Tag Archives: WannaCry

What are we learning from Microsoft’s recent emergency security patches?

Security, , , ,
20170629

Are you running an outdated operating system?

This past May, the ransomware known as ‘WannaCry’ swept through 150 countries and affected hundreds of thousands of computers in organizations ranging from telecommunication companies to nationwide healthcare systems. Devices running older versions of Microsoft software (such as a Windows 7 operating system without key security updates) showed critical vulnerabilities to this powerful, rapidly propagating malware.

In response to WannaCry and to future threats of a similar nature or scope, Microsoft has recently taken steps to supply emergency security patches for various older software, including Windows XP, Server 2003, and Vista. Even when an older system does show some resilience to a WannaCry attack, it can still remain extremely vulnerable to other forms of malware.

The issue of updates and upgrades

Microsoft typically doesn’t support these older systems, and its recent release of free security patches is a deviation from how the company ordinarily operates. It’s an extraordinary measure for an emergency situation. However, where will Microsoft draw the line? What will happen during future occasions involving widespread malware or other security risks?

Some organizations that are reluctant to upgrade to Windows 10, for example, might take this is a sign that they can continue relying on Microsoft to support outdated versions of various Windows software when there’s an emergency. However, this is a flawed way of thinking.

  • Organizations can’t reliably depend on the fact that Microsoft will step in to fix old, unsupported software whenever there’s a major security problem. The company offers no such guarantee.
  • Upgrading to a supported platform like Windows 10 ensures that your organization benefits from the most recent updates.
  • Beyond updates or patches for specific security risks, an up-to-date platform like Windows 10 has also been designed with greater security built into it throughout. If you’re running an outdated system, there may be deep security flaws that can’t be comprehensively addressed just by performing certain updates. Older systems may be lacking in powerful security features that newer systems have adopted.

Managing your systems

Another key lesson we can take from the problem of rampant malware is how important it is to stay on top of managing your IT systems.

You need to make a full accounting of all the devices your business uses, and the information you must stay on top of includes the following:

  • The versions of operating systems and other software your computing devices use. (Maybe you’re using similar software across devices, or perhaps the software you use varies quite a bit from one device to another.)
  • The schedule of upgrades and updates you’ve developed for your systems. For example, have you made updates automatic, or are they manual? How often do you check for new updates?
  • The current vulnerabilities in your system, and your priorities for which to address first. Some security flaws are much more likely to be immediately exploited and cause potentially widespread damage, while others pose less of a threat, at least in the short-term.
  • What each device is connected to. For example, a major security risk comes from devices (ranging from laptops to digital security cameras) that are inadvertently exposed to the Internet and left unprotected. Configuring devices properly and limiting their exposure is critical for improved security.

To further discuss these issues and to receive assistance in strengthening the security of your devices and systems, please contact us. If you don’t manage your software and remain aware of the potential risks, you leave your business far more vulnerable to the threat of malware and other security breaches. The results can prove deeply damaging and include steep financial losses, damaged trust, and prolonged downtime. With our assistance, you can perform any upgrades or updates you need in a timely way and implement cyber security strategies that better safeguard you against the numerous threats out there.

The WannaCry Attack & How Webroot Protects You

Anti-virus, , , , ,
20170601

The headache of WannaCry ransomware attack

On May 12th, 2017, a ransomware virus known as “WannaCry” rapidly spread through private networks and the Internet. The ransomware soon held data “hostage” in hundreds of thousands of computer systems, disrupting Great Britain’s National Health Service along with other institutions and businesses across more than 150 countries. However, systems with Webroot SecureAnywhere software installed found themselves thankfully protected from the virus.

Initial wave of attacks

The WannaCry ransomware virus uses a worm-like mechanism, or “cryptoworm,” to spread across private networks and the Internet. Once it affects a system, it encrypts the system’s data and holds it for ransom. The ransomware demands that the system owner’s deposit several hundred U.S. dollars’ worth of Bitcoins into a specific account before the ransomware will release their data.

The WannaCry virus works by exploiting a vulnerability in Windows operating systems. The vulnerability has a complex and storied history and may have been known to the U.S government long before it was known to Microsoft. However, soon after learning of their software’s security vulnerability, Microsoft released a security patch on March 14th, 2017 to protect supported systems.

The initial attack took place on May 12th, 2017 and quickly affected more than 300,000 systems whose owners or administrators had not yet installed Microsoft’s patch. Perhaps the cyber attack’s most prominent target was Great Britain’s National Health System. On May 13th, Microsoft took swift action against the attack. Although it had already released a patch for supported versions of Windows, the company now released an emergency update for legacy versions, including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, despite the fact that Microsoft no longer officially supported these operating systems.

A security researcher who blogs under the name “MalwareTech” effectively halted the initially wave of attacks. Inadvertently, the researcher found that by registering an extremely long domain name found in the code of the WannaCry malware, the attack came to a halt. In short, registration of that domain was the “kill switch” for the virus.

Further attacks and findings

At least two variants of the initial WannaCry virus began to impact still more computer systems on May 14th, 2017. However, Matthieu Suiche, founder of Comae Technologies, found another kill switch in the code of one of the two variants. According to Suiche in a Tweet with an accompanying graph on May 15th, his company halted roughly “10K machines from spreading further.” As a result, the second wave of attacks was not as effective as the first.

After the initial two waves of attacks, further variants of WannaCry have continued to affect systems across the globe. As of May 25th, 2017, the most recent attack making headlines is WannaCry’s apparent penetration of the postal service in Russia.

Webroot’s protection

One indication of the effectiveness of anti-virus and security software such as Webroot may be customer call volume during an attack. One would expect call volume to spike as users suddenly find their systems compromised. However, according to Webroot’s LeVar Battle, responding to a comment on the company’s May 13th update to the Webroot Threat Blog “our call volume has not been impacted at all by this threat.” The post explains that despite the virus’ widespread impact, the basic structure of the malware itself is “similar to what we’ve seen before.” It is the worm-like propagation of the virus that has taken so many systems by surprise. According to the May 13th blog post, “Webroot SecureAnywhere does currently protect you from WannaCry ransomware.” At the same time, Webroot strongly recommends updating to the very latest version of your system software, a best practice that ensures mult-layered security. Moreover, they recommend becoming as educated as you can about ransomware and other common security threats.

Webroot’s latest post, addressing the second wave of attacks, reinforces their earlier reassuring statement and further maintains that Webroot is continuing to develop new solutions to protect their users against WannaCry variants as they arise.Â

Staying secure

The WannaCry ransomware attack is one of the most damaging cyber-attacks in years. The virus’ worm-like method of propagation exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft operating systems. Although Microsoft released a patch for supported systems well ahead of the attack, many companies and institutions did not install the patch in time. As a result, WannaCry’s initial wave of attacks affected more than 300,000 computer systems across more than 150 countries. Although cybersecurity researcher MalwareTech inadvertently halted the inital attack with a kill switch, new variants have continued to arise. Thankfully, users of leading security software Webroot SecureAnywhere found themselves protected from the attack.

Contact us to learn more about how Webroot can help protect you from malicious security threats such as WannaCry.