Hello,
Just wanted to touch base about the latest virus called WannaCry!
WannaCry was first discovered on Friday, May 12th, and it had spread to an estimated 57,000 computers in more than 150 different countries around the world by the end of the day. (Happy Friday). European countries were hit the hardest, and business ground to a halt at several large companies and organizations, including banks, hospitals, and government agencies.
On Saturday, a 22-year-old security researcher named Marcus Hutchins inadvertently slowed the spread of the WannaCry virus when he registered a domain name hidden within the virus’ code in an attempt to track the spread of WannaCry, unintentionally stopping its progress in the process.
It will be back…..or some other ransomware. It is critical that you run windows updates on your computers to prevent this one because it not only spreads through email, as an attachment, but also through a hole in your windows operating system. This hole can be patched by running updates. Below is how to schedule windows updates.
What is ransomware - is a type of malicious software virus that blocks access to data until a ransom is paid and displays a message requesting payment to unlock it. Once users click on the link or attachment, the ransomware encrypts the computer's hard drive, locking people out of computer files, including photos and music libraries.
Imagine, for example, you're sitting at your computer and you receive an email that pretends to be from a well-known organization, like Fedex. The email says Fedex just tried to deliver a package, the delivery guy is still in the area, and if you click on the link, he will attempt to deliver it again in the next couple hours. BOOM – you got it
NOTE: If you are on my monthly monitoring package, you do not need to worry about any of this. It is all taken care of automatically and reporting back to me that you are up to date. I have already double checked to make sure you have the latest patches, by running a report this past Saturday. If you would like to know more about this affordable monthly monitoring package to protect your computers, please respond back to this email, and I would be happy to send some materials. We offer webblocker (blocks these bad sites), antivirus, computer monitoring/updating/maintenance, and much more.
Other important measures to be taken to protect your computers against ransomware:
1. Have an online backup
2. Lock down the admin rights on a computer or run the crypto locker program (free)
3. Have an onsite backup that is swapped out with another hardrive
4. Up-to-date antivirus
5. Secure Wireless with a strong password
6. Make sure all the user accounts on your computer have strong passwords
7. Make sure remote access is secure
If you do not have all these, or are not sure if you do, please reply to this email and I would be happy to help.
HOW TO CONFIGURE AUTOMATIC UPDATES
Configuring Automatic Updates in Windows 7/Vista
- Open Control Panel and double click Windows Update.
- In the Windows Update window, select the Change Settings task on the left.
- Select “Install updates automatically (recommended)”
- Click OK
Configuring Automatic Updates in Windows 8/8.1
- Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up), tapping or clicking Settings, tapping or clicking Change PC settings, and then tapping or clicking Update and recovery.
- Tap or click Choose how updates get installed.
- Select “Install Updates Automatically (Recommended)”
- Tap or click Apply
Configuring Automatic Updates in Windows 10
- Select the Start button
- Select Settings
- Select Update & security
- Select Windows Update
- Select Check for Updates (Updates will download and install if they are available)