NHS across UK hit by Ransomware attacks

After a weekend when NHS devices across the UK were put out of action by ransomware you will be concerned whether you have adequate protection for your own PCs and data.

Simple steps involve

1. Making sure that operating system and programs are up to date
2. Installing suitable anti virus software
3. Making secure backups of data

If you have procedures in place you may have more steps than this but if you do not have at least all three you should consider whether you have adequate protection. We are not suggesting that you only need the three steps shown, there are other measures that we can also help you with.

The cost of compromised PCs or lost data could be enormous in terms of time, customer loyalty and financial.

For more information on how to make those first steps, or if you have already made them and require more detailed support such as managed firewalls, encrypted backup, cloud storage and disaster recovery contact Plum Communications.

Always here to help.

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The worm that spreads WanaCrypt0r

Something that many security researchers have feared has indeed come true. Threat actors have integrated a critical exploit taking advantage of a popular communication protocol used by Windows systems, crippling thousands of computers worldwide with ransomware.
Within hours of being leveraged, a flaw that had been recently patched by Microsoft has been used to distribute the WanaCrypt0r ransomware and wreak havoc worldwide.
In this blog post, we will describe the worm responsible for spreading this ransomware by looking at its capabilities and what has made this threat so successful...

Read this blog in its original posting in the malwarebytes blog https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threat-analysis/2017/05/the-worm-that-spreads-wanacrypt0r/.

Malwarebytes is available from Plum Communications for minimal sum per device.

For a free evaluation or a review of your existing security contact Plum Communications 0161 622 3500.

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Alert: Fake debt collection and council tax emails

Action Fraud has received a surge in calls and reports from concerned members of the public who have received debt collection and council tax scam emails. 

Outstanding debt

In the past couple of days the Action Fraud contact centre has received thousands of calls and reports from the public who have received this clever spear phishing email below. These have worried recipients because they use detailed personal information such as full name, address and postcode.

The emails claim to act on behalf of a legitimate company and contain a link which could infect your computer with Cryptolocker or Maktub ransomware. 
This spear phishing campaign could constantly evolve, so look out for company variations and remember that is easy for fraudsters to adapt information. To prevent your personal information ending up in the hands of fraudsters read the full article here:

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/alert-fake-debt-collection-and-council-tax-emails-apr16

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