Global Cyber Attack

[Meepzorp]

Hi folks,

This post is regarding the global cyber attack that occurred on Thursday, which primarily affected Europe and Russia.

I live in the USA. I have a 1 1/2 year old HP computer with Windows 10. Windows Defender is my anti-virus protection. As I was going through my incoming emails that day and clicking through the links, I got a message on my computer stating "malware detected". It stated that Windows Defender was removing it.

I went into my Windows Defender. It stated that the malware was something called: "exploit...[something]...meadgive...[something]...". The alert level was "severe". However, my Windows Defender only quarantined it. It didn't remove it. So, I removed it myself.

I ran a quick virus scan, which took a few minutes. Everything appeared to be okay. I looked up that particular malware online. The website stated that this malware sometimes adds attachments to browsers. So, I looked into that, and everything appeared to be okay. I didn't notice any strange attachments.

The next morning (about 12 hours later), I did a full virus scan, which took over 4 hours. I got a message stating: "No threats were detected". So, I assume that everything is okay.

I was wondering if anyone received this message.

Also, I was wondering where I got the malware. Since it appears to have been centered in Europe, and I live in the USA, I assume that I got it from a European website. As I was going through my incoming emails that day, there was an email from a coin dealer in San Marino (Italy) informing me of an upcoming auction. I opened it and clicked on the link, which took me to his website. It was a few minutes after I visited that website when I got the message on my computer stating that something was trying to infect my computer with malware. Since that was the only European website I visited that day, and this cyber attack appears to have been centered in Europe, I assume that was the source. I haven't informed the dealer yet. I am only now piecing all of the clues together.

What does everyone think? Is my computer okay? Should I inform that dealer?

Meepzorp

[Molinari]

We were warned about it at work.  The emails would come in under familiar addresses but the attachments all had the same weird file name.  I don't have the file name handy right now.

[Joe Sermarini]

There are lots of Malware programs out there that have nothing to do with the big attack. Likely your Defender warning was for some other malware. Most malware is annoying but relatively harmless. If your computer was infected with the bad one, you would know. Your computer would have very obvious problems and a pop up would tell you where to send a bitcoin payment to get instructions on how to unscramble your files. If everything is working, then Defender has probably already fixed whatever it detected.

[Meepzorp]

There are lots of Malware programs out there that have nothing to do with the big attack. Likely your Defender warning was for some other malware. Most malware is annoying but relatively harmless. If your computer was infected with the bad one, you would know. Your computer would have very obvious problems and a pop up would tell you where to send a bitcoin payment to get instructions on how to unscramble your files. If everything is working, then Defender has probably already fixed whatever it detected.

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the reassuring words.

The fact that it may be a different type of malware did cross my mind. The name of the malware that attempted to infect my computer is completely different from the names I've seen given to the big cyber attack virus/worm that occurred at the end of last week.

My computer is not doing anything strange, and I didn't receive a message asking for a bitcoin payment.

So, I assume that (a) it is a different type of malware than the big cyber attack, and (b) my computer is okay.

But it did scare me because that never happened before. In the 1 1/2 years that I've owned this computer, I never received a message stating that my Windows Defender had detecting incoming malware.

Meepzorp

[PeterD]

Here in the UK the main casualty of the cyber attack was the National Health Service. Apparently some were still using Windows XP which is no longer supported by Microsoft.

Microsoft were aware of a problem and had issued a 'patch' some weeks ago. That is why Windows Defender was able to catch the threat (whatever it was) on your Win 10 computer.

My own anti-virus software informed me that it had stopped a 'threat' at about the time the attack happened but I just carried on as normal. Nothing to worry about.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Most likely nothing to do with the big attack, as has been said. The NHS was vulnerable because, firstly, they were still using XP, and secondly, the government cancelled the contract they had win Microsoft for security updates a year ago as a cost-cutting exercise. From what I've picked up, the main centres of the attacks were Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan.