The government last evening issued a cybersecurity alert in wake of a global “ransomware attack” that was in progress.
A statement from the Ministry of the Presidency said the Guyana National Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (GNCIRT) confirmed that a global ransomware attack was currently in progress.
“The self-spreading ransomware, known as ‘Wanna Cry’ or ‘Wanna Decryptor’, exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft’s Windows operating system,” it said.
“It is believed that this ransomware is spread through phishing emails, malicious adverts on websites, and questionable apps and programs,” it added.
As a result, web users were advised to be extremely cautious in their online activities. The statement advised that users do not open unsolicited or suspicious emails or links therein; do not open attachments included in unsolicited e-mails; do not click on links to unfamiliar or nefarious websites; and do not download applications and programs that have not been verified by an official store.
It said that in the event that a user’s computer has been infected with the ‘Wanna Cry’ ransomware, they should disconnect and quarantine the infected system by removing it from their network and apply the latest Microsoft patch to all computer systems (see Microsoft’s Security Bulletin MS17-010).
For further information and support, the GNCIRT can be contacted at 660-6074 or 231-8820 ext. 221 or 222; or info@cirt.gy. Future updates will be provided as more information becomes available, the statement added.
