Please, please, please read, listen and watch ALL newscasts/articles/Facebook posts or videos with a critical eye.
These past few days the news and Internet have been dominated with this ‘huge ransomware attack‘. Let’s start by talking about math. It is estimated that there are between 2.5 and 3 BILLION computers in the world today. The biggest number of affected computers in this recent attack is pegged at ‘almost 200,000‘.
Simple 3rd grade math tells us that the number of affected computers world wide is: .008% .
Does the amount of coverage and level of hysteria match something affecting .008% of anything?? I emphatically say, “NO, it does not.”
Also, if you read these articles a little closer, the other key things you will pick up on which make it a non-issue for most (99.992%) computer users include:
- Affects older Windows computers only
- Affects users who do NOT apply Windows updates
- As with almost ALL attacks these days, the USER has to initiate the problem via visiting an affected web site AND clicking a bad link or clicking through a bogus email
It’s interesting to me that this story follows on the heels of an article I wrote just last week recommending that the majority of small business and home computers users can easily get by and even thrive with an iPad or Chromebook for their primary computer. Neither of these systems were affected by this particular attack.
Further, if you take the time to read (and please share), my six year old article describing these types of attacks and how to avoid them, YOU will never fall prey to such an animal.
Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave a comment below!
