CYBER CASES
WannaCry Ransomware Outbreak
Date: May 2017
In 2017, a mysterious virus began locking computers in hospitals, banks, and universities across the globe. Files were held hostage, and users were shown a message demanding a ransom in Bitcoin to unlock their data.
The ransomware, known as WannaCry, spread rapidly by exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. It infected more than 300,000 systems in over 150 countries within just a few days. The attack hit the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) especially hard, disrupting surgeries and patient care.
Victims had only a short time to pay the ransom before their files were permanently deleted. While some paid, many systems remained locked, causing massive operational and financial damage.
Impact: Estimated global damages exceeded $4 billion.
Lesson: Keep operating systems updated, disable unnecessary ports, and regularly back up important data.
The Twitter Hack That Shocked the World
Date: July 2020
In 2020, the official Twitter accounts of Elon Musk, Barack Obama, Apple, and several other high-profile figures posted strange Bitcoin messages. It turned out to be a massive coordinated attack that compromised Twitter’s internal tools.
Hackers used social engineering to trick Twitter employees into handing over credentials to internal systems. Once inside, they gained access to prominent accounts and tweeted a message promising to double any Bitcoin sent to a specific address. Within minutes, thousands of people had sent Bitcoin, falling for the scam.
Twitter had to temporarily lock many verified accounts and shut down internal tools to prevent further damage. The breach raised serious questions about the security of even the biggest tech platforms.
Impact: Over $120,000 in Bitcoin was stolen. The hack exposed the risk of insider threats and weak employee training.
Lesson: Even the most secure platforms can be vulnerable to social engineering. Regular employee security training and restricted access controls are critical.