Merck cyberattack’s US$1.3bil question: Was it an act of war?


Given how scary the future looks, the Merck case is, in some ways, an effort by insurers to turn back the clock. The industry is working to write its policy exclusions in such a way as to avoid any confusion over whether a digital attack is covered or not. — Reuters

By the time Deb Dellapena arrived for work at Merck & Co’s 90-acre campus north of Philadelphia, there was a handwritten sign on the door: The computers are down.

It was worse than it seemed. Some employees who were already at their desks at Merck offices across the US were greeted by an even more unsettling message when they turned on their PCs. A pink font glowed with a warning: "Ooops, your important files are encrypted. ... We guarantee that you can recover all your files safely and easily. All you need to do is submit the payment ...” The cost was US$300 (RM1,251) in Bitcoin per computer.

Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM5/month

Billed as RM5/month for the 1st 6 months then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

NotPetya , WannaCry , Merck

   

Next In Tech News

Recycled ‘zombie’ misinformation targets US voters
Malaysia to roll out QR code immigration system for factory workers commuting to Singapore
Apple to hold launch event on May 7, with new iPads expected
Is online shopping bad for the planet?
Tesla could start selling Optimus robots by the end of next year, Musk says
Musk's X Corp appeals dismissal of lawsuit against anti-hate group
TI forecasts Q2 revenue above estimates as analog chip demand improves
IBM nearing deal for cloud software provider HashiCorp, source says
AI boom to fuel natural gas demand in coming years, report says
TikTok has submitted risk assessment report on TikTok Lite to EU

Others Also Read