--- title: The Ransomware Attack That Wasn’t description: "Remember that fast-moving global cyberattack in June? Turns out it wasn’t really ransomware but something even more malicious: a “wiper.”" canonical_url: https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/ransomware-attack-wasnt/ locale: en last_updated: 2026-10-27 --- [Acronis Blog](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/) # The Ransomware Attack That Wasn’t Remember that fast-moving cyberattack that slashed its way across the globe in late June? Turns out it wasn’t really ransomware but an even more malicious piece of malware called a “wiper” that left victims with no hope of getting back their data. [Learn More](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cyber-protect/) [![Image 2: MSP Threats Security Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/1578b8dff96325855c4525d865e7fc63.png)](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis-security-team/ "MSP Threats Security Team") [MSP Threats Security Team](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis-security-team/) 2 min read Last updated 02 December 2019 Remember that [fast-moving cyberattack](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/petya-safeguard-yourself-latest-global-ransomware-outbreak) that slashed its way across the globe in late June, infecting everything from the former Chernobyl nuclear reactor to shipping conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk? Turns out it wasn’t really [ransomware](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/ransomware-protection/), as widely believed, but an even more malicious piece of malware called a “wiper.” Even though many observers thought the attack was a new strain of Petya ransomware, the ransom part of it was a complete scam. The attackers had no way of decrypting the files they hijacked. So even if the victims immediately paid the $300 ransom, they still weren’t getting their data back. “The superficial resemblance to Petya is only skin deep,” wrote one infosec researcher who goes by the name the grugq. “Although there is significant code sharing, the real Petya was a criminal enterprise for making money. This is definitely not designed to make money. This is designed to spread fast and cause damage, with a plausibly deniable cover of ‘ransomware.’” ## What is a wiper? While ransomware is all about making money, a wiper is simply interested in destroying data. Think of it this way: Ransomware is the guy who goes into a bank and robs it. A wiper is the guy who goes into a bank and sets the cash on fire. “The attacker took an existing ransomware which he repackaged,” concurred Matt Suiche, founder of Comae Technologies. “We believe the ransomware was in fact a lure to control the media narrative, especially after the WannaCry incidents, to attract the attention on some mysterious hacker group rather than a national state attacker like we have seen in the past in cases that involved wipers.” **Different goals, same damage** Whatever the motive, this new form of malware confirms what security experts have warned all along: paying a ransom is no guarantee you’ll get your data back. In fact, the only real way to protect your data from ransomware or wipers is with a strong backup solution like [Acronis Backup 12.5](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/business/backup/) for businesses or [Acronis True Image](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/computer-backup/) for home users. Regular backups that are secured off-site make ransomware almost toothless. If you are hit by an attack, there’s little to worry about because you have safe, secure copies of any files that might have been encrypted or damaged. ## Acronis Active Protection And Acronis goes far beyond other backup solutions. Our groundbreaking [Acronis Active Protection](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/active-protection/)™ is the only backup technology that actively fights back against ransomware, using sophisticated analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor your system. If it spots any errant behavior or suspicious processes, it stops the activity and blacklists the program responsible for it, ensuring that it can’t restart on the next reboot. If ransomware does manage to sneak through and start encrypting files, Acronis Active Protection stops it and automatically restores the files to the most recently backed up version. How effective is Acronis’ solution? In testing by an independent lab, [Acronis Active Protection significantly outperformed 22 anti-virus solutions in recognizing and stopping ransomware](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/nioguard-security-lab-are-you-protected-next-generation-ransomware-attacks). **Final Thought** It doesn’t really matter if you’re hit by ransomware or a wiper. Either way, your data is probably toast – unless you perform regular backups as part of a broader data protection strategy. Begin with [Acronis Backup 12.5](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/business/backup/) (for businesses) or [Acronis True Image](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/computer-backup/) (for home users) and rest easy knowing that the groundbreaking technology of Acronis Active Protection™ will be able to stop these kind of cyberattacks before they start. [Cybersecurity](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cybersecurity/) [Cyber protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cyber-protection/) ## Written by ![Image 3: MSP Threats Security Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/1578b8dff96325855c4525d865e7fc63.png) MSP Threats Security Team [Previous post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/undetected-powershell-ransomware-easily-blocked-acronis-active-protection/) [Undetected PowerShell Ransomware Easily Blocked by Acronis Active Protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/undetected-powershell-ransomware-easily-blocked-acronis-active-protection/) [Next post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/scuderia-toro-rosso-deploys-acronis-access-advanced-secure-data-sharing/) [Scuderia Toro Rosso Deploys Acronis Access Advanced for Secure Data Sharing](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/scuderia-toro-rosso-deploys-acronis-access-advanced-secure-data-sharing/) About Acronis Acronis is a leader in AI-native cyber protection, unifying data protection, cybersecurity, IT operations and hybrid infrastructure to deliver business continuity, security and compliance with less cost and complexity. More than 21,000 service providers trust Acronis to protect over 750,000 businesses in 150 countries. Acronis is headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. [Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=acronis.com) ## Related stories Want to learn more? Read the latest stories featuring this solution on our blog. [Acronis Blog](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/) ![Image 4: stc Bahrain and Acronis partner to bring advanced endpoint security to businesses in Bahrain](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/9600f3eea83b8f4e168ea6c1409c8c26.png) [stc Bahrain and Acronis partner to bring advanced endpoint security to businesses in Bahrain](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/stc-bahrain-and-acronis-partner-to-bring-endpoint-security-to-businesses/) We are proud to announce a strategic partnership with stc Bahrain, expanding access to advanced cybersecurity services for businesses across Bahrain. **October 26, 2026**3 min read ![Image 5: Introducing New Acronis CEO: Prakash Panjwani](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/30cb571f6f1aaa131733e5727a4a250c.png) [Introducing New Acronis CEO: Prakash Panjwani](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/introducing-new-acronis-ceo-prakash-panjwani/) We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new Chief Executive Officer, Prakash Panjwani. A veteran cybersecurity CEO, Panjwani previously served as CEO of WatchGuard Technologies and SafeNet. **October 15, 2026**2 min read ![Image 6: Acronis expands MDR toward broader workspace protection](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/18e90e89f5ec4ef0901f19008d4ccbf2.png) [Acronis expands MDR toward broader workspace protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/acronis-expands-mdr-toward-broader-workspace-protection/) Acronis is expanding the MDR service with capabilities that make this expertise easier to deliver and help partners address more risks. The developments build on a broader commitment to managed security: helping service providers protect the connected workspace while giving customers access to the expertise needed to investigate threats, respond effectively and maintain business continuity. **October 13, 2026**6 min read