A major ransomware attack is currently spreading worldwide, impacting over 100 countries. This attack, called “WannaCry” affects Microsoft Windows systems by exploiting a vulnerability called EternalBlue. Microsoft provided a patch for this in March and you can learn more about it here at Microsoft's blog.
Essentially, you are susceptible to this attack if…
- You are running an out of date version of Windows operating system like XP, Vista and/or Server 2003
- You are running any Windows operating system that has not been patched/updated since 03/14/2017
There has been a high volume of reports of this ransomware attack affecting Microsoft Windows systems globally. It also anticpated the WannaCry ransomware will begin to make an appearance in the US early this week and your business should be prepared. If you haven’t already, patch your Windows systems to the most up-to-date version. Microsoft provided an update, however, it needs to be uploaded.
To Our Valued Clients - You're Safe!
Please be aware that LANTIUM is constantly monitoring and updating operating systems as a service to all of our managed services clients. We understand the seriousness of this and all other cyberattacks and the effect it can have on your business.
Although this ransomware attack has proven to be very successful globally, we do not foresee any issues in the environments of our managed service clients due to our ongoing efforts to patch workstations and servers regularly.
How Do I Know if I Have Been Infected?
Sometimes even taking every precaution is not enough for IT security, which is why knowing what to look for and how to detect the symptoms of a compromised computer is important to ensure your safety. Read our recent post, 5 Symptoms of a Compromised Computer, to know if you have been infected and if your data and network is at risk.
How to Protect Your Business from Ransomware:
Practicing good cyber hygiene is the best way to protect yourself, your workplace, and data from cyberattacks. A few technical considerations are listed below. All of them you may do on your own or contact LANTIUM for assistance:
- Enable strong spam filters, and scan all inbound and outbound emails with filters
- Configure firewalls to block access to known malicious IP addresses
- Patch all operating systems, software, firmware
- Set antivirus and antimalware programs to scan automatically
- Manage use of sensitive accounts on the principle of least privilege
- Consider disabling Remote Desktop Protocol
- Use application whitelisting and backup data regularly
- Conduct annual penetration testing
The truth is, there’s no excuse for leaving yourself or your business exposed. Please read our recent post, Seven Simple Habits to Protect Your Business from Ransomware, for things to do now for basic data breach prevention, minimize risk, and to keep you, your end users and business safe.
What to Do if You’re Infected:
Panic and worry can be overwhelming once you realize that your computer may have been compromised. However, it’s not over for your computer and all of your files. If you believe you have been infected by a virus, trojan, worm, ransomware, or cryptolocker, there is still a chance to restore your computer to the state it was prior to infection, quickly, and without further damage or loss of productivity.
If you believe your computer may be infected, or if your organization has had IT security and performance issues in the past, Lantium can help! Our Critical Care support team is available for our clients 24x7x365.
Interested in learning more about security audits, proactive monitoring, data backup, or how to make your business and its data more secure? Schedule a free call with our experienced security consultants today: 
