State-controlled Russian oil and gas producer Rosneft has become another victim of a cyberattack, similar to WannaCry. 

More than 80 firms in Russia and Ukraine were estimated to have been initially impacted by the Petya virus, which is spreading from Europe to US, and other parts of the world. 

Moscow-based cybersecurity company Group-IB was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that this virus disabled computers and asked users to pay $300 in cryptocurrency in order to have their systems unlocked.

According to estimates from Kaspersky Lab analysts, around 2,000 users have so far become victims of the latest virus attack. Of these companies, the most affected are from Russia and its neighbour Ukraine. 

Rosneft said its oil production had not been affected by the attack, reported Reuters. 

On its Twitter page, Rosneft stated: "The company's servers underwent a powerful hacking attack. 

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
"The company has moved to a reserve production processing system, and neither oil output or refining have been stopped."

"The hacking attack could lead to serious consequences, but the company has moved to a reserve production processing system and neither oil output nor refining have been stopped."

Bloomberg reported that the firm did not go through 'serious consequences' as it has moved to “a backup system for managing production processes.”

Europol executive director Rob Wainwright said that the agency is 'urgently responding' to cyber attack reports and is in talks with member states and industry players to understand the nature of this attack.

The other establishments that were impacted by the virus include advertiser WPP and Chernobyl nuclear facility.


Image: Rosneft's exploratory drilling offshore Vietnam. Photo: Courtesy of Rosneft.