The cybercrime is at peak. May, 2017 witnessed the worst cyber-attack by defecting more than 3, 00, 000 systems across 150 nations. The virus called ‘Wannacry’/ WannaCryptor/WannaCrypt and upcoming ‘Monero Mining’ have indeed made the victims cried.
The ‘chaotic’ situation is on the rise. Not only organizations but individuals also have lost their precious and valuable data. The infected machines are paralyzed. The virus has made the files so stubborn that they have denied the access.
Today, digitization is taking the pan world by storm. In parallel, there emerge the crook-minds that are technically sound to conspire by defecting digital network. And encryption is their brutal arm that helps them lock the files stored in the organized data management system, data warehouses and various databases. The filthy minded hackers extort the victims. They demand for the desirable ransom for getting the key to decrypt their valuable corrupted files.
The buzzer is now pushed to get alert with such evil-minded attempts of cybercriminals. Before moving to security measures, let’s get the thorough insight of the dirtiest ransomware malware.
What is ransomware?
It’s actually a malware that is stemmed to infect. By locking the keyboard or system, it prevents the victims to access their files and folders. All this is done to push them pay the ransom. The smart hackers don’t want to leave any clue to tap them. This is why they play with their mind and ask to pay through bitcoin.
However, it has been around since 2005 but last Friday left the whole world dumbstruck. The WannaCry paralyzed millions of government, businesses, and individual’s databases.
How does it infect?
- Entry of ransomware:
Leaving no way to access the file is rotten ransomware trend now. He has turned wilder than ever. Just a click on the suspicious link or file puts the asset like data at stake. Phishing attacks, malicious emails and dodgy attachments are preprogrammed with the malicious coding. This coding prompts the infection to get spread more.
- Virus spreads:
But this is not the end of its brutality. The malicious coding scans more contacts to catch its fresh prey. As it gets, the infected code is transmitted to the new target automatically. Its symptoms begin to reflect in corrupted hard drive of the PC and other connected devices like USB stick, Pen Drive or any external devices.
- Paralyze the system:
As the infection of ransomware spreads, the victim’s access to files and folders is denied. The system locks down and the victim lands to the page that asks for ransom. In the case of WannaCry, the landing page sought $300 as ransom which must be paid in bitcoin (the virtual currency).
It’s the wakeup call for every outsourcing companies & other users that manage millions to trillions of data in their stock for research purpose.
How to deal with it?
Since only older version of Windows has become its prey, make sure that you have updated it. Windows 10 is exempted from its threat.
- Backup: It’s the best and the simplest way to combat this malicious cyber-attack. Keep the back up safe in some other external hard disk and ready to install anytime.
- Installation of anti-virus: Install the latest version of anti-virus. It’s very much possible that the older anti-virus would not be able to cope up with the stronger and updated ransomware.
- Installation of patches: Microsoft has already introduced an emergency patch for legacy windows operating system. Install it.
Upload Microsoft’s security fix: The users of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016 can get the protection layer added by downloading ‘Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010’.