On Friday 12th May 2017 the world was alerted to a cyber security Ransomware threat called WannaCry or WanaCrypt0r 2.0.

WannaCry is Ransomware computer worm that is targeting Windows Operating System. The attack started on Friday, 12 May 2017. It infected more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries. Computers where infected with the software demanding ransom payments in the cryptocurrencybitcoin in 28 languages.

In Zambia the attack or threat of WannaCry has not been recorded yet but that does not mean that the threat is not there. The worm can easily infect any computer in Zambia and the world indeed as long the system is not protected and has no recent Windows updates.

Patch Windows with the latest software updates

Microsoft released a patch that prevents WannaCry infection back in March, two months before this latest version of the ransomware appeared. Open the Windows Start menu, type in “windows update,” click Check for Updates and permit installation of anything marked “Important.” Let Windows Update run its course, and then restart the system. The particular update that address this situation is

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010 – Critical

Microsoft has also released patches for Windows XP and Windows 8, which the company no longer supports. If you run Windows Update in those operating systems and no important updates come up, then go to the end of this Microsoft security advisory and click on the link pertaining to your operating system. The link will contain instructions for manual installation of the software patch.

Change your network settings

WannaCry may be using a flaw in Microsoft’s Server Message Block SMB protocol to spread. SMB lets computers on the same network share files, printers and other objects, but it’s pretty easy to turn off.

Go into Control Panel or Settings, look for Network and Sharing Center and click Change Advanced Sharing Settings. Under Home or Work, Public and Domain, select the items labeled “Turn off network discovery,” “Turn off file and printer sharing” and “Turn off public folder sharing.”

Keep Regular Backup Files Offline

Like any Ransomware WannaCry completely encrypt anything in your Documents and Pictures folders. It locks images and any other file that a user can create. So a regular backup to an external hard drive and to the cloud can help in case of emergency

Excepts from tomsguide.com