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
3 Quick Tips Guaranteed To Protect You From Phishing Attempts
Phishing is one of the most dangerous forms of identity theft. It’s usually presented in the form of pop-ups or spam emails. The majority of account takeovers come from simple phishing attacks where someone in an organization gets tricked into releasing...
Confused About All These Tech Terms: Information Technology Glossary
In today’s world, everyone uses information technology. This is simply the technology behind our computers and networks including software and hardware. For businesses, it includes servers, data centers, and other technology to support their IT...
Thinking About Moving Everything to the Cloud?
Check Out These Pros and Cons First. Many of today’s business owners have decided to move their IT infrastructure to the cloud. In a large company, the number of services and workloads can be staggering, making the transformation a hugely complex...