Cyber Attack

Yesterday Elisabeth told me about a cyber attack and asked whether there was still money in our bank account. I was busy programming the Freiburg-Madison-Gesellschaft website and only realized the extent of the attack when I later saw a picture taken at Freiburg's train station.

©BZ/Markus Hoffmann

Die Bahn, our federal railway, had suffered a cyber attack on its display system by the WannaCry virus. How was this possible? Officials immediately assured confused travelers* that the central signal system had not been attacked and the trains were safe, but for how long?
*It is not so much the time of departure but the Wagenreihung (wagon order) on display. When a train comes in, you'd better be near the wagon number you bought the seat reservation for because stops are brief.

While our federal bureau of investigation took up the matter, only a few details are now known. The Windows software on some computers used for official purposes had not been updated since March, so computer screens worldwide showed the following message.

Red Baron admits that a couple of years ago, he did not take the threat of cyber attacks seriously. Still, as time passed, he included the anti-virus package in his Internet contract with Deutsche Telekom. The advantage is that their Norton software is automatically updated against cyber attacks. However, one day it may be too late denn erst, wenn das Kind bereits in den Brunnen gefallen ist, deckt man den Brunnen zu (shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted).

I also try to upgrade my software as early as possible. When I talk to some friends, I am shocked that they still using Windows XP when surfing the Internet because it is the most successful Windows operating system? Microsoft no longer supports XP, but apparently, they rolled out a patch plugging the WannaCry security hole this time.

There is no absolute Internet security when you are connected to the world. This time, hospitals in the UK could no longer "operate." The cyber war is on; attacking flight security or electricity supply next time? 

Remember, hackers are always one step ahead, so experts fear a new blitz.

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