Marcus Hutchins
“MalwareTech”The WannaCry Killswitch
Stopping a global ransomware outbreak for $10.69
Rating
85Impact score
Domains
Malware analysisReverse engineeringBotnets
Scouting report
Reversing WannaCry as it tore through hospitals in May 2017, he spotted an unregistered domain in the code and bought it, unintentionally triggering the killswitch that halted the outbreak. Arrested months later over earlier banking-malware code he had written as a teenager; he pled guilty, was sentenced to time served, and now works in threat research.
Curator’s note
Saved the NHS on a Friday and was arrested by August. Both halves are the card.
Sources
- 01Marcus Hutchins en.wikipedia.org
- 02The WannaCry ransomware attack en.wikipedia.org
- 03Wired — The Confessions of Marcus Hutchins wired.com