‘WannaCry’ Clues Point to China as New Vulnerability Raises Red Flags

Posted May 25th, 2017 at 1:32 pm (UTC-4)
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Today’s Tech Sightings:

A screenshot of the warning screen from a purported ransomware attack, as captured by a computer user in Taiwan, is seen on laptop in Beijing, China, May 13, 2017. (AP)

A screenshot of the warning screen from a purported ransomware attack, as captured by a computer user in Taiwan, is seen on laptop in Beijing, China, May 13, 2017. (AP)

WannaCry Ransom Note Analysis Points to Chinese-speaking Perpetrator

Cybersecurity experts continue to comb through evidence to identify the criminals who launched the global ‘WannaCry’ ransomware attack. While initial speculation linked the attackers to North Korea, researchers at cybersecurity firm Flashpoint now say Chinese speakers could be behind the English and Chinese versions of the ransom notes that popped up on computer screens in 28 languages. Minor typos in the Chinese version suggest the ransom note was typed on a Chinese-language input system, and a grammatical mistake in the English version suggests the author is not a native English speaker.

Newly Discovered Vulnerability Raises Fears of Another ‘WannaCry’

Researchers at cybersecurity firm Rapid7 have detected a vulnerability in Samba networking software that could leave thousands of computers vulnerable to attack. Rapid7 found more than 100,000 Linux and UNIX computers running Samba around the world. If exploited, the vulnerability could allow hackers to take remote control of affected computers.

Study Suggests Users More Rational on Smartphones Than PCs

A new study featured in the journal Computers in Human Behavior hypothesizes that people are likely to make more rational decisions on smartphones that focus their attention on a single task, blocking out outside information. The researchers say PC users are more open to outside information and tend to rely more on emotional decision making.

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Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

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