.
These resources can give you a deeper understanding of the real issues the world faces in the cybersecurity landscape.
cybersecurity cyberattacks