The WannaCry ransomware attack is holding computer systems hostage in over 150 countries. Learn how to protect against WannaCry Ransomware and keep yourself protected.
What is WannaCry ransomware and what is happening?
WannaCry ransomware has impacted some top organizations including U.K. National Health Service, Telefonica, Renault, FedEx, and the Russian Government as well as more than 200,000 victims in 150+ countries.
The WannaCry ransomware attack locks users out of their computers and encrypts files. The cyber criminals then demand you pay up to $300 in bitcoin. The price then doubles after three days.
The malware behaves like a worm as it can potentially infect computers and servers on the same network. Malicious email attachments and URLs are believed to be the initial infection as well as infecting non-encrypted assets over guest WiFi.
The attack exploits a vulnerability in older Windows operating systems including Windows 8, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
How to Protect Against WannaCry Ransomware?
- Microsoft has issued rare patches on the older versions of Windows it no longer supports to protect against this malware. Here’s where you can download these security updates:
- Block TCP/445 traffic from untrusted systems. If possible, block 445 inbound to all internet-facing Windows systems.
- Ensure critical systems and files have up-to-date backups. Backups are the only full mitigation against data loss due to ransomware.
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