As you have probably heard in the news over the weekend, a security vulnerability named, WannaCry Ransomware began infecting computers worldwide late last week. This vulnerability, if executed on a system, will encrypt the data on the computer, even backups, and then seek out other systems to infect. Once encrypted, the ransomware, demands a payment within 3 to 7 days. All it takes is one computer to be infected before many other computers on the same network could be compromised.
Currently, a new version (WannaCry 2.0) is expanding worldwide to further increase the infection rate.
JMARK had put many defenses in place prior to this outbreak and will continue to utilize further protection. However, email attachments and links in email messages still pose the top threat. We are currently assessing all possible means to mitigate the threats and taking appropriate action as necessary. We will be sending more details as this continues to unfold.
What do I do if I am infected?
If you are infected, you will immediately know as you will be greeted by a screen saying “Ooops, your important files are encrypted.”
If this occurs, hold down the power button on your computer to turn off your machine as fast as possible and then contact JMARK for assistance. Do not attempt to decrypt or check payment in the screens that appear.
How does the infection occur?
WannaCry exploits a known vulnerability in Microsoft Windows operating systems. The entrance of the attack can come in multiple ways, but the most common way is by email. A few things to keep you safe:
- Never open an attachment from any individual that you are not expecting to send a file. If you haven’t requested it or know the sender was specifically sending you the file, do not open it as they may be infected.
- Pay careful attention to the sender address and name. Often they are slightly misspelled to fool you into thinking the email is from a known colleague.
- Pay special attention to any link, that you are requested to click. These can also be slightly misspelled domain names to fool you into thinking they are legit.
Please contact your JMARK support team if you have any questions, problems or concerns.
