News | TCRA warns computer users, organisations against hackers

FOLLOWING reported incidents of widely spread computer malicious software, Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has advised computer users and organisations to report the instances to the National Computer Emergency Response Team (TZ-CERT).

The computer software, WannaCry Ransomware, had as of May 12, 2017 affected thousands of computers worldwide, infecting computer files.

TCRA Director General Engineer James Kilaba said in a statement in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the Ransomware is a malicious software family that infects and prevents users from accessing their files or systems.

“It either prevents users by locking the system’s screen or by encrypting the user’s files. Successful hackers termed Ransom demand certain amount of money to realize infected files from your computer,” the statement said.

However, Engineer Kilaba pointed out that after the ransom demand, the payment does not guarantee access to the infected files, advising the hacked computer users and organisations against paying the ransom.

He explained that the WannaCry Ransomware is infecting Windows based computers that have outdated and unpatched software specifically those with Microsoft Server Message Block 1.0 (SMBv1) vulnerability.

“The patch for this vulnerability was released by Microsoft earlier this year and users of Microsoft computers can secure their computers by installing the security patch,” he observed.