NHS cyber-attack: lessons need to be learned

[evilquoll]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39906019

Although that article has a glaring error

It has been reported that up to 90% of NHS hospitals are still using the Windows XP programme[sic]

For a start, it's "program" — a "programme" is something on TV. And WinXP is an operating system, not a program.

My usual hospital (King's College London) was using WinXP as late as December 2014. Fortunately, they have now switched to Win7, which as far as I know doesn't suffer the flaw which the crackers exploited, so I for one am (probably) safe — for now.

[n5bb]

Since this virus is very new and the results are devastating, it's critical for everyone to apply the Microsoft patches to all Windows computers.

• In March Microsoft released patches for normally supported operating systems (such as Windows Vista, 7, 8.1, and 10). Use the normal operating system Windows Update process (either automatic or manual). Details are at:
  https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS17-010
  
• But Windows XP and Windows 8 are NOT normally supported with patches any more. Windows 8 is not Windows 8.1. Microsoft has decided to release a special patch for these unsupported old operating systems. You have to use the manual Microsoft links at the following URL to get these security patches:
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/...crypt-attacks/

The new WanaCrypt virus is very dangerous! Read more here:

• https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/05/u-k-hospitals-hit-in-widespread-ransomware-attack/
• https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/05/microsoft-issues-wanacrypt-patch-for-windows-8-xp/
• https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/05/...-26000-so-far/

Bill

[chickadee]

Here's another excellent article on the cyber attack:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er-attack.html

I highly recommend it.

[evilquoll]

You "highly recommend" an article on the Daily Fail? What does it say this time; that the attack was caused by obesity, or by immigrants, or by the unemployed, or by all three?