Major Ransomware Cyber Attack Underway Around the Globe

[swamprat]

We are almost primarily Windows 7 computers and I didn't have any trouble with updates...other than some of them taking a while to download. We have 4 XP computers that I think I'm going to replace. Finishing up tomorrow. I'm beat for today.

 

I have 3 of them that just sit there and spin in windows update. One ran for 8 hours and didn't compete a single one.

[Wireman]

I have 3 of them that just sit there and spin in windows update. One ran for 8 hours and didn't compete a single one.

 

I have a trick for that... Click start and choose the Shut Down option with Windows updates on it. Little update icon. It will do the updates during the shutdown process and seems to get around the spinning issue.

[98NCCalum]

I have a trick for that... Click start and choose the Shut Down option with Windows updates on it. Little update icon. It will do the updates during the shutdown process and seems to get around the spinning issue.

I have 4 doing this, but they are Server 2012 and I don't have that option.

 

I have 400 servers to make sure they're updated tonight. I'm not even a quarter of the way through. We have most of this automated but I'm not taking any chances and I'm manually checking every one of them.

 

We haven't had a single customer get hit with this yet, and it's not going to happen on my watch, either.

 

It's going to be a LONG night!

 

I do have successful backups of everything, thank God. So just in case, I am covered.

[Wireman]

I have a vendor that doesn't want me to update their servers. I'm not sure what to do about those. Makes me very nervous.

[UKMustangFan]

Is this only affecting businesses and/or Microsoft users?

[Voice of Reason]

Reports out that they now believe this hacking attack originated in North Korea.

[Just Jim]

I have Norton Security on my computers and they sent out a message saying "don't worry, you are coverered". I'm good.

[swamprat]

I have a trick for that... Click start and choose the Shut Down option with Windows updates on it. Little update icon. It will do the updates during the shutdown process and seems to get around the spinning issue.

 

Normally I would, but unfortunately there is no update icon on the shutdown button, indicating that widows did not or was unable to find any updates to install.

[swamprat]

I have 3 of them that just sit there and spin in windows update. One ran for 8 hours and didn't compete a single one.

 

I got 2 of them fixed. 1 had an office update causing a log jam. On another I had to turn off the Widows Update service and install some security updates manually.

 

The last one is still driving me nuts. It's dual boot jobby (Win 7 and XP) that my last assistant set up. Wish I'd never let him do that.

[98NCCalum]

I got 2 of them fixed. 1 had an office update causing a log jam. On another I had to turn off the Widows Update service and install some security updates manually.

 

The last one is still driving me nuts. It's dual boot jobby (Win 7 and XP) that my last assistant set up. Wish I'd never let him do that.

 

Have you cleared the database? Why not just wipe that and get rid of the dual boot?

[swamprat]

Have you cleared the database? Why not just wipe that and get rid of the dual boot?

 

Can't. I've been unable to restore the individual instances to individual virtual machines, for some reason. VMWare and the backup of a dual boot instance do not like each other at all. I've tried a creating a virtual machine from the instances, too, and that does not work either. I'm going to have to try and do a restore to another workstation for each instance and I don't currently have the spare boxes. I also don't know if that will work either.

 

It's the accounting manager's workstation, too. So downtime is critical and there is software she's loaded without telling me that is mission critical and we have no installation media for it and no way to get it. The XP machine has vendor proprietary software that will only run on XP and we do not have the installation media for that either. :banghead:

[98NCCalum]

Can't. I've been unable to restore the individual instances to individual virtual machines, for some reason. VMWare and the backup of a dual boot instance do not like each other at all. I've tried a creating a virtual machine from the instances, too, and that does not work either. I'm going to have to try and do a restore to another workstation for each instance and I don't currently have the spare boxes. I also don't know if that will work either.

 

It's the accounting manager's workstation, too. So downtime is critical and there is software she's loaded without telling me that is mission critical and we have no installation media for it and no way to get it. The XP machine has vendor proprietary software that will only run on XP and we do not have the installation media for that either. :banghead:

That entire thing sounds AWFUL!

[TAC]

Folks I strongly suggest you buy a large drive to use as a back up. It is very painful to lose your information. I found out the hard way. I back it up at least once a month now.

[doomer]

Hit my home PC. I was advised to call an 888 number. I did, and the person on the phone advised he was a Microsoft certified professional and would walk me through the issues and there wasn't a cost, ending with I needed to pay $199.99 for 1-year protection to clean off the virus. I hung up on him and disconnected from the internet and ran a full scan with McAphee which took hours, then I deleted all internet cookies, etc.. Mrs. doomer tells me the computer is working fine today. I hope people that do these things lose use of their typing fingers.

[Wireman]

Hit my home PC. I was advised to call an 888 number. I did, and the person on the phone advised he was a Microsoft certified professional and would walk me through the issues and there wasn't a cost, ending with I needed to pay $199.99 for 1-year protection to clean off the virus. I hung up on him and disconnected from the internet and ran a full scan with McAphee which took hours, then I deleted all internet cookies, etc.. Mrs. doomer tells me the computer is working fine today. I hope people that do these things lose use of their typing fingers.

 

That one is a little different. It's still a scam but be thankful...that one doesn't encrypt all of your personal files at least.

 

By the way, the alert and number is all part of the scam. In the future, you should never call them and always make sure you never give any personal information.