Spread of malware curtailed by expert who simply registered a domain name for a few dollars, giving many across world time to protect against attack
An “accidental hero” has halted the global spread of the WannaCry ransomware, reportedly by spending a few dollars on registering a domain name hidden in the malware.
The ransomware has wreaked havoc on organizations including FedEx and Telefonica, as well as the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), where operations were cancelled, x-rays, test results and patient records became unavailable and phones did not work.
Related: Cyber-attack hits 74 countries with UK hospitals among targets – live updates
I will confess that I was unaware registering the domain would stop the malware until after i registered it, so initially it was accidental.
