No doubt in the news over the weekend, you may have heard about a serious outbreak of a ransomware attack that have occurred overseas. The ransomware effectively encrypts all of the data on your network, and renders it unusable. Many large orgranisations around the world have been affected.
This is a timely reminder therefore that if you are receiving e-mails originating from apparently potentially legitimate sources, advising of some sort of transaction, with file attachments that you’re not expecting, or just plain unsure, the best option is to be safe than sorry.
Be aware that these e-mails are bogus, and opening any such attached files, or clicking on links within a suspicious email will actually initiate a virus on your network. The virus is of the cryptolocker variety, and can cause severe damage to your network, including the encryption of your data for ransom.
In most cases these viruses will result in the IRRETRIEVABLE LOSS OF YOUR DATA once it has been encrypted.
Whilst you may have the latest anti-virus software or e-mail SPAM filtering software, these e-mails have been crafted in such a way that these systems may not be effective in blocking these malicious e-mails 100% of the time.
If you, or any other user on your computer network receive an e-mail with an attached files, or any other e-mail that you’re not expecting, please delete it immediately. We advise you do NOT click on any links within, or open any attachments to the e-mail under any circumstances. Doing so may lead to irrecoverable loss of data on your network.
If your business needs to talk security, Contact Us.
For more about this outbreak from our trusted security partner Sophos, Click here.
<h2>Get <strong>FREE</strong> technology advice</h2>
<p><strong>Looking to get an edge on the competition?</strong></p>
<p>Sign up to the Maxsum newsletter and gain access to monthly:</p>
<ul>
<li>Solutions to common business problems.</li>
<li>Tips on how to get the most from your technology.</li>
<li>Free bedtime reading about the latest technology trends.</li>
</ul>
<p><em class="small">We promise to be respectful with <a href="/privacy-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your privacy</a>.</em></p>
<script type="text/javascript">var gform;gform||(document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?o():!gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",o):document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",o)},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("action",o,n,r,t)},addFilter:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("filter",o,n,r,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook("action",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook("filter",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,n){gform.removeHook("action",o,n)},removeFilter:function(o,n,r){gform.removeHook("filter",o,n,r)},addHook:function(o,n,r,t,i){null==gform.hooks[o][n]&&(gform.hooks[o][n]=[]);var e=gform.hooks[o][n];null==i&&(i=n+"_"+e.length),gform.hooks[o][n].push({tag:i,callable:r,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(n,o,r){var t;if(r=Array.prototype.slice.call(r,1),null!=gform.hooks[n][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[n][o]).sort(function(o,n){return o.priority-n.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){"function"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),"action"==n?t.apply(null,r):r[0]=t.apply(null,r)})),"filter"==n)return r[0]},removeHook:function(o,n,t,i){var r;null!=gform.hooks[o][n]&&(r=(r=gform.hooks[o][n]).filter(function(o,n,r){return!!(null!=i&&i!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][n]=r)}});</script>
<div class='gf_browser_unknown gform_wrapper gform_legacy_markup_wrapper' id='gform_wrapper_4' ><form method='post' enctype='multipart/form-data' id='gform_4' action='/news/wannacry-ransomware-outbreak/' >
<input type='hidden' class='gforms-pum' value='{"closepopup":true,"closedelay":0,"openpopup":false,"openpopup_id":0}' />
<div class='gform_body gform-body'><ul id='gform_fields_4' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below'><li id="field_4_4" class="gfield field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_4"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_4' >First Name</label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_4' id='input_4_4' type='text' value='' class='medium' placeholder='First Name' aria-invalid="false" /> </div></li><li id="field_4_5" class="gfield field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_5"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_5' >Last Name</label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_5' id='input_4_5' type='text' value='' class='medium' placeholder='Last Name' aria-invalid="false" /> </div></li><li id="field_4_2" class="gfield field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_2"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_2' >Email</label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'>
<input name='input_2' id='input_4_2' type='text' value='' class='medium' placeholder='Email Address' aria-invalid="false" />
</div></li><li id="field_4_6" class="gfield gform_validation_container field_sublabel_below field_description_below gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_6"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_6' >Email</label><div class='ginput_container'><input name='input_6' id='input_4_6' type='text' value='' /></div><div class='gfield_description' id='gfield_description_4_6'>This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.</div></li></ul></div>
<div class='gform_footer top_label'> <input type='submit' id='gform_submit_button_4' class='gform_button button' value='Signup' onclick='if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} window["gf_submitting_4"]=true; ' onkeypress='if( event.keyCode == 13 ){ if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} window["gf_submitting_4"]=true; jQuery("#gform_4").trigger("submit",[true]); }' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_4' value='1' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='4' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_4' value='WyJbXSIsImM2Nzk5MTNlOTg3ZDEzZThmMGNlMmZhYzAzZGE1NTA0Il0=' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_4' id='gform_target_page_number_4' value='0' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_4' id='gform_source_page_number_4' value='1' />
<input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' />
</div>
</form>
</div>