Ransomware – Fix It Before You Wanna Cry

The WannaCry ransomware attack of almost 3 weeks ago may be a fading memory – but we can’t forget how important it is to protect our computer systems. This is true no matter what kind of business or organization you are.

This video does a good job of summarizing what happened.

The bottom line is that there are some basic things everyone needs to do to reduce the chances of ransomware or malware affecting us. Unfortunately not everyone does these simple things.

They include:

• Keeping software and patches up to date
• Upgrade operating systems before support ends (that means you if you still use Windows XP)
• Use up to date virus protection
• Have effective backups
• Educate users on what not to do
• Use strong passwords and take advantage of security features such as multifactor authentication

Perhaps the best advice is to not dabble in security, and don’t just follow a checklist like mine above. Effective security requires a holistic system wide approach designed, implemented, and updated by IT professionals. Security is a whack a mole game that is constantly changing – it doesn’t follow the “Universal operating instructions” joke of “Set lever A and lever B”.