wvu80 Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Quote LONDON — Hackers exploiting data stolen from the United States government conducted extensive cyberattacks on Friday that hit dozens of countries, severely disrupting Britain’s public health system and wreaking havoc on tens of thousands of computers elsewhere, including Russia’s ministry for internal security. Corporate computer systems in many other countries — including FedEx of the United States, one of the world’s leading international shippers — were among those affected. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/world/europe/uk-national-health-service-cyberattack.html I fear ransomware like no other. Microsoft updated their Defender anti-virus at 3:30pm this afternoon. I manually uploaded the new definitions, I wasn't going to wait for the automatic update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Ransomware is diabolical and expensive. Fortunately, these attacks can be prevented in part by scrupulous computing habits. Don't go to shady websites, and don't just open up unexpected file attachments from people. Antivirus helps, but doesn't compensate completely for carelessness. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 I have gotten a couple of phishing emails lately, both of which got past my Junk filter, both of which I instantly recognized, blocked, and forwarded to the companies. One was Apple telling me I owed $69 for an app I downloaded, the other was Paypal telling me there was "suspicious activity" with my account and my account was frozen, and prompted me to download a .pdf file. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Don't forget your rubbers... Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 2 hours ago, wvu80 said: I have gotten a couple of phishing emails lately, both of which got past my Junk filter, both of which I instantly recognized, blocked, and forwarded to the companies. One was Apple telling me I owed $69 for an app I downloaded, the other was Paypal telling me there was "suspicious activity" with my account and my account was frozen, and prompted me to download a .pdf file. I saw some at my previous job where they were cussing out the recipient about false credit card charges and to review the attached scans/invoices/etc and make it right. Quite compelling, but again - fake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Come on people... use some common sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Microsoft updated its defintions again this morning at 5/13/17 at 9:18am. I'm running a full scan, again. Blessed are the paranoid, for they shall make backups. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 The Defender Definition files were updated for the second time today, this time at 4:14pm by Microsoft. I just updated, and then I will run the full scan again. The best guess so far is that the ransomware attack was from individuals, not nations. It attacks a Microsoft Windows vulnerability. Quote The ransomware appeared to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that was purportedly identified by the U.S. National Security Agency for its own intelligence-gathering purposes and was later leaked to the internet. http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/05/13/nations-battle-cyberattack-damages-uk-focuses-on-hospitals.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Our tax dollars at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 From what I read, this does not come in through email or phishing but can hit your computer through your network at work etc. The best way to protect yourself is to get a portable hard drive and do a nightly system image backup while you sleep. That way if you get hit, you simply wipe your drive and re-load the system image. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Again today Sunday May 14 at 11:14 AM Microsoft again updated its Defender definitions. That would make three updates within 24 hours. Time for another virus scan. Quote A 22-year-old cybersecurity researcher and a cheap domain registration helped thwart the cyberattack that spread malicious software around the world, shutting down networks at hospitals, banks and government agencies. He began analyzing a sample of the malicious software and noticed its code included a hidden web address that wasn't registered. He said he "promptly" registered the domain, something he regularly does to try to discover ways to track or stop malicious software. Across an ocean, Darien Huss, a 28-year-old research engineer for the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, was doing his own analysis. The western Michigan resident said he noticed the authors of the malware had left in a feature known as a kill switch. Huss took a screen shot of his discovery and shared it on Twitter. Soon he and MalwareTech were communicating about what they'd found: That registering the domain name and redirecting the attacks to MalwareTech's server had activated the kill switch, halting the ransomware's infections. http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/05/14/22-year-old-cybersecurity-researcher-helped-thwart-unprecedented-cyberattack.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 15, 2017 Author Share Posted May 15, 2017 13 hours ago, wvu80 said: Again today Sunday May 14 at 11:14 AM Microsoft again updated its Defender definitions. That would make three updates within 24 hours. Another update at 3:15 this afternoon, this time the automatic update took care of things. That's four in 24 hours. I also got another Apple phishing scam email asking me to open a .pdf file. If Apple sends you something they always use your name. I just checked my account and it has not been locked, there is no unusual activity. If someone accesses my account my phone is called for a code. There has been no calls. I would like to know how they managed to use "apple.com." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 15, 2017 Author Share Posted May 15, 2017 Another update from Microsoft, today Monday 5/15/17 at 11:27am. Here's my latest phishing email, this one disguised as a Google email. Check the return address, this one was easy to spot and in fact my Junk email picked it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 I think we have figured out that the sky is falling. Damn you killer sky!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Judging how Microsoft loves updates this would be an opportunity for about another 50 or so. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 I'm glad our work network sits behind some good filtering, and 2/3 of our computers don't use MS Windows. My boss absolutely loathes MS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Are we all dead yet? Who isn't posting? Sound the klaxons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Klaxon, klaxoff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Thank god you're still alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted May 16, 2017 Author Share Posted May 16, 2017 Another security update, this time at 4:44pm. I'll stop worrying when Microsoft stops updating its definitions twice a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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