As most of you have heard by now, last Friday a massive cyberattack struck organizations around the globe, shutting many of them down. Although the attack was slowed down by later Friday night, attacks continue to spread around the world this weekend. We expect that the cyberattack will ramp up again this week.
The criminals responsible for the attack have not yet been identified, but over up to 100 countries have hit with WannaCry ransomware, with Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan among the top targets.
We want to assure our clients that we have done everything possible to protect your networks and systems. We embrace the security methodology promoted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Prevent – Detect – Respond. We install security patches and updates as they are made available, maintain up-to-date anti-malware endpoint security software and protect your networks with state-of-the-art firewalls. That said, it is impossible to guarantee that a network is 100% secure; we will, however, remain vigilant and strengthen our security posture as necessary.
Most ransomware is spread through email attachments. If you or a co-worker are not paying attention and accidentally open one of these phishing email attachments, you might infect not only your own workstation, but immediately everyone else’s computer too. Be very careful when you get an email with an attachment you did not ask for. If there is a .zip file in the attachment, do not click on it but delete the whole email. Remember: “When in doubt, throw it out!”
Many of our clients have opted to invest in our enhanced security tools, CyberProtectTM, which provide additional protection. If you are interested in learning more about CyberProtectTM, please contact your account manager.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.