International

A major cyber-attack has struck large multinational companies across Europe, with Ukraine’s government, banks, state power utility and Kiev’s airport and metro system particularly badly affected.
     The attack has caused serious disruption at firms including the advertising giant WPP, French construction materials company Saint-Gobain and Russian steel and oil firms Evraz and Rosneft.
     Spanish media reported that multinationals such as the food giant Mondelez and legal firm DLA Piper had suffered attacks, while the Danish shipping and transport giant AP Moller-Maersk said it had also been hit.
     WPP said in a statement on Tuesday that the computer systems at several of its subsidiary companies had been affected, adding that it was “assessing the situation and taking appropriate measures”.
     In an internal memo to staff, one WPP firm said it was the target of “a massive global malware attack, affecting all Windows servers, PCs and laptops”. It warned employes to turn off and disconnect all machines using Windows.
     Technology experts said the attack appeared consistent with ransomware described as an “updated variant” of a malware virus known as Petya or Petrwrap.