If you’ve been following the news lately, you’re probably aware of the massive cyberattack that has taken the internet by storm since May 12. The attack itself has not been completely stopped so far, as we see an increasing number of computers being affected every day. People are in a panic and there are many questions that need to be answered in the coming days. So, if you’re already worried about WannaCry, stop it right away, because we’ll do our part to help you stay safe from this ransomware attack. Before we learn how to protect your computer from WannaCry ransomware, let’s talk about what it actually is:
What is WannaCry Ransomware?
WannaCry (also known as WannaCrypt, Wana Decrypt, WCry, and WanaCrypt0r) is ransomware used by hackers. take control of a user’s computer by encrypting all available data and blocking access to it by displaying a warning message on the screen until a ransom is paid by the user. The user will have to pay a ransom of $300 and if this is not done within 3 days the ransom will be increased to $600. WannaCry threatens to delete all files on the user’s system if the ransom is not paid within 7 days. Spreading rapidly, this ransomware managed to sacrifice more than 300,000 devices in less than a week.
Which Platforms Does WannaCry Affect?
WannaCry ransomware infects computers running Windows operating systems. However, users running the latest Windows 10 operating system were not targeted in this ransomware attack, we have yet to see an affected Windows 10 device. she wants to cry primarily hostage computers running Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003However, almost all older versions of the operating system are still considered vulnerable to WannaCry, especially if you have not yet installed the latest security patch released by Microsoft. If you have automatic updates enabled, there is nothing to worry about.
Protecting Your Computer from WannaCry
WannaCry may sound threatening to most of us, but there are a few simple things you can do to easily protect your computer from this massive attack. So, let’s take an in-depth look at all of them:
1. Install Security Patches
Right after Microsoft realized that WannaCry was spreading like wildfire, they sent a security patch to all older versions of Windows, even the oldest Windows XP, which is now outdated and not supported by the company. If you are running a newer version of Windows, you have to enable automatic updates.
2. Install Good Anti-Malware
It is always necessary to have anti-malware software installed on your computer, especially if you are running an old and outdated version of the operating system. These softwares are absolutely essential because detect and remove malware, adware and ransomware in a few minutes. We are aware that recent versions of Microsoft’s operating system come with Windows Defender by default, but there are times when that just isn’t good enough. If your primary focus is to prevent ransomware and you have no idea what software to use, you can check out our article on some of the best ransomware you can use to protect your computer.
3. Back Up All Your Data
When ransomware like WannaCry takes your precious computer hostage, your options are pretty much reduced to two. You either pay the ransom to recover the files (which you absolutely shouldn’t do because there is no guarantee) or you recover the computer from a backup. That’s why it’s absolutely important to back up all your data to an external storage device and be prepared in case a ransomware infects your computer and tries to steal it all. You can also store your data in the cloud and then restore it with ease.
4. Block 445 Port
22-year-old “accidental hero” Marcus Hutchins, also known on Twitter as MalwareTech, has claimed that a user’s system can be infected with ransomware if TCP port 445 is open. So, we’re going to block that particular port and we’re going to do it together. Just follow the steps below:
- Open Windows Firewall on your computer and go to: “Advanced Settings”.
- Once complete, a new window will open on the screen. Click now “Inbound Rules” option in the left pane and then “New rule” in the right pane.
- Now, Select the “Port” option and then click on “Next”.
- When done, check “TCP” option and Then Type “445” right next to “Specific local ports”.
- Now, check “Block connection” Select the option and click next. After that, you can complete this process by giving the inbound rule a random name.
All right, that’s it. Blocking this port blocks all incoming Server Message Block traffic used by WannaCry to infiltrate your computer. Now, that’s one less thing to worry about.
5. Disable SMB
Now that you’ve blocked all incoming SMB (Server Message Block) traffic using Windows Firewall, it’s time to disable SMB 1.0 completely. You can do this simply by going to: Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Uncheck SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support and click OK.
We do this because WannaCrypt’s propagation mechanism is migrated by exploiting public SMB exploits. After disabling SMB completely, infection via SMB exploit is no longer possible.
6. Keep Your Operating System Updated
No, we are not talking about security patches here. Seriously, why do you still have an old and unsupported operating system like Windows XP installed on your computer? It’s been ten and a half years since XP was first launched and we really can’t believe so many people are still using it. The same goes for Windows Server 2003 and Windows 8. It’s been almost 2 years since Windows 10 was released to the public, and it’s entirely up to users to keep their operating system up to date, so they never have to face similar issues again. .
7. Use Administrator Account Only If Necessary
This may not seem like a big deal to you, but believe me, it will make a huge difference when it comes to ransomware infection. It is recommended that you consider creating an alternate account without any Administrator privileges and use this non-Admin account to perform your daily tasks and only use full fledged account to update firmware, add or remove software. Because these limited accounts are unable to install any software and perform certain tasks due to lack of Administrator privileges, ransomware such as WannaCry that most likely require Administrator privileges cannot easily infiltrate your system.
You can create an additional account by going to Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Change account type -> Add a new user in PC settings. You will now be able to add as many alternate accounts to your PC as you want, but make sure they do not have Administrator privileges.
8. Being Mindful Is The Key
8. Being Mindful Is The KeyIt is not easy to think that being careful while performing certain tasks on your computer is absolutely crucial in preventing the infiltration of malware, adware, and ransomware. These include: not downloading strange email attachments, pirated files, avoiding pop-ups and other unnecessary advertisements while surfing the internet. It is also very important to check the permissions that a software requests during its installation.
Last but not least, it goes without saying You should never use a pirated copy of Windows on your computer to avoid problems.
SEE ALSO: 6 Best Anti-Ransomware Software to Protect Your Files
Protect Yourself Against Any Ransomware, Not Just WannaCry
Whatever we discussed above, it not only protects you from WannaCry, but also from several similar ransomwares that are ready to infiltrate users’ systems by exploiting vulnerabilities. Who knows which ransomware could be the next WannaCry, right? So, if you’re worried about ransomware like WannaCry infecting your PC, be prepared by ticking all the boxes above. So, are you ready to heed our tips and secure your computer? Let us know how this article helped you by dropping a few words in the comments section below.
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