Omar Oakes
Jun 28, 2017

WPP falls victim to 'cyber attack'

WPP has fallen victim to a cyber attack involving a ransomware virus, with staff told to disconnect their computers.

WPP falls victim to 'cyber attack'
A "massive global malware attack" has hit the world's largest advertising company and its agencies.
 
Robin Dargue, WPP's group chief information officer, has notified agencies that a number of companies within the group have been hit with a ransomware virus.
 
The attack has affected Windows computers and servers, with staff told today to disconnect their machines and switch them off until further notice.
 
Apple Macs and mobile devices are not being affected although email and Skype services are unlikely to be available because they rely on Windows servers.
 
WPP's global website wpp.com is currently inaccessible, but the company said this is due to "important routine maintenance".
 
Ransomware dubbed "Petya" has caused serious disruption at several companies across the world today, including French construction multinational Saint-Gobain, mining and oil firms Evraz and Rosneft, and the Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk.
 
Earlier today, Ukraine’s government, banks, state electricity grid, telephone companies and metro system were reportedly hit by cyber attacks today too. 
 
Last month the UK's National Health Service was attacked by ransomware which locked hospital computers. The attackers demanded money in the form of bitcoin in exchange for unlocking the computers, which were using outdated Windows'  XP operating systems.
 
A spokesman for WPP said: "IT systems in several WPP companies have been affected by a suspected cyber attack. We are assessing the situation, taking appropriate measures and will update as soon as possible."
 
(This article first appeared on CampaignLive.co.uk)
 
Source:
Campaign India

Related Articles

Just Published

2 hours ago

WPP global comms boss Chris Wade steps down

Former Ogilvy UK CEO Michael Frohlich will replace Wade, who leaves the holding company after 13 years.

4 hours ago

Cookies crumble, privacy prevails: Marketing’s new ...

The era of lazy personalisation is over. Epsilon senior vice president for analytics believes that marketers must now trade third-party tracking for first-party trust, clean data, and cultural transparency—or risk fading into irrelevance.

1 day ago

Why Zee5’s language-first bet may be its best yet

As India’s OTT battle intensifies, the streaming platform goes hyperlocal with tech-backed storytelling and tier-2 targeting.

1 day ago

Cannes Lions, AI, and the integrity reckoning

The first ever Cannes Lions Grand Prix withdrawal for AI misuse signals a watershed moment, but is this just the beginning of a much bigger reckoning for marketing in the AI age?