We can help protect you and your business from cyberattacks

The WannaCry ransomware attack was a May 2017 worldwide cyberattack by the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm, which targeted computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system by encrypting data and demanding ransom payments in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

The attack began on Friday, 12 May 2017, and within a day was reported to have infected more than 230,000 computers in over 150 countries. Parts of the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), Spain’s Telefónica, FedEx and Deutsche Bahn were hit, along with many other countries and companies worldwide.

There are a fair few things that you can do to keep your Windows based computers and devices safer against attacks like these. The first is to make sure you accept and install regular Windows updates from Microsoft (this applies to all operating system providers). Microsoft are constantly fixing bugs, improving their software, and writing in code and patches to help protect their Windows users against any viruses, malware or ransomware that they have been made aware of. We all know it’s a pain when your computer has to finish installing 37 updates before you can do anything, but it really is for the greater good!

It is also a good idea to always upgrade to the most recent version of the operating system available. On your personal computer or laptop this is relatively easy and painless, but obviously it needs a bit more planning across a business, but it really should be at the top of the to-do list if you want to stay safe. The reason why so much of the NHS was hit was because they were running older versions of Windows that were more vulnerable. You know that Microsoft and Apple will be running and using and testing their very latest operating systems at their HQ’s, and their support and updates will be very much more applicable to these versions to keep themselves safe from attacks, so it makes sense that we’d be safer to.

For your business phones, tablets, laptops etc. you could also look into management and security software. There is a lot out there to choose from, as we live in an age where it is more of a necessity than not, and in particular a product from IBM called Maas360 (which we do also sell, but that’s because it’s a pretty good product, so this is a plug as well as a bit of friendly advice!). IBM is a very well known name in the world of computers and technology, so it stands to reason that the solution they offer is pretty solid. MaaS360 is an easy-to-use mobile device management (MDM) platform which gives you a powerful suite of tools to handle the management and security of all your business devices.

More and more people are using their own handsets for work too, and there are lots of benefits to this, like flexible working, and lower hardware costs. But it can also leave corporate data open to attack via this channel, as there are some users that will say “no” to software updates as it slows down the candy crushing! By adding all your business devices, and any devices your staff use for work, to the MaaS 360 MDM systems, you will have one cloud portal to manage all mobile devices.
It’s Cloud-based, so you can go online and manage all their mobile devices from virtually anywhere. Add, remove and set up devices. Control Wi-Fi settings and software updates. Encrypt devices to protect business data. Find, lock and wipe lost phones and tablets. Separate corporate data from other activity on your devices. It detects and fixes mobile malware on iOS and Android devices. Think of MaaS360 as a quick and easy way to make sure all mobile devices are secure. It prevents the bad things from getting in, and the good things from leaking out of a business network.

And now IBM MaaS360 with Watson (the IBM cognitive AI) further enhances the approach to management and security of your business devices and their apps and data. The IBM MaaS360 Insight Advisor on the homepage of MaaS360 with Watson is pro-active with prompts and warnings, so now your IT department can discover emerging threats, fix existing vulnerabilities and predict future problems. Job done!

Call us on 01273 424220 or email us on info@cellularsol.co.uk to find out more about Maas360 or other security solutions for your business.