Viral Sach: Will ATMs remain shut for next 2-3 days to prevent ransomware 'WannaCry' attack?

One such message claims that ATMs will remain closed for two-three days due to the cyber attack. Photo: PTI (Representational)

NEW DELHI: After infecting over two lakh computers and crippling life in 150 countries, the global ransomware WannaCry attack is creating a panic among Indian social media users. Several messages have gone viral on internet with regard to the globally active ransomware virus that critically infects work stations and locks them remotely. One such message claims that ATMs will remain closed for two-three days due to the cyber attack. "ATMs will be close for next 2-3 days probably, due to ransomeware cyber attack within India. So if you need, please withdraw money today for rest of week," the message reads. "Don't do any online transactions today. Please inform all contacts from your list not to open a video called the “Dance of the Hillary. It is a virus that formats your mobile. Beware it is very dangerous," it said. It goes on to say that except for Africa, systems of all IT firms worldwide have been hacked and warns people against doing online shopping. Fact check The government has shut down some ATMs as a preventive measure to avert the threat of ransomware virus but most ATMs all over the country are running fine. RBI has not given any direction or issued any advisory to banks to shut down their ATMs. The apex bank has only issued an advisory asking all banks to put in place a software update at ATMs to prevent their systems from ransomware attack. Cyber experts have also refuted the claim that a video called "Dance of Hillary" can format any mobile phone as a hoax. Regarding malware threat to online shopping, experts say that if the a shopping portal is based on Microsoft Windows and has not updated its security patch then the virus may harm it. But if it has updated its OS with a patch that was designed to fix the vulnerabilities in newer versions of Windows, then any malware cannot harm it.