In the last few days many countries across the globe have been hit by WannaCry, which is a ransomware tool that exploits security breaches in outdated Windows installations. Early reports claim that Russia, Ukraine and India have been hit the hardest, although more than 70 countries seems to have been affected by WannaCry.
Normally Ransomware is targeting private users, and to some extent companies, this is however not the case with WannaCry which have attacked public institutions in Spain, England and several other countries. WannaCry found its way too many systems by exploiting outdated Windows installations. Currently more than 45.000 systems have been attacked, though experts think that this is just the beginning.
The planning and extent of these attacks clearly demonstrates how well coordinated ransomware attacks can be. The program itself is translated to many different languages, and there is even an FAQ telling victims how to remove the encryption.
In most cases, should you be the victim of ransomware, your files are encrypted and the program ask you to pay ransom to remove the encryption. In the case with WannaCry, users have been asked to pay in the range of 350-600 USD. Remember that you under any circumstances should pay any ransom, since paying will only deteriorate the situation. Users that have been known to pay the ransom, receives a new message asking to pay an even bigger ransom.
How do I protect myself against Ransomware?
Remember that one of the best ways to secure yourself against ransomware attacks is to make sure that all programs on your computer is updated to the newest version. We also recommend that you always download the newest version from the official publisher, since non-official version could have Trojans hidden.
Also make sure to have an updated and efficient antispyware or antivirus program installed on your computer. Many of these programs are specifically designed to locate and neutralize threats against your security.
You can freely use Anti Explorator which is an effective antispyware tool. Anti Explorator is designed to combat the newest threats and offers continuous protection against ransomware.
You can download the newest version here, free.