WannaCry on Bitcoin Blockchain: a Tracking Study Case

Abstract

A ransomware is a type of malware that is used to commit crimes of digital extortion, where victims must make a payment with a cryptocurrency in exchange for releasing information or systems that have been intervened. The development of ransomware-type malware has been boosted in recent years, largely due to the global rise of cryptocurrencies, which have allowed cybercriminals to have access to an efficient payment system for their interests. This article presents a Bitcoin blockchain analysis method to detect the transactions associated with this crime, through the representation of the blockchain as a directed network, and the measurement of the corresponding parameters, as well as a statistical analysis and a transaction tracking .