The latest spread ransomware virus WannaCry is literally making organizations and governments cry all over the world. Within just hours of getting discovered, millions of computers have been reported to be compromised to this dangerous ransomware. Around 99 countries and more than 200,000 computers have been infected by this virus which swelled at a record speed. Singapore is one of the countries that have been extensively affected by WannaCry.
The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) on Sunday alerted the citizens announcing that the island-state has seen a number of WannaCrey victims already and citizens should be alarmed and cautious.
Systems at the Tiong Bahru Plaza and White Sands are also believed to have fallen prey to this virus, which acts like a worm and creeps into all the computers on the same network if it can make its way to one.
The systems of MediaOnline, which supplies digital signage, were also breached by the virus; however, Director Dennis So said that those systems were not connected to the malls' or tenants' networks, reported The Strait Times.
The mall authorities informed Channel NewsAsia that they were alarmed about the malware on Sunday evening and the third-party vendor systems, which provide the digital directory service to the mall, have been disconnected from the board, while the experts are working on developing a solution patch.
The same spokesperson also said that till now, no sensitive information from the mall directories have leaked and neither did they pay the hackers any money in Bitcoin.
According to the publication, a display screen at an Orchard Central Desigual outlet is also believed to have been hit by the ransomware attack.
The CSA has advised the users to be extra careful about suspicious emails or documents and has also asked to remove the network cable or shut down the wireless function on the devices if it gets infected by the virus, so that, the ransomware doesn't spread to other systems. Every computer should run an authorized and updated anti-virus program, suggested CSA. It also advised all Windows users to make sure their computer systems are fully patched, in an advisory on the SingCERT website.
In a previous statement, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore had mentioned that no Government agencies or critical information infrastructure (CII) in Singapore were affected by the global hacking attacks.
The agency has advised organizations, companies and the common public to seek help from CSA's SingCERT (Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team) by visiting singcert@csa.gov.sg or calling their hotline number - 63235052 if they are affected.
