Universit de Montral computers hit by cyberattack sweeping globe - Action News
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Universit de Montral computers hit by cyberattack sweeping globe

More than 100 computers at Universit de Montral have been affected by the WannaCry ransomware that has hit companies and governments around the world.

More than 100 computers at university have been infected by WannaCry ransomware

A programmer shows a sample of a ransomware cyberattack on a laptop in Taipei, Taiwan. (Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA)

More than 100 computers at Universit de Montral have been affected by the WannaCryransomware that has hit companies and governments around the world.

According to the university's spokesperson, Genevive O'Meara, about 120 of the university's 8,300 computers have been affected by the ransomware that encrypts and makes files on a computer inaccessible until a ransom is paid by an individual or company.

The bulk of the attacks took place on Friday, however, there have been 20 new attacks since Sunday.The university's IT department is working to fix the problem, and O'Mearasaid no ransom has been paid.

O'Meara said it was likely individuals, not the university, thatwere targeted in the attack,given the small number of computers that were affected.

The school has sent a note to employees with instructions on how to deal with the ransomware.

Computers in more than 150 countries have been hit by the cyberattack. The cybercrime unit of Europol says the current attack has reached at an "unprecedented level."

While ransomware attacks have existed for many years, they've reached "a new level of maturity and menace," according to a report last year by software security giant Symantec.

Among the 10,000 organizations affected are Britain's National Health Service, the U.S.-based courier FedEx, automaker Renault in France and Spain's largest telecom operator.

With files from Radio-Canada