The American software giant Microsoft discovered the malware for the first time on Thursday. (representative)
Microsoft Corp said in a blog post on Saturday that it has observed destructive malware in systems of several Ukrainian government agencies and organizations working closely with the Ukrainian government.
The malware’s victims include Ukrainian government agencies that provide critical executive or emergency response functions, Microsoft said.
It was also hit by an information technology company that operates websites for public and private sector customers, including government agencies whose websites were recently damaged. Microsoft has not identified the IT company involved.
The US software giant, which first discovered the malware on Thursday, said the malware attacks did not take advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft products and services.
A massive cyberattack hit government websites on Thursday evening, warning Ukrainians to “be afraid and expect the worst” hit, rendering some websites inaccessible Friday morning and prompting Ukraine to open an investigation.
Reuters reported on Saturday that Ukraine suspected a hacker group associated with Belarus’ intelligence had carried out a cyberattack and that it used malware similar to that of a group associated with Russian intelligence, a senior Ukrainian security official said.
The malware, which is disguised as ransomware, would render the infected computer system useless if activated by the attacker, Microsoft said, adding that the company will continue to work with the cybersecurity community to identify and assist targets and victims.
