Cyber attack hits property arm of French bank BNP Paribas

The logo of the BNP Paribas bank is seen in Paris, France, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - A global cyber attack has hit the property arm of France's biggest bank BNP Paribas , one of the largest financial institutions known to be affected by an extortion campaign that started in Russia and Ukraine before spreading.

The worldwide attack has disrupted computers at Russia's biggest oil company, Ukrainian banks and multinational firms with a virus similar to the ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers last month.