[Webinar] Decrypting the WannaCry ransomware: Why is it happening and (how) is it going to end?

[Steve Kinney]

On 05/17/2017 07:25 PM, Cecilia Tanaka wrote:

>> The webinar tends to make an analysis of the main technological, geopolitical, legal, and economic
>> aspects of the ransomware. Experts from different fields will discuss
>> why ransomware has become a major issue: Can such attacks be prevented
>> by technological measures alone? Is there a need for a legal response,
>> such as Microsoft’s proposal for the Digital Geneva Convention? Is
>> raising more awareness among users the ultimate solution?
>>
>> The webinar will discuss whether it is possible to put a stop to
>> malicious software, or whether they should be considered the price we
>> have to pay for the many advantages of the Internet. Choices on policy
>> will have to be made sooner rather than later. The aim of the
>> discussion is to explore and help make informed policy choices.
>>
>> -----
>> Nancy Quiros
>> Development Manager LAC Chapters
> 
> Thank you for the clarification, Nancy!  Very much appreciated!  <3

*sigh*

The question "Can such attacks be prevented by technological measures
alone" has a very simple answer: Yes.  Just stop using Microsoft
operating systems and the problem goes away.

Microsoft could fix their horribly broken product any time, but they
never will:  Maintaining the highest rates of failure, repair and
replacement the market will bear creates a large revenue stream that
would not otherwise exist.  Security failure is the best approach:
Loyal Microsoft customers attribute the damage done to malicious third
parties, and the process of repairing that damage creates a
multi-million dollar bump in annual sales for Microsoft.

There will always be "security issues" in networked computing.  But at
least 95% of real world lost time and lost data incidents observed today
have a single and easily remedied cause:  Microsoft.

Mr. Miyagi say, "Best block is no be there."  In the case at hand,
that's the only block that really works.  Microsoft security fail
imposes either a large amount of busy work and extra costs on the user,
or exposes the user to unacceptable risks.  That's a lose/lose
situation, whether one is a Security Guru or clueless user.

Now let's see who jumps in to defend Microsoft:  There's always somebody
out there who believes that "stupid people get what they deserve" and
makes a business model out of that.

:o/






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