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SIPA USA/PA Images

Worldwide ransomware attacks - what we know so far

Over 29,000 institutions have been hit in China.

SECURITY AGENCIES ARE hunting for those behind a crippling cyber attack which has so far hit hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide.

Although only one health service agency in Co Wexford is known to have been affected in Ireland, successful attacks around the world have hit government agencies, factories and health services.

Here is what we know so far about the cyber ransom attacks.

What happened?

The cyber attacks started Friday and spread rapidly around the globe using a security flaw in Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system, an older version that is no longer given mainstream tech support by the US giant.

The so-called WannaCry ransomware locks access to user files and in an on-screen message demands payment of €275 euros in the virtual currency Bitcoin in order to decrypt the files.

China Global Cyberattack Ransomware Mark Schiefelbein Mark Schiefelbein

Victims have been advised by security experts not to pay up.

The attack is unique, according to policing agency Europol, because it combines ransomware with a worm function, meaning once one machine is infected, the entire internal network is scanned and other vulnerable machines are infected.

Who has been affected?

Europol chief Rob Wainwright said computer systems in more than 150 countries were hit, with the majority of organisations affected over the weekend in Europe.

The story broke here when it was reported that the UK’s NHS was hit by the attack on Friday, but so far there hasn’t been a much-feared second attack.

World-wide Cyber Attacks hits German Railways A display panel with an error can be seen at the main railway station in Leipzig, Germany. DPA / PA Images DPA / PA Images / PA Images

But as Asia woke up to the working week today, leading Chinese security-software provider Qihoo 360 said “hundreds of thousands” of computers in the country were hit at nearly 30,000 institutions including government agencies.

In Japan, a spokesman for Hitachi said the conglomerate discovered problems on Monday morning and its computer networks were “unstable”.

Other high-profile victims include hospitals in Britain, the Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, French carmaker Renault, US package delivery company FedEx, Russia’s interior ministry and the German rail operator Deutsche Bahn.

Where did the malware come from?

Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president and chief legal officer, said in a blog post yesterday that the culprits used a code developed by the US National Security Agency.

It was leaked as part of a document dump, according to researchers at the Moscow-based computer security firm Kaspersky Lab.

Smith warned governments against stockpiling such vulnerabilities and said instead they should report them to manufacturers – not sell, store or exploit them, lest they fall into the wrong hands.

“An equivalent scenario with conventional weapons would be the US military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen,” Smith wrote.

The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake up call.

Who was behind the attack?

Europol said today it was continuing to hunt for the culprits behind the unprecedented attack.

The agency’s senior spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth said it was still “a bit early too say who is behind it, but we are working on a decrypting tool”.

Experts think it unlikely to have been one person, with criminally minded cyber crime syndicates nowadays going underground and using ever more sophisticated encryption to hide their activities.

How can people protect their computers?

TEC Ransomware Evolves AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

Microsoft took the unusual step of reissuing security patches first made available in March for Windows XP and other older versions of its operating system.

Kaspersky said it was seeking to develop a decryption tool “as soon as possible”.

Europol said European companies and governments had heeded warnings and as a result avoided further fallout from the ransomware.

“It seems that a lot of internet security guys over the weekend did their homework and ran the security software updates,” Jan Op Gen Oorth told AFP.

© – AFP 2017

Read: HSE to keep network isolated for further 48 hours to protect against cyber attack

Read: North Korea’s ‘new missile’ has unprecedented range

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    Mute Silent majority
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    May 13th 2015, 12:06 PM

    A clear failure in procedure here, not government policy. The inclusion of ministerial criticism in this article is bewildering.

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 12:14 PM

    Parish pump……

    42
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    Mute Niall Dawson
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    May 13th 2015, 12:12 PM

    Isn’t the driver suppose to check the carraiges afterwards to make sure stuff like this doesnt happen?

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    Mute Fozz
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    May 13th 2015, 2:32 PM

    Yeah and when questioned the driver will be absolved of all responsibility at the behest of the union rep.

    51
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    Mute Dave barrett
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    May 13th 2015, 12:00 PM

    Do Irish rail have emergency buttons or pull cords for those with a disability in case of distress.

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 12:09 PM

    Yes

    Emergency buttons in wheelchair ares, end of coaches and toilets but need to be pulled when train is active so it should of being pressed soon after arrival had nobody arrived.

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    Mute Andrew Nolan
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    May 13th 2015, 11:52 AM

    So Irish Rail are now responsible for charging your phone?

    120
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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 12:08 PM

    Best thing is he had 3 hours beside a plug and didn’t use it!

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    Mute Angry Squirrel
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    May 13th 2015, 12:46 PM

    No they are not, but they are responsible for a full and complete search of the carriages when the service of the train terminates for whatever reason.

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    Mute lostintallaght
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    May 13th 2015, 1:03 PM

    @RonanM, did you even read the article? It specifically says there were no charge points on this train. Keep trolling.

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    Mute neuromancer
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    May 13th 2015, 11:59 AM

    I remember once when I was locked on a train, most expensive pints I’ve ever had.

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    Mute Manford Payce
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    May 13th 2015, 12:05 PM

    I’d kind of have assumed that with the modern fleet they’d be well equipped to handle disabled passengers, ramps, wide doors, emergency call buttons etc. It seems a serious failure of processes to allow this to happen. The poor guy.

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    Mute mike
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    May 13th 2015, 12:20 PM

    Irish rail are a f****n joke for disabled passengers. I dread going anywhere with them God knows where I’ll end up because I can’t guarantee a ramp will be where I actually wana go.

    66
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    Mute Byyys
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    May 13th 2015, 11:48 AM

    Good old journal.. yesterdays news today. The train driver didn’t bother walking through the train before locking all doors, turning off lights etc from the cabin. simple as that.

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    Mute Chris Bruton
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    May 13th 2015, 11:50 AM

    “journal.. yesterdays news today.”

    Yet here you are.

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 11:50 AM

    The trains have auto shutdown….

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    Mute Byyys
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    May 13th 2015, 12:00 PM

    Yet here i am Chris… this was the most read topic on breakingnews website yesterday. at least the bus drivers check the bus before locking up, in case you know some disabled person cant get off or someone is fast asleep at the back of the bus. All doors are locked from the drivers cabin. when the train engine is shut down – the doors cannot be opened.

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    Mute Chris Bruton
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    May 13th 2015, 12:51 PM

    Why you do frequent a site that has old news? Seems kinda dumb.

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    Mute Stephanie Fleming
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    May 13th 2015, 4:44 PM

    Christ these comments show an appalling attitude towards people with disabilities. There is a huge level of ignorance on display here, which is understandable if you don’t work with people with disabilities. What troubles me is that people still seem to think themselves qualified to criticise Ger. As someone who both knows the man in question and treats people with his condition every day I can assure you that it is nowhere near as simple as some people have suggested.

    Climbing down out of Irish trains is not easy for people with impaired mobility. Walking along a flat aisle with seats all round to lean on is not the same as descending a high step, across a gap and onto a platform without rails. Indeed many people without impairments find some Irish platforms troublesome to use (the big curve in the platform in Kent Station in Cork anyone?)

    I ask you all please, for the sake of people with disabilities, consider the fact that you have neither sufficient information nor adequate qualifications before deciding if someone “disabled enough” to have a valid complaint. Many of these comments add insult to a complete stranger who has already undergone a humiliating experience, that is simply not ok.

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    Mute whereisspace
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    May 13th 2015, 1:30 PM

    I don’t know why the guy is asking Ministers why it happened. It’s not as if they personally run the train service.

    Someone should do a check of the train when it stops for many reasons, security etc. They obviously failed this time and left this chap for 35 minutes. It is a mistake and I’m sure it was traumatic for the guy. Get over it and move one. No doubt a financial settlement will wipe the trauma away in an instant.

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    Mute Shane Comer
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    May 13th 2015, 3:43 PM

    I know this man personally as a friend and this is the THIRD time this has happened to him on an Irish Rail train. He “got over it” as you so eloquently put it, twice previously and Irish Rail never responded to his complaints or acted on them if it’s happened a third time.

    He’s well entitled to publicly come out about his experience, maybe now Irish Rail will be forced to act to make their fleet accessible for all passengers. Or at the very least introduce new work protocols/practices to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

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    Mute whereisspace
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    May 13th 2015, 4:05 PM

    Agree that a new protocol needs to be introduced for many reasons like this for example or security etc.

    But to address a Minister directly is, as a previous comment put it bewildering.

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    Mute Ann Glasgow
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    May 13th 2015, 4:51 PM

    @ shane comer well said , the bottom line is nobody gives a damn anymore! just pay your money and put up or shut up. irish rail and others see no reason to look after the customer, customer service means nothing. however, to be a disabled customer your in real trouble! just watch the bus service and how a wheelchair used is treated……many will pull up and just tell them the bus is too packed to take them …even if it isnt!
    shane , i am sorry to say we are a long way off making irish rail and others make their fleet accessible for all passengers, the biggest barrier is you are dealing with people that just dont care!

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 11:48 AM

    Complete overreaction by all, its not ad if IE set out to do it, nobody is prefect.

    There is emergency escapes if he wanted to get out to…

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    May 13th 2015, 12:00 PM

    How would he get off the train without the wheelchair ramp???

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    Mute Jimmy Murray
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    May 13th 2015, 12:05 PM

    What a stupid statement. He wasn’t in Lourdes

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 12:07 PM

    Using emergency door would open it and people would see.

    Anyway the person can walk, so he could of opened and looked out…

    Im not defending IE but mistakes happen, blowing it up to the media is attention seeking.

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    Mute mike
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    May 13th 2015, 12:22 PM

    @ronanm you are a knob. A complete one

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    Mute RonanM
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    May 13th 2015, 12:27 PM

    Very informative Mile….

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    Mute Chris Bruton
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    May 13th 2015, 1:12 PM

    @ mike – are you taking the p*ss with your profile pic?

    https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/597603899680411648/Jzq1vnKf_400x400.jpg

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    Mute Marshall kelly
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    May 13th 2015, 1:17 PM

    The same way he got out of his mobility scooter and got to the seating area..

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    Mute Rachel Creevey
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    May 13th 2015, 2:03 PM

    RonanM, instead of giving out about something you clearly have no knowledge on; why don’t you just be thankful that you can avail of rail services without having to inform them in advance and then when you do get to use the train spend your time worrying whether there will be someone at the other end to help you get off!

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    Mute Suzie Sunsine
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    May 13th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Ah Ronan m , the man is wheelchair bound did you not even read the article ?

    11
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    Mute Jimmy Murray
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    May 13th 2015, 4:44 PM

    Same thing happened to a friend of mine. They were left on the train also ! All the lights went out and nobody came with the ramp , just by chance a worker passed by and told them up at the station office !!! Excuse was they didn’t radio threw from cork to say a wheelchair was on board !

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    Mute mike
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    May 13th 2015, 7:01 PM

    Out of myself I hope

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    Mute Christy Nolan
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    May 13th 2015, 11:46 AM

    What do you expect from a bruton

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    Mute Jimmy Murray
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    May 13th 2015, 4:49 PM

    Same thing happened to a friend of mine. They were left on the train also ! All the lights went out and nobody came with the ramp , just by chance a worker passed by and told them up at the station office !!! Excuse was they didn’t radio threw from cork to say a wheelchair was on board !

    13
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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    May 13th 2015, 12:34 PM

    Irish Rail customer service is appalling. I spent 30 mind yesterday phoning Kent station to get time table eventually had to ring Dublin to get it. It rang out 4 times.

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    Mute Dublinguy2013
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    May 13th 2015, 12:45 PM

    Google?

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    May 13th 2015, 1:01 PM

    Google hasn’t been invented for some people yet.

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    May 13th 2015, 1:04 PM

    Maybe they could post one out to you?

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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    May 13th 2015, 2:25 PM

    Jesus Tony. Hope it works out for you. Dreadful experience.

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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    May 13th 2015, 4:26 PM

    Learn how to work da Google on the Internet machine!

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    Mute John
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    May 13th 2015, 8:17 PM

    Irish rail worker? Surely that’s a contradiction. I seen the Dublin to cork train leave heuston one day before any passengers had boarded because nobody was at the gate to check them on. The train travelled to cork empty. That actually happened believe it or not.

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