Ransomware is bad really bad. Even if you pay the ransom the will not give you the decryptor. Best way to deal with it is to have multiple backups of your documents, strong endpoint protection and user training.

Its so bad that some hospitals have now been taken back to using pen and paper. All records have been encrypted. If you had surgery scheduled you're asked to go back home and wait. The sad thing is, its very difficult to get the perpetrators. Terrible

If you get a message from windows asking you to approve updates, please do it, its very very necessary.

Why can't they restore customer records from backup. It doesn't make sense at all! Do doctors depend on computers to do surgery??

1. Using Windows XP is a disaster happening. No one should be using this OS today.

2. When this malware spreads it hits hardest where there are the weakest it. Systems. For one using xp they probably are backing up on the same machines or have no backup plan at all meaning the backups, if they are there are encrypted and never going to be accessible again.

3. The small break is that the spread of this malware has been contained - for now. Providing a window of opportunity to update OS's or probably move to open source alternatives


4. This will probably come in waves with the amount of 'tools' released by the #shadowbrokers thanks to micro$oft and a myriad of baked in vulnarabilities in their OS

Anyway, the usual tips will keep you safe.. for now:
- keep your computers upto date (os and antivirus/antimalware programs)

- avoid opening unsolicited files

- for daily use, avoid using computers logged in as administrator or with admin level privileges.

- good luck

Question: Since this attack is on Windows, is Microsoft giving it's users the latest windows upgrade for free? If they are not then would it be wise to conclude that they are the originators of this virus for a profit? .... just thinking aloud...