New Ransomware Virus warning

[Bird]

Highly advice everyone patch their PC's....
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/ms17-010.aspx


https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msrc/2017/05/12/customer-guidance-for-wannacrypt-attacks/

https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/what-you-need-know-about-wannacry-ransomware


email looks like
http://www.mailguard.com.au/blog/global-cyber-attack-wannacry-ransomware-creates-havoc

[wakychapmans]

Highly advice everyone patch their PC's....

all Macs here.

[Bird]

all Macs here.

commiserations

[DrewXT]

Open all the attachments, I say!!!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[DannyG]

Virus?

Havent had one of those since changing to Mac years ago.....or had to do a re-install...or had to do a restore...or had any slow downs....or trojans.......once you go mac you will never go back  Sorry for the Hijack.........get it?? 

Thanks, Ill let my kids know they all have laptops with windows installed on them....oh thats right they dont use them because they cant keep them running!!! 

[trinityalyce]

Another Mac/Apple user who will never go back. Ever. Issues like this one are a BIG reason why!

Tried having a conversation with the brother-in-law last night about the vulnerabilities in the Android system compared to an iPhone... fell on deaf ears. Oh well.

Funny how those who've never researched or used Apple products think we're all part of some crazy cult. While I'd never change back, that speaks more to the quality of product than any brainwashing or ignorance! 

[Hairs]

Cheers Bird,
But I haven't had  virus since I started to wear a condom while on line.
Yeah, I know weird hey.
😎


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[Gandalf the White]

Cheers Bird,
But I haven't had  virus since I started to wear a condom while on line.
Yeah, I know weird hey.
😎


Sent from my SM-P585Y using Tapatalk

I pretty much use a touch screen these days, but I understand if you put Vaseline on your computer keypad, you can type a lot faster and it won't get as hot

[Troopy_03]

Yes, you are probably less likely to get a virus if you use a Mac or Iphone, but seriously, do you really want to dumb it down that much? 


And don't get me started on Itunes......  hahahahahahahahaha

[tryagain]

Mac's aren't immune to viruses, less susceptible yes, but not issue free. People often seem to often make the mistake of comparing a $500 windows computer to a gazillion dollar Mac which is apples and oranges. Compare the performance to a half gazillion dollar windows machine and it's a totally different story. I know a few Mac users that have gone back to windows due to the MS surface with it's touch screen and stylus compared to just the touch bar on the MacBook Pro.

[DrewXT]

Not ready to hand in my man card and get an iPhone yet... But I'd use a Mac...

The new HP offering is going to kick the arse of the Surface...

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3195342/laptop-computers/hps-elite-x2-is-the-surface-pro-4-update-we-wish-microsoft-would-make.html

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[glenm64]

I've given up on iPhone, gone to android. Wish I did it years ago.

Cheers Glen

[Paddler Ed]

I last used a Mac 20+ years ago... Haven't touched them since really, I do have an iPod (a very old iPod at that... it's about 9 years old now) but I get confused with iOS even on the iPad... but then I reluctantly use Android on my tablet, as I dislike the bloat that comes with it on Samsung... much prefer the stripped out nature of the Windows phone (although I would like the ability to roll back software installs like you can on Android)

Mate back in the UK is frantically patching Windows machines at work - he's popped up just now bitching about it which is a bit late for him - I suspect his tea intake is a bit low as well...

[ATC]

Putting the normal wise cracks and joking aside...
Make sure you have decent antivirus install, with UP-TODATE virus defination.

If you dont know who sent the email,  or are not expecting it to have an attachment, THEN DON'T OPEN IT

Even if it looks legit, it may still be some arsehole trying to get access to your computer.

A colleague received one today looked like it was from Amazon, but it had a bad payload.
He caught it in time, luckly.

IF IN DOUBT - DON'T OPEN IT

I often use my phone or tablet to check email, who sent them and what the attachment is, then delete or warn colleague's about suspucious stuff.





Sent from my SM-T815Y using Tapatalk

[Paddler Ed]

Just seen this on Farcebook re the UK's NHS systems getting trashed:

Dear Jeremy Hunt. Imagine I was driving a 2001 Ford Escort. It had been a nice little runner, but in 2014, Ford stopped making parts for it. At the time, I thought it had served me well, and although buying a new Ford Focus would have been sensible, I decided to wing it, and see if it went on for a few more years.

Imagine then that I was on a long road in the middle of a winter storm, miles from civilization, and the 16 year old engine blew up. You'd think I was a complete idiot, who ignored warnings, and expected my mechanic to patch up any problems.

Which come to think of it is exactly how you've handed the NHS cyberattack.

NHS trusts have been using Windows XP. Microsoft stopped providing support for this in 2014 (although they gave the NHS a years grace after this). And still NHS trusts have still been running it. In 2015, you ignored requests for funding to upgrade the NHS IT operating systems. And decided to see if it went on for a few more years.

Cyber-terrorists may be directly responsible for millions of cancelled NHS appointments and operations over the last few days. But ultimately, the fault lies with you, and your direct decision to underfund the health service.

I would think it is now time for me to stop asking you to resign, and to now ask you accept responsibility for this shocking act of criminal negligence.

I suspect there are many companies and agencies that are running legacy systems because the company or organisation have placed it in the too costly or too hard bin due to the software changes and system migration needed to implement the change.

[Bird]

Just seen this on Farcebook re the UK's NHS systems getting trashed:

Welcome to last week
And DHL, and Renault, and Shit loads of small mum and dad companies...

I suspect there are many companies and agencies that are running legacy systems because the company or organisation have placed it in the too costly or too hard bin due to the software changes and system migration needed to implement the change.

We have machines running XP still... to replace the Instruments + PC + licensing = $150,000.... Per machine and we have 8 Australia wide although we could replace them 1 by 1 to spread the cost...
They are working fine, so management says keep em running until they break...Which I can understand, its an insane outlay to do it all at once..
I was talking to the tech from he company that supplies this Shit while he was doing the monthly calibrations few weeks ago there have been issues with the Win7/10 versions and them talking to the lab software *still*... and said stick with XP.. How long has win7 been out now

[Pete79]

I like my old iPhone, it makes me smile all the time.

Apple says; "give me your credit card details"
I say; "No F.....ing way!!!"

Apple says; "Well then, give me your finger print."
I say; "No"

Apple starts getting cranky and says; "Well at least you can give me access to all of your data and I'll save it on my server for you."
I say; "No!"

Apple says; "That's it! If you want to use me I'm going to make you invent a new iTunes password every other week and won't let you use any password that you've ever used before...!!!!"
I say; "No thanks"

Apple has a complete meltdown and can't function without begging me for all of my information every 30 seconds.
I only want to play music on my old iPhone, so I wait until Apple has finished having it's toddler tantrum, I close all of the requests for my details and then open Spotify and listen to all of my music that is not on iTunes.

Thanks Apple, you make me smile all the time.

[trinityalyce]

I like my old iPhone, it makes me smile all the time.

Apple says; "give me your credit card details"
I say; "No F.....ing way!!!"

Apple says; "Well then, give me your finger print."
I say; "No"

Apple starts getting cranky and says; "Well at least you can give me access to all of your data and I'll save it on my server for you."
I say; "No!"

Apple says; "That's it! If you want to use me I'm going to make you invent a new iTunes password every other week and won't let you use any password that you've ever used before...!!!!"
I say; "No thanks"

Apple has a complete meltdown and can't function without begging me for all of my information every 30 seconds.
I only want to play music on my old iPhone, so I wait until Apple has finished having it's toddler tantrum, I close all of the requests for my details and then open Spotify and listen to all of my music that is not on iTunes.

Thanks Apple, you make me smile all the time.

At least it asks. Most other companies just take your data without you realising it.

[paceman]

Another Mac/Apple user who will never go back. Ever. Issues like this one are a BIG reason why!

Tried having a conversation with the brother-in-law last night about the vulnerabilities in the Android system compared to an iPhone... fell on deaf ears. Oh well.

Funny how those who've never researched or used Apple products think we're all part of some crazy cult. While I'd never change back, that speaks more to the quality of product than any brainwashing or ignorance! 

it's interesting that apple/mac users believe that their OS software is less susceptible to attack...

the main reason windows is attacked more is that there are far more installations of windows around the world than of macOS...

why go to the trouble of creating the greatest malware the world has ever seen, if only 10% of the world's computers can be infected... ?

its all about attack surface and vector...

old-school, 'traditional' virus-like attacks (that take advantage of crappy OS code) are becoming increasingly rare... it's more about encryption, ransomware, etc which can happen in any environment...

do you honestly think that hackers can't get macOS users infected if they wanted them too?  pretty naive to think that... i wouldn't like to bet on that....

also, if infected users had updated their OS like they are supposed/encouraged to, no dramas.... macOS has regular updates too, just like windows, for exactly the same reason....

[trinityalyce]

Is is naive to think that Macs/iPhones/etc are invincible. They're not. Far from it, but like you say, they are safer because of lower numbers of users being less of a target. Also, having a more closed system for Apps certainly does help. And regular security updates also help.

They ARE safer, but they AREN'T invincible. I don't know that anyone actually said they were...

The other thing that seriously comes into the discussion of how vulnerable an individual machine may be is the user behind it and any other protections in place. That goes for Windows, Mac, Linux, you name it.

[paceman]

The other thing that seriously comes into the discussion of how vulnerable an individual machine may be is the user behind it and any other protections in place. That goes for Windows, Mac, Linux, you name it.

bingo.

[BaseCamp]

In Feb 2017  I paid my IT guy $800 to relocate my set up  ....   

(a couple of pcs networked;   ... including getting a new second hand pc; set up 2 printers, reinstall another version of myob "free" - because the version I had wouldn't work off windows 7)  .... (I was previously running xp off a server)....   Also pushed gorilla? onto me for the emails etc - this thing I hate; and it never works properly btw....

Anyway - I go and check if the thing needs a windows update re: the crypto locker  ....  and it says "Last Update:  Never"  ....  Available Updates:  137"

So thank you NOT deadshxt  IT guy .... for not caring enough;  (couldn't be arsed) - in not bothering to make sure windows were to take new available updates....

BaseCamp

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[Pete79]

Is is naive to think that Macs/iPhones/etc are invincible. They're not. Far from it, but like you say, they are safer because of lower numbers of users being less of a target. Also, having a more closed system for Apps certainly does help. And regular security updates also help.

They ARE safer, but they AREN'T invincible. I don't know that anyone actually said they were...

The other thing that seriously comes into the discussion of how vulnerable an individual machine may be is the user behind it and any other protections in place. That goes for Windows, Mac, Linux, you name it.

Funny, I work with automation software and all of our programmers (without exception) are die hard Apple fanboys.
These guys write code like demons and I would hazard a guess that there's a couple of them that would be more then capable of creating some wicked viruses if they really wanted to.
One would expect it would easier to write malicious software to run in an environment that you are most comfortable with..... But perhaps they'd rather just make MS look stupid...

[Bird]

Anyway - I go and check if the thing needs a windows update re: the crypto locker  ....  and it says "Last Update:  Never"  ....  Available Updates:  137"

So thank you NOT deadShit  IT guy .... for not caring enough;  (couldn't be arsed) - in not bothering to make sure windows were to take new available updates....

That there is inexcusable.. its usually one first things I run after installing stuff and I setup so it automatically updates - if the person changes it then that's their problem. Some people get annoyed with it asking them to reboot right in the middle of stalkerbooking - firm faeces I say
At work I've built up a WSUS server to take it out of users hands.. works well.

[Bird]

Another month... another ransomware scare

http://www.zdnet.com/article/bad-rabbit-ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-latest-ransomware-outbreak/

A new ransomware campaign has hit a number of high profile targets in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Dubbed Bad Rabbit, the ransomware first started infecting systems on Tuesday 24 October, and the way in which organisations appear to have been hit simultaneously immediately drew comparisons to this year's WannaCry and Petya epidemics.

Following the initial outbreak, there was some confusion about what exactly Bad Rabbit is. Now the initial panic has died down, however, it's possible to dig down into what exactly is going on

1. The cyber-attack has hit organisations across Russia and Eastern Europe

Organisations across Russian and Ukraine -- as well as a small number in Germany, and Turkey -- have fallen victim to the ransomware. Researchers at Avast say they've also detected the malware in Poland and South Korea.
Russian cybersecurity company Group-IB confirmed at least three media organisations in the country have been hit by file-encrypting malware, while at the same time Russian news agency Interfax said its systems have been affected by a "hacker attack" -- and were seemingly knocked offline by the incident.

Other organisations in the region including Odessa International Airport and the Kiev Metro also made statements about falling victim to a cyber-attack, while CERT-UA, the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine, also posted that the "possible start of a new wave of cyberattacks to Ukraine's information resources" had occurred, as reports of Bad Rabbit infections started to come in.

At the time of writing, it's thought there are almost 200 infected targets and indicating that this isn't an attack like WannaCry or Petya was -- but it's still causing problems for infected organisations.

Goto article for more info.