Technology reporter Chris Foxx and security expert Prof Alan Woodward provide some answers. It should be illegal to develop such weapons, just as it is to produce nerve gas for military uses. One of them, according to computer security experts, provided the blueprint for the latest malware.
Advertisement
Interestingly, the attackers have simply adapted an existing version of this worm which was leaked by a group, Shadow Brokers in March and again, in April. So even people with older computers should go update them.
“Once [a virus] has managed to enter the larger network, it can then use vulnerabilities to spread”, said Prof Woodward. “It’s a massive reminder to sectors right across the world cyber security should be a topline strategic priority”. “At that point, it will be harder to stop new variants”.
At a time when hyper-targeted phishing attacks and sophisticated government-sponsored assaults represent the cutting edge of the battle over cyber security, the spread of the WannaCry ransomware looks like a blast from the past. Short of paying, options for these individuals and companies are usually limited to recovering data files from a backup, if available, or living without them. In the meantime, experts are recommending that organizations harden against this threat and ensure that all systems are fully patched with the “MS17-010” security update.
How can I personally protect my device from ransomware? That way even if you’re hit with ransomware you’ve got all your files protected elsewhere.
Leading worldwide shipper FedEx Corp said it was one of the companies whose Microsoft Corp Windows system was infected with the malware that security firms said was delivered via spam emails. Especially now, be wary of any unsolicited emails asking you to click on a link, or to download a file. We need to follow safe practices and keep ourselves up to date with technological developments. Better still, set the system to automatically do this on your behalf. Despite analysts and several companies calling out on India being badly affected by WAnnaCry, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) maintains that the country is not as affected as Europe and Russian Federation. Among the other victims is a Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland, northeast England.Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the British National Health Service were infected on Friday, forcing them to send patients to other facilities.German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said some electronic signs at stations announcing arrivals and departures were infected.
An attack is typically distributed by relying on social engineering to impregnate the victim’s computer with the malicious software, often described as a virus.
In the past few days, thousands of computers across the world have been locked up and users” files have been held at ransom due to a malware called “Ransomware’ that takes over a computer’s operating system.
“It’s worth remembering Windows XP not only came out six years before first iPhone”. Documents or medical records might not have much resale value, but if a hospital needs them to operate, suddenly they become very valuable.
Yes, every operating system could theoretically be attacked.
That original sin on Microsoft’s part continues to pay dividends for criminals and intrusive government agencies, despite the many opportunities the company had to push out updates that would have shut down unused services or guided users through figuring out what they did and didn’t need to run.
Advertisement
Investigators from the National Crime Agency are working with colleagues around the world to find the people responsible for releasing the virus, which caused havoc in Britain’s healthcare system when it started to spread of Friday.
