Currently there is a global cyber attack on Windows systems. In this attack a vulnerability is exploited in order to implant a ransomware malicious software (WannaCry) that encrypts files on the system and makes it unusable.
The malicious code is distributed mainly via e-mails. Once it has penetrated a system like a corporate network, it spreads worm-like and attacks unpatched server and workstation systems.
If a computer is infected with the malicious software and the data is encrypted, it is lost irretrievably. It is therefore recommended to take some precautions:
How can I protect myself?
- Look carefully at the mails you receive before opening them and pay attention to trusted senders.
- Do not open file attachments in suspicious mails.
- Be particularly careful with e-mails with alleged bills or office files, which are often used to distribute Trojans.
- Always keep your operating system, browser and all other programs used on the currently available software state of the art.
- Periodically back up your data to an external storage device such as a hard drive, a USB memory stick, or a trusted cloud storage.
- Do not keep this memory permanently connected to your computer. In the case of an infection by an encryption Trojan, data and system backups are often the only way to restore the affected files and systems and to avoid major damage.
According to current knowledge, Deutsche Telekom's systems are not affected at home or abroad. There are also no reports of infections from customer systems, which are managed by Telekom.
In March, there was a patch provided for the security gap by Microsoft, which Deutsche Telekom immediately rolled out.
