Alert: ransomware spreading worldwide

[Peter Peterson]

Hi all,

There is currently an NSA-derived ransomware spreading over the Internet and on the networks of many countries worldwide. It targets Microsoft Windows.

A patch is available; use Windows Update to bring your system up to the current patch level, and/or read this:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/ms17-010.aspx

Here's an Ars Technica article for more information:

https://arstechnica.com/security/2017/05/an-nsa-derived-ransomware-worm-is-shutting-down-computers-worldwide/

In addition to installing the patches, please be careful (as always) about opening attachments from untrusted sources. Finally, take this as a warning to make sure that your backups are set up!

Be safe,

Peter

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Peter A. H. Peterson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science

University of Minnesota Duluth