"WannaCry" a reminder to be vigilant against malware

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As the “WannaCry” ransomware attack continues to wreak havoc around the world, security experts are urging users to stay vigilant online. Even when this attack comes to end, danger is always just one click away, they warn.

Mandeep Khera has been in the cyber security industry for two decades and his company Arxan protects both mobile and internet of things devices, including connected cars and medical devices. Although keeping software and operating systems updated is important, it often comes down to individual users, he said.

While this attack hit Windows XP, it would be a mistake for users of Macs or any other computer to think they are in the clear, according to Khera. He said other malwares can attack a diverse range of operating systems, and warned that cyber weapons like the one used in the recent attack can be bought by anyone on the deep web “for few hundred bucks."

If hit by this ransomware, “there is no way out” and users may be forced to pay the ransom to recover files, Khera said.

The expert said there are now many full-time cyber criminals, each able to make about 10,000 US dollars a week from their scams, with an estimated 50 percent of US companies vulnerable.

That is why Khera is even proposing that the government should provide tax relief to companies that properly invest in cyber security.