Is the WannaCry cyber attack over? The latest update.

The widespread of malicious software WannaCry has everyone on their edge of the seats. After affecting 57,000 computers across 99 countries, including Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan, the ransom-ware has spread to other countries.

From hospitals to telecom companies and even government agencies and business have been targeted by WannaCry, rendering their systems useless.The hackers lock data in such a way that users cannot find a workaround and sometimes the pop-ups refuse to close, making it impossible to use the systems.  WannaCry virus is a ransom-ware, which locks a users data and requires payment to regain access. The malware is targeting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems.

While the world braces for more disruptions, multiple reports of devices being infected are coming in from various parts of Asia.

China’s News agency reported thousands of devices have been infected by the ransom-ware attack.  The attack created a global mayhem on Friday spreading to nearly 100 countries. According to the agency, the cyberattack targeted 4,341 institutions, and about 15 percent of internet protocol addresses stand hacked.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, the ransom-ware reportedly affected devices belonging to three individuals, who had not installed the latest security updates on their Windows 7 operating system, and were directly connected to the internet.

Hitachi also reported instances of email delays and file delivery failures. Although no ransom was being demanded, the company suspected the WannaCry ransom-ware cyber attack of causing the disturbances. According to Nippon Television Network, over 600 companies in Japan had been infected by the ransom-ware.

In Indonesia, computers in at least two hospitals were affecting , prompting the government to urge businesses to update computer security. The malware reportedly locked patient files on computers in the two affected hospitals in Jakarta on the weekend, forcing patients to wait several hours to get queue numbers.

The WannaCry ransom-ware also caused major disruptions in India as well. On Sunday, the Maharashtra police department said it was partially hit by the cyber attack.

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The Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In), a nodal government agency that deals with cyber security threats like hacking and phishing, issued a red-colored critical alert on Saturday to help internet users better protect against the WannaCry ransom-ware.  The alert was followed by the Gujarat government’s effort to equip state computer systems with anti-virus software tools and upgrade its Microsoft operating systems.

The WannaCry ransom-ware is believed to have originated from cyber weapons developed by the US National Security Agency (NSA). The malware was reportedly released on April 14 by a hacker group called Shadow Brokers, which claimed last year to have stolen a cache of “cyber weapons” from the federal agency.

“The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call,” Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith wrote in an official blog post. “We need governments to consider the damage to civilians that comes from hoarding these vulnerabilities and the use of these exploits.”

Hackers are demanding anywhere between $300 and $600 to release the encrypted data. The ransom-ware also comes with a deadline when the hackers threaten to delete the data from the machines forever.  It is important that Windows PC users take precautionary measures to stay protected from the ransom-ware.

Here are some steps you can take to protect your computer.

1. Download and implement MS17-010 patch right away.
2. Block executable files from being transmitted via emails.
3. Isolate the affected system from your Network.
4. Restore the encrypted files from the backup or from system restore point (if enabled).
5. Run up-to-date Windows software.
6. Do not click on links, download/open attachments from unknown senders.
7. Enable pop-up blocker on web browser.
8. Use smart screen feature in Internet Explorer browser to identify reporter phishing and malware-prone websites.
9. Install and run an updated version of antivirus software (Microsoft Security Essentials, McAfee, Norton, eScan & others).
10. Back up your important files regularly.

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