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Protect your data!

The WannaCry (WannaCrypt0r 2.0) ransomware is still going on to attack vulnerable systems on the Internet.  P & L Associates has received many inquiries about the safety of CPAnywhere and CSA system and would like to share some security measures to help defend your systems against ransomware attacks.

Will CPAnywhere be attacked by WannaCry?

No.  The data center to host the CPAnywhere is protected by the dedicated firewall .  It can defend most ransomwares such as WannaCry .  WannaCry targets older versions of Microsoft Windows systems.  That means if you are using our data center service to host your CPAnywhere, then you don’t need to worry about the present threat.  However, if you host your own CPAnywhere on an older Windows platform, then the data in the mapped folder might be at risk of being encrypted.  We strongly recommend that you update your Windows to the latest version.

Will CSA be attacked?

Yes.  CSA is a networked or stand-alone system operates under Windows environment.  If you are still using Windows XP, 7 or 2000, then your chance of being attacked by WannaCry is imminent.  That means if you host your data on a Windows network drive with the write permission enable or simply rest in the stand-alone PC, then the data in the mapped folder or the PC folder might be at risk of being encrypted.  We urge you update your Windows to the latest version for protection.

How can I protect myself against other ransomware in the future?

CPAnywhere:  At the end of the day, the system will copy the data to an offsite Networked Attached Servers (NAS) for safe keeping.  Every week, we will backup that data to another offline NAS for safe keeping.  If anything happens to the Internet, we can restore the data backup easily and run it on local server until the Internet comes back on.  We also suggest that you can install a dedicated Networked Attached Server to receive the data backup from our data center every night for triple protection.

CSA:  Always backing up your data regularly and frequently.  Make sure that you have multiple copies of your data in an offsite location on a rotation basis.  If anything happens, we can always restore your system in a working situation if you have a data backup.

What is an encryption-based ransomware?

Encryption-based ransomware, such as WannaCry, encrypts files stored on computers network drives. Once infected, you are left with the option to either pay the ransom to regain access to your files or give up all your precious data previously stored on the computer or storage device.  Since this ramsonware originates from the National Security Agency of the USA, it specifically seeks the “back door” of the Windows system, with or without the knowledge of Microsoft, to initiate the attack, the damage is controllable.  All they need to do is to close that “back door”.  That’s why you need to update your Windows system constantly.

Steps to take when discovering ransomware infection

If you happen to encounter a ransomware attack, do not panic.  Turn off your Internet connection, WiFi, or pull out your network cable.  Make sure that you are off the Internet completely.  The next step is use the anti-virus software to clean up the infection.  Afterward, load a copy of your backup data to the system.

Call us at 2521-3110 if you need help!