Recent Ransomware Attacks
May 19th, 2017 by admin
As you may have already heard, there was a major ransomware attack across the globe recently. On May 12th, WannaCry/WCry 2.0 infected thousands of computers, taking the user's data hostage and demanding bitcoins to release it. We can't know how many people paid this ransom and whether they were able to get their data back - regardless, that data was compromised. This is especially bad for public, financial, and healthcare institutions, where privacy is paramount. Investigations as to how the attackers were able to reach their victims are still underway, but we agree with experts who say that it was probably due to Microsoft Windows vulnerability or the usual email route. Before you get too worried - if you are protected by enterprise-level security systems, you are most likely already protected by secure firewalls and anti-virus software. Still, there are a few things you can do right away:
- back up all of your data on to external devices, or use secure cloud services for offsite storage
- train employees and colleagues not to open zip files or attachments from unknown email addresses
- don't send sensitive information via email to those claiming to be your bank, relative, doctor, etc. without verifying their stories offline
- if your business needs to be HIPAA compliant, talk to your compliance officer about the steps being taken to protect sensitive data
- ensure that you are installing Windows Updates and keeping your security software up-to-date
ATS Communications has long stressed the need for comprehensive data security and safe data storage. A simple firewall that runs in the background doesn't cut these days. We can assist you with the analysis of your system, looking for holes in your protections and making recommendations to fight threats such as the WannaCry ransomware attack. We can also advise you on how to meet HIPAA and other data security regulations, so you can avoid debilitating fees and frustrating audits. Learn more about how to protect your data, before you get hit by the latest cyber attacks!