Bitdefender Antivirus blocks

worlds most aggressive piece of

ransomware with next-generation
detection technologies
13 May 2017: https://www.bitdefender.com/news/bitdefender-blocks-worlds-most-aggressive-piece-
of-ransomware-with-next-generation-detection-technologies-3289.html

Users under threat from an ongoing global ransomware

outbreak that has targeted Windows computers in more than
70 countries can keep their systems safe with security
software such as Bitdefender and should make sure to get
the latest patches from Microsoft, experts say. The WannaCry
ransomware encrypts files in the PCs it infects. Attackers
demand a ransom be paid in exchange for decryption.
"This particular ransomware is correctly identified and blocked by
30% of the AV vendors using current virus definitions, said
Ivantis Phil Richards, cited by The Mirror. The expert mentioned
Bitdefender as one of the solutions effective against WannaCry.
To stay safe, you should also keep your Windows system updated
with the latest security patches from Microsoft via your Windows
systems auto-update feature.
The attacks have caused major disruption to hospitals, telelcom
companies or gas and utilities plants. Among the organisations
that took the worst hits is the National Health Service (NHS) in the
UK.

Why is this ransomware attack different

Unlike other ransomware families, the WannaCrytor strain does
not spread via infected e-mails or infected links. Instead, it takes
advantage of a security hole in most Windows versions to
automatically execute itself on the victim PC. According to various
reports, this attack avenue has been developed by the National
Security Agancy (NSA) in the US as a cyber-weapon and it was
leaked to the public earlier in April along with other classified data
allegedly stolen from the agency.

Analyzing the infection mechanism we can say that

WannaCry is one of the biggest threats that both end
users and companies have to face recently. Because the
list of vulnerable Windows PCs can be found through a simple
internet scan and the code be executed remotely, no interaction
from the user is needed. Once the PC is infected, it acts like a
worm, it replicates itself in order to spread to other computers.
Our analysis reveals that the wormable component is based on
the EternalBlue exploit that had been leaked out in a data dump
allegedly coming from the NSA. This strain of malware is one of
the few that combine the aggressive spreading mechanism of a
cyber-weapon with the irreversible distructive potential of
ransomware. Up until now, more than 120,000 computers
worldwide have been infected.
Bitdefender has developed strong anti-ransomware capabilities to
help users stay safe from such sophisticated attacks, which have
been on the increase in recent years.
As this ongoing outbreak is affecting countless computer users
around the world, Bitdefender is actively working on a free
decryption tool to help victims recover their information without
paying the ransom. Make sure to follow Bitdefender on Twitter and
Facebook to be notified when it becomes available.

Find out if you are vulnerable. The CVE07-010 vulnerability

affects almost all versions of the Windows operating system,
including those who are not actively supported anymore, such as
Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003. Because
of the extremely high impact, Microsoft has decided to issue
patches for ALL operating system, including the unsupported
ones. If your operating system does not have the specific hotfix
installed, then you are vulnerable and need to update
immediately.

What you can do to stay protected?

1. Disable the Server Message Block service on the computer

if patching is impossible.

2. Install the patch

 3. Back up your data on offline hard drives. The ransomware
malware will encrypt files on external drives such as a USB
thumb drive, as well as any network or cloud file stores

4. Patch and Update your software and make sure you have all
Windows updates on your machine.

5. Use a reputable security suite https://www.av-

comparatives.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/04/avc_factsheet2017_03.pdf

For Business Consumers

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2017

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017
Bitdefender Total Security Multi-Device 2017

For Corporate Consumers

Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security

Bitdefender GravityZone Advanced Business Security

To know youre nearest Authorized resellers contact:

INTERCOM SYSTEM (T) LTD

Bitdefender Cyber Security Country Partner

Morogoro Road, Old Kisutu Bus Stand

P.O.Box 8898, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Telephone +255 22 2121140

Mobile +255 673 221 933

Email : sales@intercomsystem.co.tz

URL: www.intercomsystem.co.tz