Massive global ransomware attack affecting 74 countries and counting

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Awrrr
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#1781615 13-May-2017 12:58

quickymart:

Well, I'm running XP so I guess I'm kinda screwed then...no patch for me I guess.

Just keep regular backups and restore as necessary. No problem.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1781616 13-May-2017 13:00

SaltyNZ:

Andib:

Tell me again how Windows 7 is better than Windows 10.

Much less telemetry, and it doesn't insist on pushing Cortana onto you for everything?

I have both 7 and 10. Greatly prefer 7 because it lets me use it the way I want, instead of the other way around. 10 is still riddled with irritations.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1781618 13-May-2017 13:02

dafman:

To those still running XP, this can't be a surprise, surely?

I ran XP until last year. Never had a problem.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

DarthKermit

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#1781619 13-May-2017 13:07

Screw it, I'm upgrading to MS-DOS 6.0

Hack that, you commie terrorists!

michaelmurfy

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#1781621 13-May-2017 13:16

quickymart:

Well, I'm running XP so I guess I'm kinda screwed then...no patch for me I guess.

You're either winding people up by saying that on a technology community or you're actually serious. If you're serious then please send me that PC so I can sledgehammer it.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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freitasm

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#1781623 13-May-2017 13:20

@Geektastic: "the ransomware exploits a vulnerability in Windows"

How to protect yourself? Hmmmmm.

Hello, welcome to Mac OSX....

Stop trolling. It's against the FUG.

Malware in Handbrake for Mac.

Malware Flash for Mac.

Fred99

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#1781625 13-May-2017 13:22

If I understand correctly, this iteration of the ransomware has been halted by sinkholing a domain that the program connected to before executing the encryption - kind of an internal "kill switch" which enabled the ransomware to be remotely disabled, the URL apparently written in text in the executable file. Unknown why they did it that way - with a "kill switch", but also one that was reasonably easily found.

Suggestions have been made that it was just a "test run" for something worse coming.

Something worse will come - hopefully this a wakeup call.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

freitasm

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#1781627 13-May-2017 13:25

Back on topic, the malware uses a domain to replicate but because malware coders always have some bad coding review practices the domain wasn't actually registered. Someone found that and registered the domain, sending the command/control centre to a sinkhole. This means the speed of spread is now reducing - but the developers just have to change the domain, register correctly and start spreading it again to get around this.

freitasm

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#1781628 13-May-2017 13:27

@fred99 snap...

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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#1781629 13-May-2017 13:29

Moved this thread to correct sub-forum.

Removed some off-topic replies.

Fred99

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#1781630 13-May-2017 13:31

160,000 infections @ US$300 = US$48 million in ransomware demands.

If 10% pay, then that's enough to retire on.

Ford

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#1781643 13-May-2017 14:01

What I am concerned about (as a bankrupted person)

That the government makes publically available the full names and addresses of people who are bankrupted, including their months and year of birth on the insolvency website for all to see.

Veda (Equifax) who do credit reporting have a credit report password policy anyone can gain access to from the bankruptcy public listings.

By that I mean if Veda emails a customer their credit report, the password is the same format for everyone.

Because I am bankrupted, if someone gets access to my pc they could retrieve the password for the credit report via the Insolvency office website.

Also the sharkpatrol and insolvency watch NZ based websites also pickup links to bankruptcy data and displays it on the same page as their google adwords.

I don't care how small the risk, but I really hate that our government has exposed me to risk of identity theft and the likes, by making my full name, address, month and year of birth accessible to anyone in the world. And that I have no recource against NZ based websites for making me more vulnerable on the internet.

Am I being paranoid?

Are people OK with our government publishing peoples private data without our authorisation, just because we are bankrupted.

What do you all think

Ford

Rikkitic

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#1781645 13-May-2017 14:11

Ford:

Are people OK with our government publishing peoples private data without our authorisation, just because we are bankrupted.

What do you all think

This is an important issue though not sure it is in the right place.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos