More about the WannaCry malware, its targets and capabilities
It’s important to understand that while unpatched Windows computers exposing their SMB services can be remotely attacked with the “EternalBlue” exploit and infected by the WannaCry ransomware, the lack of existence of this vulnerability doesn’t really prevent the ransomware component from working. Nevertheless, the presence of this vulnerability appears to be the most significant factor that caused the outbreak.
Similarities in cryptic messages could indicate ties with Lazarus group.
The largest ransomware attack in history, attributed to Lazarus, targeting hundreds of thousands of organizations, including medical institutions, across at least 74 countries. After access to the system is gained through an already patched, leaked exploit for a Windows vulnerability, corporate networks are infected with a cryptoworm that encrypts their data.