No Federal systems have been affected by the WannaCry ransomware attacks that crippled thousands of computers this past weekend, according to Tom Bossert, Homeland Security adviser to the president.
Since May 12, more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries were struck by ransomware attacks. Bossert, who spoke at a White House press briefing on May 15, acknowledged that FedEx was one of the few American entities affected by the attack. Although the company fell prey to WannaCry, Bossert stated that Federal government systems remained unscathed.
“As of today, no Federal systems are affected,” Bossert said.
WannaCry software demands $300 in bitcoin from a victim before he or she can access their computer files. Bossert said that less than $70,000 has been paid to free infected devices.
Although the WannaCry attacks have slowed, Bossert said that he and his team are actively working to find the culprit.
“We’re working side by side with partners in the private sector and international partners,” Bossert said. “The U.S. is extremely careful with their processes about how they handle vulnerabilities.”
Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly is issuing twice-daily situation reports on the agency’s progress in investigating the attacks.
In the meantime, Bossert recommended people patch their systems to guard against future attacks.
“The worm is in the wild at this point. Patching is the most important method,” Bossert said. “The bottom line for consumers is to patch your software and make sure your IT service providers are patching your software.”
