The global cyberattack that has hampered nearly 50,000 computers across Europe and Asia — including England’s national heath provider — has also struck major companies including FedEx and the Spanish telecom giant Telefónica.
“Like many other companies, FedEx is experiencing interference with some of our Windows-based systems caused by malware,” said FedEx in an email to TheWrap. It did not comment on which countries in particular have been hindered by the virus.
The attack, exploited tools created by the National Security Agency, according to the New York Times. It circulated via email and corrupted accounts with “ransomware” files that locked users out of their computers. The hackers then demanded $300 in Bitcoin for each infected computer, the BBC said.
Telefónica said in a statement the cyberattack is “affecting the PCs of some employees within the company’s internal corporate network.” Telefónica has nearly 130,000 employees worldwide, according to Forbes.
The hack also hit Megafon, the second-largest mobile carrier in Russia, and Portugal Telecom, according to the BBC.
While the total number of affected machines is not known, up to 28 NHS organizations across England have been hampered, according to the BBC. Prime Minister Theresa May said the British government is “not aware of any evidence that patient data has been compromised.”
Microsoft issued a patch for the attack, which you can find here.