WannaCry Ransomware: Are You at Risk and How to Prevent an Attack

Ransomware is malicious software that targets personal and sensitive files to extort users’ money. The idea is that a hacker introduces the malware on your PC, preventing you from accessing it as soon as the ransomware takes effect. To unlock the PC and gain access to the files, you need to pay the hacker. One such ransomware that created havoc and still sends chills is WannaCry ransomware. 

It is a crypto-ransomware that encrypts all the targeted files to finish the process. You are not only left with locked files, but the hacker also has access to your PC, making it always vulnerable. The WannaCry Ransomware allows the hacker to take your data hostage and demand money in exchange for access. 

Several users find such situations inconvenient, but sadly, they have no option but to negotiate with the attacker. If you keep sensitive information or confidential files on your PC, you should take proper precautions to avoid the WannaCry ransomware.

What can you do? How can you prevent a WannaCry Attack on your PC? We aim to answer these questions by the end of this post. Make sure you read it through!

Understanding the WannaCry Ransomware: Origin

Now that you know how ransomware works, let’s understand what 

WannaCry Ransomware is. In May 2017, several Windows users reported that their files were encrypted, and they could not access them unless they followed the hacker’s instructions. 

The attackers had asked for a ransom in Bitcoins, allowing them to kill any trail traced back to them. The attack spread through phishing campaigns started by the known hacker group Shadow Brokers. It is a tried and tested method for hackers as this hack was known as EternalBlue before it became widespread by the name of WannaCry Ransomware. 

EternalBlue was considered a vulnerability that allowed hackers to take advantage and introduce the WannaCry ransomware. Not to mention, in every ransomware attack, hackers leave an open backdoor that allows them to decrypt the files after they have received their ransom. In WannaCry Ransomware, the backdoor came to be known as DoublePulsar. 

According to 2017 stats, hackers reportedly attacked around 230,000 PCs with WannaCry ransomware. The attack was severe, as it affected every company across the globe, from a telephone network brand to a hospital. The locked details were worth millions, and the Ransom was asked. 

How do You Stay Away from Attacks like WannaCry Ransomware

Knowing the lethal nature of the attack, it is always better to stay away from any sort of ransomware attack. Thanks to events like the WannaCry attack, users now know what can keep them away. You, too, can stay away from such malicious activities and prevent the WannaCry ransomware attack by applying the following measures. 

1. Keep Your PC Updated

Always ensure that if there is an update available, you install it. Even if it is a minor security patch update, it should be installed with immediate effect, as many times the developers share minor patch updates to safeguard your PC with an issue you do not even know exists.

To keep the system updated – 

Step 1 – Press Win+I on the keyboard to open system settings.

Step 2 – Go to the Windows Update section from the left pane.

Step 3 – Click the Check for Updates button, which is available there. 

If an update is available, download it instantly. Usually, automatic updates are ON, so you need not worry about it. However, if by any chance you use a metered connection or you have turned OFF the auto-update feature, make sure you turn it back ON or check for updates regularly. 

2. Do Not Interact With Fake/Unknown Emails & Websites

As mentioned earlier, phishing scams are the root of WannaCry and other ransomware attacks. Hence, we advise you not to open all the links you receive in your mailbox. Also, it is better to avoid unknown senders as a whole, as you do not know what file is malicious and serves as a backdoor for the attacker to get into your PC. 

Other than that, we also suggest that you avoid downloading files from unknown websites and platforms. Free files are especially often used as traps to entice you. If you use many cracked tools for free, stop doing that immediately, as these free software websites are home to such malicious files in general. 

3. Use a Solid System Protection Tool

You may be wrong if you believe that the Windows Defender is enough to protect your PC from ransomware. Sure, the Defender is highly capable of securing your computer from malware and viruses; however, when it comes to smartly designed malicious files like ransomware, you need a specialist application. 

We recommend you use the T9 antivirus, as it has one of the best real-time protection shields, along with highly robotic and capable defense mechanisms. It instantly detects anything wrong with the file and isolates it then and there. 

Download the tool today and install it on your PC to secure your PC right away. Thanks to its online protection and integrated AdBlocker plug-in, it also secures your network.

Besides these 3 measures, you should always take care before installing third-party software and only allow files you know the source of. Keeping yourself protected and always alert are the only things that can help you prevent an attack similar to WannaCry ransomware. 

With that, we have reached the end of this post. Thanks for reading, good luck!

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