White House Gathers To Discuss Cyber Attack
The White House | Photo Credit Huffington Post The White House gathered Friday evening to discuss a cyber attack that brought harm to 100,000 organizations, such as package delivery service, FedEx and even hospitals. Since most companies work on computers, everyone is in jeopardy.
This is believed to be the largest cyber attack in history and it may only be the beginning. Experts are worried what’s going to happen next and if these attackers have more plans scheduled to take place.
Will The Cyber Attack Continue To Grow?
Fox News reports:
“We can now report that President Trump ordered an emergency meeting Friday night after an international cyber attack that’s impacting more 100,000 organizations. Security officials now say they met again yesterday. The NSA and the FBI are working to find those responsible.”
“This all began on Friday, hitting hospitals and railway companies in Germany. Hackers reportedly exploited loopholes in versions of Microsoft Windows. They created a virus called “WannaCry.” They locked computer systems, encrypted files, and then demanded [money] for those files.”
Nearly every American company uses some sort of Microsoft product.
Every American Citizen Could Be In Jeopardy…
Cyber Attacks | Photo Credit Fox News
The New York Times reports:
“The spread of the malicious software, or malware, has focused attention on several questions, including why a software patch, issued by Microsoft in March, was not installed by more users.”
“But for many systems, especially older systems, such patches are not installed automatically — a fact the hackers took advantage of. Microsoft has not said how it became aware of the vulnerability, but it seems likely it was tipped off by the National Security Agency.”
“Brad Smith, the president and chief legal officer of Microsoft, said in a blog post Sunday that the attack should be a “wake-up call” for the tech industry, consumers and governments. Mr. Smith said that Microsoft had the “first responsibility” for addressing vulnerabilities in its software, and that customers must be vigilant. But he said the latest attack showed the dangers of governments’ “stockpiling of vulnerabilities.”
