Important Letter to School Tech Leaders

Dear School Technology Leaders,​

There is a new computer security vulnerability named the wannacry virus that has caused many computer systems worldwide to fail in the past few days. The virus infects encrypts data files and demands the organization to pay to get the decryption key (ransomware).

Here are steps that you should follow regularly, plus special update instructions for this particular instance:

1. Back up data and ensure that you have a full backup retained for at least 1 week at all times. If files are encrypted, they are often more easily replaced with a backed up version than decrypted.

2. Update all Windows Defender and Windows Security essentials. Enabling automatic updates is a best practice. Update computer and firewall malware protection that you have installed. Some firewall manufacturers call malware protection Advanced Malware Protection.

3. Pay particular attention to Windows 8, XP and Windows Server 2003. See details on the update process for those operating systems in this Microsoft link.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/...crypt-attacks/

Contact Tom O'Callahan if you have any questions.

Peace,

Tom O'Callahan
Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic Schools
Technology Strategy and Planning
206.612.6356
tom.ocallahan@seattlearch.org