Petya Ransomware

In today’s technologically advanced world, companies are being crippled by cyberattacks. Petya Ransomware is one of the malicious malware that is affecting companies today. As at 2017, it was the second most disturbing malware that was affecting companies.
Petya Ransomware is a family of ransomware that was discovered in 2016. It based its attacks on Microsoft Windows-based systems, infecting the master boot records to execute a payload that encrypts a hard drive’s file system table and prevents windows from booting.
Upon the encrypting and preventing the system from booting it ransomed its users. It demands that the user make a payment in Bitcoin in order to regain access to the system. The Petya ransomware usually demanded 300 US dollars from its users if they wanted to regain access to they’re files.
Petya ransomware is believed to have started with a software update mechanism built into an accounting program that companies working with the Ukrainian government need to use, according to the Ukrainian cyber police. This explains why so many Ukrainian organizations were first affected by the Petya ransomware including government organizations, banks, power grids, airports and metro stations.
The Petya ransomware has caused serious disruption at large firms all over the world especially Europe and the US. Some of the firms it affected are the WWP, French construction materials company Saint-Gobain and Russian Steel and oil firms Evraz and Rosneft.
The food company Mondelez, legal firm Piper, Danish shipping and transport firms AP Moller-Maersk and Heritage Valley Health System which runs hospitals and care in Pittsburgh, also had their system being affected by the Petya ransomware.
Today most antivirus companies have built their antivirus systems to detect all manner of ransomware including the Petya Ransomware. This has helped firms and organizations to fight back or prevent their systems from being ransomed