• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

3

Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

3

Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
TechCybersecurity

5 Groups to Blame for the Ransomware Attacks

Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 15, 2017, 10:44 AM ET

The ransomware epidemic known as Wanna Cry (or Wanna Crypt) continued its march around the globe on Monday. The sinister extortion scheme—in which victims must pay to recover precious data—has already hit hundreds of thousands of computers at companies, schools, and hospitals.

And security experts warn this is far from over.

While the priority right now is to secure our computer systems, the crisis has also led to finger-pointing over who bears responsibility. So far, at least five groups have come under scrutiny. Here’s a list of possible culprits and what people are saying:

1. Microsoft

The ransomware epidemic is spreading because there are vulnerabilities in the Microsoft (MSFT) operating systems that are installed in millions of computers around the world. The flaws in the company’s codes are what make it possible to carry out the attacks in the first place.

Microsoft has responded by blaming secret government hacking programs that discover these flaws, and repeated its call for a “digital Geneva convention” to stop the spread of cyber-weapons.

Not everyone is ready, however, to join Microsoft in shifting blame to the government. Security experts say the company has failed to do enough to create patches for older versions of its operating system, which are still in widespread use—especially at hospitals and public sector organizations. In this view, Microsoft knew that all that old software was a ticking time bomb, but failed to make fixing it much of a priority.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

2. Hospitals and Companies That Were Hit

Most people frown upon the practice of blaming the victims of cybersecurity attack. After all, many lack the resources to keep systems up to data and, in any case, shaming is probably not the best way to improve security in the future.

But not everyone has been so forgiving in the wake of the ransomware attacks. Some people are pointing out that updating software (which would have prevented the ransomware attacks) is a basic part of running computers these days.

“Particularly for organisations with professionally managed desktop environments, there is no “oh, we didn’t realise” or other cop out excuses here, someone screwed up big time,” said noted security researcher Troy Hunt in a definitive account of the attacks. Meanwhile, other experts observe that no one gets a pass on security just because it involves computers:

Not "victim blaming" the UK NHS for failure to patch is like not "victim blaming" an airline for failing to maintain aircraft after a crash

— Robᵉʳᵗ Graham 𝕏 (@ErrataRob) May 14, 2017

3. The NSA

Some see the National Security Agency as the primary culprit here because it was the U.S. spy agency that found and exploited the Microsoft flaws in the first place. Someone then stole the NSA’s techniques and published them on the Internet, where they were then used to create the current ransomware epidemic.

“Malware created by intelligence agencies can backfire on its creators,” noted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who blamed the U.S. government after his own country was badly hit by the WannaCry ransomware attacks. Such scolding also came from the NSA’s most famous critic, the former contractor Edward Snowden:

.@NSAGov's choices risked permitting low-skill criminals launch government-scale attacks, and then it happened. There's no waving that away. https://t.co/YSbbonoSDj

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 13, 2017

4. Cybersecurity Companies

Cybersecurity is a booming business with dozens of giant companies selling “solutions” that promise to shield organizations—like so many of the victims of the current ransomware epidemic—stay safe from attacks. These companies include the likes of Sophos, whose marketing materials boasted that it protected the U.K.’s National Health Service, which suffered terrible attacks on Friday:

Remember: pic.twitter.com/iuDX8wCLkU

— Robᵉʳᵗ Graham 𝕏 (@ErrataRob) May 14, 2017

The Sophos image is real. I confirmed it. They have scrubbed it from their website today, but it still exists in Google cache pic.twitter.com/VJ0nTHcdxo

— Robᵉʳᵗ Graham 𝕏 (@ErrataRob) May 14, 2017

The problem, however, may be much broader than just Sophos. Critics of the cybersecurity industry say many companies rely on scare tactics and slick marketing to sell products that fail to actually protect their clients, and convey a false sense of computers.

https://twitter.com/hrbrmstr/status/864100847155859456

Such criticism may do little, though, to stop the gravy train that is the cybersecurity industry right now. On Monday morning, stocks in the sector were up across the board—and those of Sophos were up 7%!

5. The Bad Guys

While there’s lots of blame to go around—and everyone above deserves at least some of it—no one should forget that the people most responsible are the criminals who methodically launched the ransomware scheme. They are the ones who froze thousands of computers, including ones at hospitals and police departments, and put lives at risk for money.

For now, we don’t know who they are. But in the next year or two, don’t be surprised if a global law enforcement brings them to justice.

About the Author
Jeff John Roberts
By Jeff John RobertsEditor, Finance and Crypto
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

cohen
Startups & VentureAI agents
Meet the brothers who turned a homegrown AI agent into a $12 million bet on the future of work — in six weeks
By Nick LichtenbergMay 20, 2026
35 minutes ago
Current price of Ethereum for May 20, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for May 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 20, 2026
40 minutes ago
microsoft
AIProductivity
America’s new AI map shows something surprising: ‘A lot of normal people are adopting AI’
By Nick LichtenbergMay 20, 2026
44 minutes ago
Variational co-founders Edward Yu and Lucas Schuermann pose for a picture
CryptoCryptocurrency
Variational raises $50 million Series A to bring liquidity from traditional markets to blockchain rails
By Jack KubinecMay 20, 2026
2 hours ago
trader
CommentarySoftware
The 50-year-old law that governed every software company just broke. Here’s what replaces it
By Martin Casado and Abhishek NagarajMay 20, 2026
2 hours ago
Exclusive: Circle cofounder raises $30 million for Series A ‘AI-native bank’ Catena Labs
CryptoVenture Capital
Exclusive: Circle cofounder raises $30 million for Series A ‘AI-native bank’ Catena Labs
By Ben WeissMay 20, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
17 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
8 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
3 days ago
Employers are quietly pausing 401(k) matches again. The last time this happened was the 2008 recession and Covid
Personal Finance
Employers are quietly pausing 401(k) matches again. The last time this happened was the 2008 recession and Covid
By Courtney Vinopal and HR BrewMay 18, 2026
2 days ago
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
Travel & Leisure
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
By Rio Yamat and The Associated PressMay 18, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.