On May 12, 2017 a new strain of the Ransom.CryptXXX (WannaCry) strain of ransomware began spreading widely impacting a large number of organizations, particularly in Europe. This virus specifically targets Microsoft Windows computers.
A hacking tool known as Eternal Blue, developed by US CIA has been enhanced by the hackers to super-charge an existing form of ransomware known as WannaCry, three senior cyber security analysts said.
Wcry is demanding a ransom of $300 to $600 in Bitcoin to be paid by May 15, or, in the event that deadline is missed, a higher fee by May 19. The messages left on the screen say files will remain encrypted. It’s not yet clear if there are flaws in the encryption scheme that might allow the victims to restore the files without paying the ransom.
If you have yet to install the Microsoft fix—MS17-010— you should do so immediately. You should also be extremely suspicious of all e-mails you receive, particularly those that ask the recipient to open attached documents or click on Web links.
If you are an existing client of ours on our Managed Services Platform, you would have already received the fix through your weekly patching cycle, If not please check with your IT and or Security provider to ensure you are covered
Read Reuters Article : http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-security-hospitals-idUSKBN18820S
Microsoft Workplace Analytics (Research/Insight)
Microsoft Workplace Analytics For Empowering The Time Management Of Teams Microsoft Workplace Analytics is a relatively new tool from Microsoft that can give managers and company owners better insights into how their teams are working. It can be used to identify...
How Can I Tell If I Am NIST Compliant? (Information/Insights)
If you work for a company that deals with government agencies, you may have heard of the NIST, or The National Institute of Standards and Technology. The NIST has its own unique set of standards by which certain companies and organizations must comply. These...
Ponemon Institute 2018 Cybersecurity Report (Information)
Every business knows that getting hit by a data breach can have devastating results. Oftentimes, you lose business along with customer trust. There’s a costly impact to your reputation, and a lot of time is lost on recovering all your data – all translating to huge...