Reevert Offers Help to Small Businesses for Protection Against Global Ransomware Attacks

  GLENDALE, CA - 05/16/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

More than a dozen National Health Services hospitals in England and 150,000 other companies were hit during a crippling ransomware attack on Friday, including FedEx and Spain’s largest telecom. According to NPR.org, over 200,000 people around the world have been affected. As a Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) company, reevert Virtual Backup Appliance stayed up to date with the latest developments on the global attack. 

All attacks were linked to a major global cyberattack that hit over 150 countries. The attack appears to be carried out by hackers using a stolen tool created by the United States National Security Agency (NSA). As more people turn on their systems on Monday morning, it’s feared that the number will rise.

On Friday, the prime minister of England, Theresa May, confirmed that the incidents at NHS hospitals were not isolated incidents; they are part of an international cyberattack. 

In England, the NHS was a victim, forcing at least over 12 hospitals (unconfirmed to be as high as 40) to shut down their emergency rooms. The cyber-infection is said to have taken over patient records, appointment schedules, phone lines and emails; computers and medical equipment were rendered unusable and emergency rooms were forced to close. Each computer displayed a lock screen and demanded $300 (£233).

According to computer security expert Ross Anderson of Cambridge University, it appears to exploit a weakness in Microsoft software. Last December, it was discovered that 90% of NHS computers were still running on Windows XP, an operating system that Microsoft stopped supporting nearly two and a half years ago. 

Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, released a statement on Sunday criticising government's data storage methods. “The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call.”

Microsoft had released this “critical” security patch in March of this year but it’s said that many users simply hadn’t run it. 

"As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, there is simply no way for customers to protect themselves against threats unless they update their systems," Mr. Smith said.

Cybersecurity has become a growing concern and every business is at risk. It’s no longer a matter of IF you’ll be hit; more so, WHEN you’ll be hit with ransomware. Reevert recommends keeping software patches up to date as a prevention method, decreasing the chance of attackers exposing those vulnerabilities. Additionally, backing up your data is crucial to recovering in the event of a system lockdown. 

As a backup and storage solution with backup service capabilities, reevert can help your SMB recover from any disaster or attack in seconds without having to pay the ransom. Reevert is one of the most affordable backup solutions for SMBs - it’s a small investment for a more secure future. 

Data storage is a very serious matter and should be treated as such; don’t let yourself be a victim to ransomware. 

For more information and updates on this global ransomware attack or reevert Virtual Backup Appliance, please visit www.reevert.com