WannaCry helps speeding drivers dodge fines in Australia

Peak hour traffic in Melbourne as the morning fog makes way for sunriseGetty Images
Peak hour traffic in Melbourne as the morning fog makes way for sunrise

Hackers behind the infamous WannaCry virus have inadvertently helped speeding Australian drivers avoid costly speeding fines.

Fifty five traffic cameras, most in inner-city Melbourne, were infected by the ransomware.

A maintenance worker unknowingly uploaded the malware to the camera network using a USB stick on 6 June.

Victorian Police have cancelled 590 speeding and red-light fines despite the belief they were correctly issued.

"I cancelled the fines because I think it's important the public has 100% confidence in the system," Acting Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said.

Police detected the virus last week after noticing that cameras were rebooting more often than usual.

The virus infected organisations in 150 countries in May.

Among those affected were the UK's National Health Service, US logistics giant FedEx and Russia's interior ministry.