You may have heard by now, ransomware is in the news again. This strain, known as the “WannaCry” or “WannaCrypt” ransomware virus, claimed over 200,000 victims in 150 countries, including factories, hospitals, small businesses and schools. Organizations in Europe and Asia were seriously affected, but according to The Guardian, an anonymous “accidental hero” halted the global spread of the attack by activating the software’s “kill switch”. By stopping the virus, it gave people in the U.S. more time to develop immunity to the attack by patching their systems before getting infected. Experts warn that this is only the beginning.
So here are the critical questions for your business:
- Do you have a backup and disaster recovery system in place?
- Is all of your software up-to-date?
- How is your antivirus?
- Is your Microsoft software patched?
NOTE: Microsoft released updates last month that can help protect organizations against the “WannaCrypt” ransomware virus. We highly recommend checking your updates immediately to ensure they are all applied. In a rare instance, Microsoft also released security updates to systems that have not been supported by the company in many years including Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003.
Need assistance, or considering adding layers to your security?
This is just the beginning of ransomware attacks in 2017. The best defense against ransomware and other malware is a combination of layered security and end-user awareness. Modern security solutions offer: simulated phishing attempts & end user training, ransomware prevention software, encryption, total email security, secure file sharing and more! Learn more about our managed security here.
