Is your PC up to date? Home computers exposed as global cyberattack threat builds
Those with older operating systems or lacking in IT support vulnerable to aggressive ransomware
Small to medium-sized businesses and home computer users are urged to step up preventive measures against an aggressive global cyberattack that could hit Hong Kong as people return to work Monday after the weekend.
The simplest precautionary measures include “patching” one’s operating systems with the latest security updates and enabling firewalls to block malicious internet traffic, cybersecurity experts said.
Their warnings came as the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT), which handles cybersecurity incidents in the city, recorded two victims of the latest “WannaCry” ransomware attacks over the weekend.
“The two cases were individual users operating on Windows 7,” HKCERT general manager Wilson Wong said. “In both cases, they did not have firewalls, did not update their patches and were connected directly to the internet.”
If you suspect your computer has been infected, whether at home or at the office, unplug it immediately