Analysis Summary

As of 2025, WannaCry, also known as WanaCrypt0r 2.0, remains a landmark example of the devastating potential of ransomware. First detected in May 2017, WannaCry rapidly infected hundreds of thousands of Windows systems worldwide by exploiting a vulnerability in the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol through an exploit called EternalBlue, a cyber weapon originally developed by the NSA and leaked by the hacker group Shadow Brokers. Despite Microsoft releasing patches before the attack, widespread failure to update systems allowed the malware to propagate quickly, causing extensive disruption across industries, particularly in healthcare and finance, and leading to estimated damages of up to $4 billion. Even years later, EternalBlue continues to be used in various cyberattacks, including cryptocurrency mining and espionage campaigns, as many machines globally still remain unpatched. Recent research has advanced ransomware detection and defense strategies, including the development of the SAFARI framework for automated ransomware analysis, entropy-based detection techniques like Entropy-Synchronized Neural Hashing (ESNH), and decentralized models like DED for monitoring distributed systems. Nonetheless, the persistent risks associated with WannaCry highlight ongoing cybersecurity challenges, emphasizing the crucial need for timely system updates, the disabling of outdated protocols like SMBv1, increased employee awareness, strong network monitoring, and robust backup strategies to defend against similar threats. The legacy of WannaCry serves as a powerful reminder of the high stakes involved in cybersecurity and the enduring importance of proactive digital defense measures.

Impact

• File Encryption

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

• 8da84a9b6ec08f07a7c17e2036ee8600

• 546af1ef5db849e44a6a2dad582a1954

SHA-256

• 51d3aa054c3c98e25e973f16a75b267b1b4823cb5edd9ba0fedd85f12a44567c

• e06afc45a77a51ff9c8ab94fcd5a4777af1cc374e2d9f73b91a1780bfa42e3fe

SHA-1

• 8293d0722efb8e70bc3a71df5d114dc9312a5133

• e7aa5b71896ffdcfd73ecd79bffb72f60303cdc1

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for Indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls
• Maintain cyber hygiene by updating your anti-virus software and implementing a patch management lifecycle.
• Maintain Offline Backups - In a ransomware attack, the adversary will often delete or encrypt backups if they have access to them. That’s why it’s important to keep offline (preferably off-site), encrypted backups of data and test them regularly.
• Emails from unknown senders should always be treated with caution.
• Never trust or open links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders.