15 May 2017
The States of Jersey, including the Health and Social Services Department, is not currently affected by the 'WannaCry/wannacrypt' ramsomware attack that has affected organisations across the world and disrupted UK Government services.
This attack highlights the increasing threat posed by cyber crime. Even technologically advanced companies and governments with sophisticated cyber security defences are vulnerable. Jersey is no different; we are exposed to the same risks, which is why earlier this year the Government of Jersey launched its Cyber Security Strategy and is investing £1.9m in measures that will help the Island to remain a safe place in which to live and do business.
Cyber Security Strategy
What we have done so far
- Over the weekend the Cyber Security Task Force liaised to coordinate information sharing
- A very small number of our PCs run Windows XP, in order that machinery reliant on that operating system can continue to be used. We have prioritised the application of XP patches that have been released by Microsoft in order to keep those PCs secure
- We have scanned the entire network for vulnerabilities
- We are monitoring the email gateway for unusual traffic – nothing seen so far
- We have further locked down our internet filtering, so that unclassified sites cannot be accessed
- We have sent out a communication to all States users with instructions to reduce risks of being affected
However, there is no room for complacency. We will continue to monitor the network, and any updates or learning points from the past few days will be implemented as quickly as possible.
Advice to Islanders
- Islanders are nonetheless advised to stay vigilant. To help protect yourself from this attack
- Back up data, photos and other sensitive information that is important to you
- Ensure you have installed the latest updates on your computer or device
- Make sure you have proper antivirus software installed on your machine
- Avoid clicking on links or email attachments from unfamiliar or unknown sources
Further guidance on how to protect against ramsomware and other cyber threats can be found on the National Cyber Security Centre website.
National Cyber Security Centre - 10 Steps: Malware prevention