Combating Windows Ransomware Vulnerability

Combating Windows Ransomware Vulnerability

By June 7, 2017 May 23rd, 2018 Automation, Control, Orca Blog

Patches, PowerShell and Backups

WannaCry? No need to by following these tips.

Tom Walat at TechTarget wrote a helpful article on the vulnerabilities of Windows to ransomware. http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/blog/The-Windows-Server-Notebook/Latest-Windows-ransomware-attack-exposes-hard-truths/

Citing examples from England’s healthcare systems which experienced problems with their telephone switchboards, email, and hospital IT systems, Walat lays out a few recommendations. These include:  

  • Locking systems down by following the advice of reputable security blogs
  • Applying security updates and patches without delay

Is PowerShell the answer?

Walat also recommended using “PowerShell for a rapid response”, noting that a “small PowerShell script could pull hundreds — or thousands — of computer names out of Active Directory and query them to quickly check whether they contain security updates related to the MS17-010 security bulletin.” In the next sentence, the author acknowledges “There’s a bit of a learning curve with PowerShell.”

So how can Orca help?

Some teams are more proficient at PowerShell scripting than others, especially in the heat of a rapid response moment. With its built-in integrations to Windows, IIS, SQL Server and MSMQ,  Orca centrally and securely deploys pre-validated PowerShell-based changes without requiring that typical PowerShell learning curve or exposing the org to even more damage from a scripting error.

Orca incorporates IIS, MS SQL Server, MSMQ and SharePoint PowerShell scripts for config management & app release. Learn more here

Orca’s built-in PowerShell scripts:

  • Automatically determine existing configuration settings
  • Automatically compare configurations at different points in time, against a gold standard or both
  • Automatically detect configuration drift and compliance violations. Automatically detect schema changes. 
  • Automatically remediate or rollback configurations errors
  • Automatically deploy planned configuration and schema changes 
  • Automatically backup and restore configurations (supporting another Walat recommendation for “bulletproof backups.”)
  • Automate application release in Windows, Linux and Unix environments

To learn more about centrally and securely automating your Windows, IIS, SQL Server environment, request a custom demo walkthrough here.

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