Paradigm Blog Wannacry Ransomware Information

On Friday, a widespread cyberattack, using the Wannacry ransomware, was launched globally. Last count shows over 230,000 computers across 150 countries were affected. Wannacry is making headlines due to its ability to spread to other computers on the same network. This creates widespread corporate infections, as well as creating a risk for anyone connected to a public network (coffee shops, airports, and the like). Protecting Paradigm's clients from Wannacry comes down to three standard security practices: Use Layered SecurityMuch as home security means more than just locking your doors, network security starts at the perimeter and goes through the entire network. For our managed clients, that includes things like:WatchGuard firewalls with APT zero-day protection on the perimeter, which protects from a wide variety of threats before they enter the network, and makes it harder for them to operate if they do make it inInbound email protection to prevent infected emails from getting to usersOutbound traffic protection, preventing malware from "calling home" and often stopping it from triggering encryptionProtection against file encryption on each workstation, blocking the ransomware from doing any damage Maintain Security PatchesA Microsoft patch, released on March 14th, blocks the internal infection spread. It passed internal review and was approved for our clients shortly after release, with over 98% deployed currently. This patch only blocks the secondary effects of the malware and does not prevent a user from infecting an individual workstation via an infected email Ongoing Security TrainingThe increasing sophistication of attackers creates a corresponding need for everyone to be more aware of what each of us individually can do to keep the bad guys out of our networks. Simple steps, like not opening unexpected or otherwise suspicious emails, and not providing personal information to unknown people, remain the most effective security measures we can all take.