UPSC Prelims 2018 Question:

The terms 'WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue' sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to

Explanation:

• The WannaCry ransomware attack was a global epidemic that took place in May 2017. This ransomware attack spread through computers operating Microsoft Windows. User’s files were held hostage, and a Bitcoin ransom was demanded for their return. Ransomware that uses encryption is called crypto ransomware. The type that locks you out of your computer is called locker ransomware.
  
  

• EternalBlue was developed by the United State’s National Security Agency (NSA) as part of their controversial program of stockpiling and weaponizing cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Before it leaked, EternalBlue was one of the most useful exploits in the NSA’s cyber arsenal, used in countless intelligence-gathering and counterterrorism missions.
  
  
• Petya first appeared in early 2016, spread via malicious email attachments. When downloaded and opened, the attachment would unleash the malware onto the victim’s computer. Petya encrypts certain files on your computer, then demands a ransom payment in exchange for a decryption key. Petya can lock up your entire hard drive, preventing your computer from booting up at all.
  
  
• So, the terms 'WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue' sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to cyberattacks.
  
  

Therefore, option (3) is the correct answer.

Subject: Science & Technology | Information and Communication Technology