When the criminal Shadows Brokers group stole hacking tools from the NSA and subsequently posted them on the internet no one could predict the world-wide havoc that ensued in both the public and corporate sectors.
The WannaCry virus is a ransomware tool that gains access to an individual’s computer or server and encrypts files using an AES-128 bit cipher.
Then the victim of the attack is hit with a demand for a ransom in untraceable bitcoin currency,from several hundred dollars up to tens of thousands of dollars for the data files to be released.
Why were these computers vulnerable in the first place? Twelve years after Microsoft released Windows XP operating system, on April 8, 2014, Microsoft terminated all support of the operating system including patches for protecting against computer viruses. Owners of previous operating systems were urged to migrate to current operating systems like Windows 7, 8 or 10.
In the vast majority of cases, this did happen, with people manually upgraded their systems with new operating software, or more commonly, by passively upgrading their OS when they purchased a new computer.
Presently, according to numerous sources, 5.5 to 7 percent of computer operating systems still use Windows XP. This is particularly true of businesses such as hospitals in Europe and small enterprises in Russia and Europe. In China’s state-owned enterprises, the percentage of computers using Windows XP is much higher. In fact, at the time Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP, an estimated 60-90 percent of state owned computers were running on Windows XP.
This complacency could be explained by lack of urgency to change a system that is running smoothly. Many of these computers are tethered to peripheral devices such as printers that cannot function smoothly with the new drivers necessary with an upgraded operating system-if the drivers exist at all.
Likewise, many of these companies and individuals could not justify outlaying funds for upgrades in OS or new computers. Unfortunately, this inaction made them vulnerable to malware from the likes of disreputable organizations such as the Shadows Brokers group.
Yet the hardest hit region was China. In China, it is estimated that ninety-nine percent of all operating software is counterfeit. Whether it is Apple macOS or Windows OS such as Windows 10- if it is in China it is counterfeit.
This should not surprise anyone. China is a country where fake Apple stores exist; inside, everything from the Apple logos on laptops to Apple designed fixtures are letter-perfect duplicates of the real thing. Yes, counterfeiting in China is a national pastime.
Piracy is so prevalent in China because the Government participates and encourages all forms of piracy. In fact, government operated Chinese DVD duplicating factories poured out billions of dollars worth of ersatz movie DVDs exported to the US and Europe in the 1990’s. A telling case in point: When Microsoft beefed up its anti-piracy measures during the release of Windows 8, China banned the operating system outright.
China learned an expensive lesson when the WannaCry Virus infected their nation. Pirated operating systems don’t get automatic upgrades or safety patches. Ouch.