Buzz
EternalRocks is the next virus after WannaCry that computer users worldwide are currently facing. While the measures to prevent WannaCry are still inconclusive, the appearance of EternalRocks adds to the concern about data security for users. However, one expert believes that to prevent EternalRocks, you can also apply the measures to prevent WanaCry as mentioned in the article.
Once infected with WannaCry, the victim's computer cannot use the data when it has been encrypted. At that point, we only have 2 options: pay the ransom or reformat the entire hard drive, accepting the loss of all data and reinstalling Windows to completely remove WannaCry from the computer.
This malware damages computers and causes system failures, resulting in significant losses for organizations including schools, hospitals, banks, airports, etc. Victims of cyberattacks are asked to pay a ransom of 300 USD to decrypt or recover their computer data. However, in reality, even after these victims pay the ransom, their Windows computers remain encrypted. Many people have tried to remove WannaCry from their computers, but most attempts to remove WannaCry have failed.
WannaCry exploits the EternalBlue vulnerability, developed by the NSA (United States National Security Agency) to attack Windows operating systems, especially on older versions like Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and earlier versions. This is because the security level on these operating systems is weak and easily compromised.
Although the Kill Switch solution has slowed down the spread of this malware, variants like Wanna Decrypt0r 2.0 and other variants have begun spreading on an uncontrollable scale.
5 Methods to Prevent WannaCry
Method 1: Close ports 445, 135, 138 to block Ransomware WannaCry
On Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7, as well as older versions like Windows Vista, XP, or Windows 2000, closing ports 445, 135, 138, 139 is necessary to prevent attacks from malware, especially WannaCry.
When the ports are in the LISTENING state, WannaCry and other malware can easily attack your computer and demand ransom. To check if these ports are open:
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt window.
Step 2: Enter the command below into the Command Prompt window:
netstat -na
Step 3: Press Enter.
If the status of ports 135, 445, and 139 is LISTENING, you can apply one of the following three methods to close the ports.
- Close ports 445, 135, 138, 139 through Firewall:
Step 1: Open Control Panel.
Step 2: Find and click on Windows Firewall.
Step 3: Then click on Advanced Settings.
Step 4: Click on Inbound Rule .
Step 5: In the right panel, find and click on New rule .
Step 6: Choose Port .
Step 7: Click on Next .
Step 8: Select Specific local ports .
Step 9: Enter 135, 137, 138, 139, 445 .
Step 10: Click on Next .
Step 11: Choose Block the connection .
Step 12: Click on Next .
Step 13: Tick the 3 checkbox boxes and then click on Next .
Step 14: In the Name box, type in Close the port .
Step 15: Click on Finish .
Double-click on the rule you just created to verify the ports.
- Close ports 445, 135, 138, 139 via Command Line:
Open Command Prompt, then enter the following command lines to close the ports:
netsh advfirewall set allprofile state on
Block TCP port 445:
Block TCP port 135:
Block TCP port 138:
Block TCP port 139:
- Close ports 445, 135, 138, 139 using Registry tweaks
In addition to the above methods, you can also use Registry tweaks to prevent WannaCry.
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
Step 2: Type regedit into the Run window and press Enter.
Step 3: In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\NetBT\Parameters
Note:
If you're using Windows 10 Creators Update, you can directly paste the key into the address bar and press Enter.
Step 4: In the Parameters key, right-click on any blank space in the right pane and select New.
Step 5: Choose DWORD (32-bit) Value or QWORD (64-bit) Value.
Step 6: Name the value you just created SMBDeviceEnabled.
Step 7: Double-click on SMBDeviceEnabled.
Step 8: Change the value in the Value Data box to 0.
Note:
Registry Editor is the 'sensitive' database of Windows, so you should back up Registry Editor before making adjustments to avoid any mishaps.
Additionally, you can explore some other methods to close port 445 on Windows to block the WannaCry virus and other network ports.
Method 2: Disable the Server Service to Protect Windows Computers from Cyberattacks
In addition to disabling TCP ports, if you're using a laptop or Windows 7 computer, disabling the server service is also important.
1. Open the Windows Services window by pressing Windows + R to open the Run window, then type services.msc into it and press Enter.
2. Find and double-click on the service named Server.
3. In the Server Properties window (Local Computer), set the Startup type to Disable.
4. Click the Stop button.
5. Click Apply =>OK.
To further enhance the security of your Windows computer and prevent WannaCry, repeat the steps to disable each TCP port individually.
Method 3: Install Windows Security Patch to Prevent Ransomware WannaCry
Additionally, you can download security patches to enhance the security level and protect data on your Windows computer. Microsoft has released a special security patch for Windows XP and WindowsServer2003 on May 13. Furthermore, for Windows 7 users, you can install patch MS17-010 to prevent the WannaCrypt virus.
Download links for available security patches:
- Download the patch for Windows XP Update SP2 64bit
- Download the patch for Windows XP Update SP3 32bit
- Download the patch for Windows XP Update SP3 Embedded 32bit
- Download the patch for Windows 7 Update 64bit
- Download the patch for Windows 7 Update 32bit
- Download the patch for Windows 8 Update 64bit
- Download the patch for Windows 8 Update 32bit
- Download the patch for Windows Server 2003 Update SP2 64bit
- Download the patch for Windows Server 2003 Update SP2 32bit
You can also download these security patches on Mac, then copy them to a USB drive, boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode, and install them.
Method 4: Create a Backup and Restore Point to Backup and Protect Data
System files such as hardware device drivers, ... and data such as images, applications, documents, ... are important data on your computer that you need to protect.
However, WannaCry can attack any user's computer, and you are no exception. Therefore, creating a backup and restore point to back up and protect data is very important.
You don't need to manually create backup and restore points, you can use third-party applications to do this quickly.
A third-party application that Free Download wants to introduce to you is Driver Talent. You can use Driver Talent to back up drivers and the operating system.
Driver Talent is both a professional driver and a system backup utility, providing all the driver versions you have backed up for recovery.
Download Driver Talent to your computer and install it here: Download Driver Talent
Follow the steps below to back up drivers or create a backup and restore point.
1. Open the Driver Talent application you just downloaded and installed, click Scan to access the Backup menu.
2. Select the drivers you want to back up, then click Start .
3. Choose the Restore menu and select the System Restore tab in the right column.
4. Click System restore point and set a name for the backup and restore point.
5. Click Create to generate a restore point.
Method 5: Adopting Good Computer Habits
Most of the main reasons computers get infected with viruses are due to users' bad habits. For example, curiosity, clicking on harmful links or emails, using simple passwords, never using antivirus software to scan the computer, rarely updating drivers, etc. These habits can reduce the security level of both laptops and computers, making them vulnerable to Ransomware WannaCry attacks.
Below are some habits you should adopt when using a computer to avoid virus and malware attacks as well as minimize the risk of Ransomware WannaCry attacks:
1. Never ever click on a link or an email of unknown origin.
2. Activate Windows Defender as well as Windows Firewall and adjust Internet settings to a higher security level.
3. Enable automatic Windows Update or regularly install security patches released by Microsoft.
4. Back up important data such as documents, images, etc., regularly.
5. Install antivirus programs to enhance security.
Here are 5 ways to prevent WannaCry from attacking your computer data. Hope these methods will be helpful to you.
On Windows XP, in addition to updating the Update version, users have another way to block WannaCry on Windows XP, which is to close ports (Port) 445, 135, 137, 139. For more details, refer to how to block Wanna Cry on Windows XP, close port (port) 445, 135, 137, 139
Malware types all harm users' computers, and there are many ways to protect your computer from malware attacks. However, not everyone understands them all. If interested, you can refer to 7 ways to protect your computer from malware here. Wish you effective and safe computer usage.
