The attackers targeted a wide range of systems within an hour on Tuesday, Microsoft said, adding that it hadn’t been able to link the attacks to any known group yet.
Ukraine has been the target of numerous cyber attacks by Russia since the start of the conflict in late February, according to western security researchers and senior government officials. Victims of the new ransomware, named “Prestige,” overlap with those of another data-shredding cyber attack that involved the “Fox Load,” or “Hermetic Wiper” malware, Microsoft said.
“Prestige” ransomware works by encrypting a victims’ data and leaving a ransom note that says the data can only be unlocked with the purchase of a decryption tool, Microsoft said.