We would like to give you a few simple tips, which you can follow, as most viruses / trojans can make their way into your system due to poor security practices. Here we go:
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Always update your system.
It is very important to keep your system up-to-date with the latest security patches, Windows 10 updates, Anti-Virus security updates. Security is very important, and information can be valuable to a particular person.
Do make sure your computer or laptop always receives automatic update from Microsoft. And of course. It’s up-to-date always.
2. Patch the SMB Vulnerability
WannaCry Ransomware is exploiting a critical SMB remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2017-0148). Microsoft went ahead and already released a patch for it (MS17-010) in March. We strongly advice you, to check and ensure your Windows system has those patches installed.
The SMB pacthes (you can download from here) was released for unsupported version of Windows, this includes, Windows Vista, XP, Windows 8, Server 2003 and 2008.
Side note: Windows 10 Creators update (1703) isn’t vulnerable to SMB exploit.
3. Disable SMB in Windows
We strongly advice to disable Server Message Block v1 (SMBv1) protocol, which sadly is enabled by default, in order to prevent the WannaCry ransomware attack/s.
How to disable SMBv1:
- Head on over to Windows Control Panel -> “Programs”
- Open up “Features”, then click on “Turn Windows Features on and off”
- Scroll down and find “SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support” and uncheck it.
- Click “OK”, close Control Panel and restart your system (PC / laptop).
4. Enable Firewall and Block SMB Ports
It is important you always keep the Firewall enabled. If you want, you can keep SMBv1 enabled, but do change your firewall configuration to block access to SMB ports. This protocol is at TCP ports 137, 139, and 445, and UDP ports 137 and 138.
5. Use Anti-Virus Software
It is strongly recommended that every Windows system should have an Anti-Virus software installed and kept up-to-date.
We can say almost every Anti-Virus software now has the capability to block WannaCry ransomware, and as well, the capability to prevent any secret installations of malicious software in the background.
We at CyberNext recommend BitDefender. As they seem to bee the best in the industry.
6. Be Cautious Regarding Apps, Emails and Websites
Most ransomware are spread via malicious advertising on websites, phishing emails, and third-party programs and apps.
It’s best to be cautious when you open documents, which were sent over the email. Even when you are visiting a website, be cautious. We are not talking about big websites, like Facebook, Google or Yahoo.
Another important tip, which needs to be mentioned:
- Never download apps from third-party sources, they can also be infected. We suggest you always read reviews on different websites about the app you’re about to download nad install. Or even reviews on official stores.
7. Regular Backups
In order to have a grip on your documents, files, or other important stuff on your device, it’s highly recommended to keep a good backup routine, storing your files on external storage devices, which are unplugged and not connected to your PC / laptop. What we do, is just copy the important files and documents to an external storage device and unplug it from the PC / laptop, and keep it somewhere safe.
Using this backup method will reduce the risk of ransomware infection, as it cannot encrypt your backups.