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Gillian Hamm, a general practitioner in England, received this message on her computer Friday. Gillian Hann via Twitter

The extent of the attack globally and the author of the malicious software known as the Wanna Decryptor, or WannaCry were unclear, but cyber security experts said they were surprised at its apparent reach.

"The scale of it that's pretty unprecedented," Ben Rapp, the CEO of IT support company Managed Networks,

In a statement to NBC News, FedEx said that "like many other companies, FedEx is experiencing interference with some of our Windows-based systems caused by malware. We are implementing remediation steps as quickly as possible."

The Memphis, Tennessee-based global delivery company did not immediately say whether a ransom was demanded for return of their computers' functions.

Some English hospitals tweeted that they were taking precautionary measures to protect patients, while doctors' offices tweeted problems obtaining patients' files because of the attack.

The NHS blamed the Wanna Decryptor for infecting computers an encryption-based ransomware that locks a system and its files from use unless money is paid to hackers for access. It's typically spread through email phishing programs and affects computers using Windows operating systems.

The program is especially nasty because it acts like a worm finding security holes in a computer to spread throughout a network.

It could take days before a company cleans up its system and is fully functioning again, security experts say.

But sometimes, hackers hit the jackpot: Last year, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center

The IT systems of NHS sites were reportedly bombarded by pop-up messages Friday demanding such a ransom, and purported screenshots showed the cyber attacker asking for "$300 worth of bitcoin" a form of digital currency to be sent to a certain online address.

"It's a small ransom," said Gene Spafford, founder and executive director emeritus of Purdue University's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security. "But if you set the price too high then many of their victims won't pay."

Spafford said ransomware typically targets those without strong security in place, such as home users and small companies.

Hospitals and larger companies might be susceptible, he added, if they're slow to fully upgrade their networks or use pirated programs.

This particular ransomware is "using this flaw in the file-sharing that is giving it apparently a real boost," Spafford said.

He added that companies are at the mercy of the hackers, who could decide if their ransomware becomes too big they might decide "not to cash out because they're worried about being traced" and tipping off authorities about their whereabouts.

Spanish telecom giant Telefonica confirmed in a statement that a "cybersecurity incident" occurred Friday that affected the computers at its Madrid headquarters.

A Telefonica spokesman told Reuters that a window appeared on its computers also demanding a bitcoin payment in order to regain control.

Spain's National Cryptology Center said that an attack had been launched "against various organizations" in the country through their Windows systems, and other companies were taking preventative measures.

It wasn't just companies affected by this particular ransomware.

The mayor of the small community of Timra, Sweden population 10,000 told Reuters it has "around 70 computers that have had a dangerous code installed."

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Cyberattack Hits Nearly 100 Countries and Thousands of Computers - NBCNews.com