WannaCry ransomware worm has struck again, this time prompting Honda shutdown halting production in one of its Japan-based factories after finding infections in a broad swath of its computer networks, according to media reports.
Reuters reported on Wednesday Honda shutdown its Sayama plant northwest of Tokyo on Monday after finding that WannaCry had affected its networks.
TheNewsGuru reports the Sayama plant produces models including the Accord sedan, Odyssey Minivan and Step Wagon compact multipurpose vehicle and has a daily output of around 1,000 vehicles.
According to the Reuters report, Honda discovered on Sunday that the virus had affected networks across Japan, North America, Europe, China and other regions, a spokeswoman said, despite efforts to secure its systems in mid-May when the virus caused widespread disruption at plants, hospitals and shops worldwide.
The mass outbreak of WannaCry ransomware worm, which struck an estimated 727,000 computers in 90 countries, was quickly contained last month through a major stroke of good luck as a security researcher largely acting out of curiosity registered a mysterious domain name contained in the WannaCry code that acted as a global kill switch that immediately halted the self-replicating attack.
Although security experts warned the WannaCry ransomware worm could strike in new versions, Reuters did not, however, report Honda officials explaining why its engineers found WannaCry in their networks more than 30 days after the kill switch was activated and computers worldwide got major updates to combat the menace.