WannaCry still hitting thousands of users worldwide

New research from Kaspersky Lab has revealed that the WannaCry ransomware is still active with almost 75,000 users infected during Q3 2018.

It has been one and a half years since the Wanna Cry cryptor first appeared back in May 2017 and it is still considered to be one of the biggest ransomware epidemics in history.

Despite the fact that Microsoft released a patch for Windows 10 close the vulnerability exploited by EternalBlue two months before the start of the attacks, WannaCry still managed to affect hundreds of thousands of devices around the globe.

The attacks demonstrated the dangers that cryptors pose and while most PCs worldwide have been updated to resist the EternalBlue exploit, cybercriminals are still trying to exploit those computers that weren't patched.

WannaCry attacks grow

Kaspersky Lab's security solution protected 259,867 unique users from cryptor attacks. However the firm identified a substantial rise of 39 per cent since Q2 2018 when this figure was at 158.921. WannaCry's growth has been rapid yet steady with a monthly increase in the number of users.

Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab, David Emm provided further details on the firm's Q3 2018 report, saying:

“It is concerning to see that WannaCry attacks have grown by almost two thirds compared to the third quarter of last year. This is yet another reminder that epidemics don’t cease as rapidly as they begin – the consequences of these attacks are unavoidably long-lasting. Cyber-attacks of this type can be so severe that it’s necessary for companies to take adequate preventive measures before a cyber-criminal acts – rather than focus on recovery.”

To avoid falling victim to WannaCry and other cryptors, Kaspersky Lab recommends updating your operating system frequently and having fresh backup copies of your files on hand so that you don't give into ransom demands by cybercriminals.