Name: Who's to Blame for the Latest Ransomware Attack?
Uploaded: 2019-12-16
Duration: 2 min 36 s
Description: Microsoft’s vulnerable software was leaked from the NSA, putting hundreds of thousands at risk.

 ROBERT HACKETT: Welcome to Fortune Tech Debate where we debate the issues of the day in two minutes. Today, we're talking about one of the worst ransomware attacks in history. It's called WannaCry. And it's been affecting hundreds of thousands of computer systems across the globe. Let's put two minutes on the clock. All right, Jeff, take it away. Who is to blame here? JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: First off, my god, this is the big one. ROBERT HACKETT: This is. This is hard. JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: Hospitals, companies, police departments locked lockdown by ransomware. ROBERT HACKETT: FedEx, the British National Health Services, the automaker Renault. I mean, all of these companies are getting hit. by it. JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: It's ugly. And you're right, someone's got to answer for it. You know who the top my list is? ROBERT HACKETT: Who? JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: Microsoft. ROBERT HACKETT: Microsoft. OK. Why Microsoft? JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: As we know, how are the bad guys doing this? How do we lock all these computers? They're exploiting flaws in Microsoft software, flaws everyone is out there. And Microsoft knows it's out there, and they went and exploited that. Microsoft just sat as these ticking time bombs sat there. Now, they've gone off. I think they're the ones who have to answer. ROBERT HACKETT: Well, hold on, hold on, because Microsoft, actually, they patched some of these vulnerabilities that the attackers are taking advantage of months ago. And I would actually put the blame on the companies that are not updating their software. They're not downloading the latest software from Microsoft, and using it to seal their systems up. JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: I'll give you that point. I'll give you that point. A lot of IT departments should be in big trouble this morning, but Microsoft still has to shoulder some of the blame. They didn't patch all of them. And they put the patches out there. They probably knew a lot of people did nothing about that. So I think, they built a dangerous product. They've a lot of cash to fix it. They've been more fixated on their forward-looking stuff on selling new stuff without cleaning up this mess they left us ROBERT HACKETT: Well, look here's what Microsoft is saying. They've put out a statement from their chief legal officer Brad Smith. And he is basically criticizing governments and the National Security Agency in particular for stockpiling, as he says, vulnerabilities that governments and hackers can take advantage of to spy on people's products and software. JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: I'll give you that one too. I get where Microsoft's lawyer is coming from. Yeah, the government built this stuff, and then, someone stole it and leaked it to everyone. And he's calling for a digital Geneva Convention. Nice idea. That's how probably we should do going forward, but governments are going to do this. That's what they do. And Microsoft still has to clean up the mess it made in the past. ROBERT HACKETT: Well, it seems like there are many necks to choke in this regard there. It's Microsoft, it's the NSA, and it's the customers. JEFF JOHN ROBERTS: It's us, yeah. ROBERT HACKETT: But hey, time is up. Come to Fortune.com for more tech debate. [MUSIC PLAYING] 

Who's to Blame for the Latest Ransomware Attack?

Tech

Microsoft’s vulnerable software was leaked from the NSA, putting hundreds of thousands at risk.

welcome the fortune, Technip eight were re debate the issues of the day in two minutes. Today we're talking about one of the worst ransomware attacks in history. It's called Wanna Cry, and it's been affecting hundreds of thousands of computer systems across the globe. Let's put two minutes on the clock. All right, Jeff, take it away. Who is to blame here? First off, my God, this is the big one. Is this is hard Hospital cos Police departments locked down by ransomware FedEx, The British National Health Service is the auto maker Renault. I mean, all of these companies are getting ugly. Any right? Someone's gonna answer for it, even though the tough my list is Microsoft Microsoft. Okay. Why Microsoft? As we know, how are the bad guys doing bad luck on the computers? They're exploiting flaws and Microsoft software flaws. Everyone news out there and Microsoft knows it's out there. And they went and exploded that Microsoft just sat as he's ticking time bombs out there. Now they've gone off. I think they're the ones who have to dance. Well, hold on, hold on. Because Microsoft, actually, they patched some of these vulnerabilities that the Attackers were taking advantage of months ago on Dhe. I would actually put the blame on the companies that are not updating their software. They're not downloading the latest software for Microsoft and using it to steal their systems up. I'll give you that point of view that point. A lot of I T department should be in big trouble this morning, but myself still has to shoulder some of blame. They didn't catch all of them and they put the patches out there. They probably knew a lot of people did nothing about that. So I think you know, they built a dangerous product, had a lot of cash to fix it. They've been more fixated on their forward looking stuff on selling the stuff without clean up this mess. They left us. Well, look, here's what Microsoft is saying. They put out a statement from their chief legal officer, Brad Smith, on he is basically criticizing governments and the National Security Agency in particular for stockpiling, as he says, vulnerabilities that governments and hackers can take advantage of Thio spy on people's product software. I'll give you that one, too. I get where myself lawyers coming from. Yeah, the government built this stuff and then someone stole it and leaked it to everyone. And he's calling for Digital Geneva Convention. Nice idea. That's how probably we should do going forward. But governments are gonna do this. That's what they dio and Microsoft still have to clean up. The mess you made in the past. Well, it seems like there are many next to joke in this regard. Their Microsoft. It's the N S A and it's But hey, time is up. Come to fortune dot com for more detective it