How To Protect Your Computer From A Ransomware Attack | Antivirus Software

 

If you think you are safe from the last cyber attack that struck the world a few days ago, you should think again, as all estimates indicate that this is the largest cyberattack that occurred in history, and it is certain that the perpetrators of this attack are a group of organized experts who have many Some of the tools and resources that enabled them to carry out this attack, and some believe that such an attack may be a prelude to a larger series of other attacks that will occur in the future, which may strike a greater number of countries and users, this scenario is not far away and a large number of Scientists and researchers in the field of technology and the Internet.

Ransomware attack

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What computers have been affected by the cyberattack that struck the world this weekend?

The viruses or malware that affected nearly 100 countries came in a widespread cyberattack this weekend, targeting specifically computers and laptops running the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. It also targets computers running on newer systems, but on a limited scale.

Windows XP was released in 2001 and was one of the most popular operating systems worldwide. In 2014, Microsoft stopped supporting the Windows XP operating system, and this means that the system manufacturer did not release any new updates or upgrades for this system. Also, the company has stopped developing any programs that users can download to fix any problems or vulnerabilities that users have discovered in this operating system. As a result, Windows XP has become the most vulnerable system in the world to new hacking methods.

Recent Windows systems, including Windows 10, 8, and 7, can also be vulnerable to infection with this virus, but fortunately, Microsoft released in March 2017 a special security upgrade for users that can be downloaded for free and it works on all operating systems, which protect against cyber attacks such as That happened in the weekend attack.

What is ransomware?

The type of virus or malware behind the latest cyber-attack has been identified as "ransomware" or "ransomware". This virus encrypts your computer files and locks the computer, so you cannot use the device, and then a message appears on the computer screen requiring you to pay a ransom in Bitcoin electronic currency.

The virus can target home computers or large servers in which companies or state institutions operate. The WannaCry virus that participated in the current attack is believed to have been built through software developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA).

The attack on the NHS in the United Kingdom asked computer users to pay $ 300 to unlock the computer again, but Microsoft reported that paying this ransom does not guarantee that malware is removed from computers and opened again.

WannaCry and Ransomware are spread by hidden viruses linked in documents, words, and files sent via e-mail. The European Union's law enforcement agency, Europol, has advised people to be wary of clicking on links or download attachments sent in any email from senders they do not know.

The spread of the current attack was stopped by the Cyber ​​Security Investigations in the United Kingdom, through malware and was able to determine the domain that was repeating itself, and which was not registered. The detective registered the still unknown domain on a specific webpage, and this unexpectedly stopped the spread of the virus.

International efforts to combat the cyber attack

All experts pointed out that global ransomware attacks are unprecedented, so technicians are now rushing to restore the disrupted British hospital network on Saturday and secure the computers that run factories, banks, government agencies, and transportation systems in many other countries.

The global effort to combat this critical blackmail of computer users has spread so widely that Microsoft has rapidly changed its policy, making security fixes freely available for legacy Windows systems that are still in use by millions of individuals and small businesses.

Microsoft has made fixes to legacy systems, such as Windows XP 2001, which are only available to larger organizations, including the British National Health Service, which paid an additional fee to obtain expanded technical support. In light of the attacks on Friday, Microsoft announced that it was making repairs free for all.

And the WannaCry malware tracking map showed that the problem is popping up all over the world. Britain canceled or delayed treatment for thousands of patients, including those with cancer. Train systems in Germany and Russia, and telephone companies in Madrid and Moscow, were also hit. The car assembly line stopped at a factory of the French company Renault in Slovenia, as rows of robots stopped the process of welding cars.

In Brazil, the Social Security system disconnected its computers and eliminated public access to data. The state-owned British oil company Petrobras and the Brazilian Foreign Ministry have disconnected computers as a precaution, and court systems have also ceased.

And in Britain, British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said one in five of the 248 NHS groups had been infected.

Who is responsible for these cyber attacks?

Those who committed this wave of attacks remain unknown. Two security companies - Casper Skylab and Avast - said they have identified malware in more than 70 countries. Both companies said Russia was among the countries that were hit the hardest.

"These hackers have caused massive amounts of disruption, and this may be the largest ransomware cyberattack in history," said Graham Cluley, a veteran of the antivirus software industry in Oxford, England.

What is the mechanism by which this attack works?

The attack targets hospitals and other entities as hostages by freezing computers, encrypting data, and then demanding money through Bitcoin online payments. The ransom required at first is $ 300, then it gradually rises if the user delays payment until it reaches $ 600, at which time the virus destroys all files and never returns them.

How can I protect my computer from a ransomware virus?

Ransomware attack

The current main way to protect Windows XP computer users is to ensure that their computers are protected against cyber-attacks or viruses by upgrading to the latest operating system. This means moving from the Windows XP operating system to a newer system supported by Microsoft.

The latest operating system released by Microsoft is Windows 10, followed by two slightly older versions, namely Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.