An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. Or, to paraphrase, the right type of cyber security protection can save its users a lot of headaches and a lot of dollars.

Al Alper, founder and CEO of Absolute Logic (www.absolutelogic.com), created and brought to market a strong cyber security protection suite of technology and services called CyberGuard360. The technology in this suite, he notes, successfully protected its users against the horrendous effects of the cyberattack that took down so many systems worldwide in the past few days.

First reported in England, where hackers gained access to the National Health Service computers, and effectively shut down the entire system, the attack spread to nearly a dozen other countries. In many cases, businesses and organizations were effectively paralyzed, with the hackers demanding ransom. In cyber attacks such as these, files can be encrypted or ‘scrambled’ into an unreadable format unless you have a key, and only the hacker has the cipher. The other, more damaging side effect is that the user is locked out of his/her system, unable to access their information.

The attack as described Friday had devastating consequences: doctors and nurses could not access email or medical records. Reports revealed that in England, computers showed messages from hackers demanding $300 in bitcoin in exchange for a decryption key to unlock files. This was such a widespread hack that hackers even set up a help line to answer questions about how to pay ransom.

And it may not be over yet.

Alper said that the attack relies on the WannaDecryptor, also known as WannaCry or WCRY. These attacks are constantly being “tweaked” and are difficult to spot. Alper noted, “The Wannacry ransomware attack last week wreaked havoc worldwide, bringing medical facilities, government institutions and businesses on at least 4 continents to a screeching halt. The effects are still being felt as new victims are being attacked when they turn on their computers each morning.”

He noted that his customers who use his CyberGuard360 did not fall victim to this malicious, criminal attack. “The anti-ransomware technology in CyberGuard360 blocked the ransomware and restored any deleted or encrypted files. CyberGuard360 is committed to the protection of our customers and the safety and security of their data.”

Absolute Logic recently brought CyberGuard360 to market. It is a suite of cybersecurity solutions, which were developed in part to meet the stringent compliance requirements for businesses and organizations impacted by the recent New York State Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Regulation (23 NYCRR 500). This new legislation impacts any organization overseen by New York’s Department of Financial Services (DFS), and is intended to anticipate, address, and thwart cybercriminals. And, the regulations for New York will likely be adopted in other states. Absolute Logic has been a leader in this field through its membership and participation on the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force, FBI InfraGard, and the National Cyber Security Alliance.

He said, “We are always adapting and improving upon the protections we share with our clients. Staying ahead of this growing threat requires vigilance. We understand that this is not a static environment. CyberGuard 360 is a strong, robust protection against threats, one we constantly update.”

About Absolute Logic

Since 1991, Absolute Logic has been providing Fortune 500-style security and IT services, technical support and technology consulting to businesses of up to 250 employees. The firm’s original client base was comprised largely of independent insurance agencies, law firms and dental practices; today, these industries remain a key part of the company’s clientele but Absolute Logic has expanded its scope of services to represent more than 40 different industries. Services include managed IT services and consulting, cloud computing, virtualization, email and spam protection, backup and disaster recovery, VoIP solutions, network security, and more. Absolute Logic serves the IT and related needs of Connecticut and New York. Founder and CEO Al Alper is a national speaker on IT and security issues and has authored several articles and books; his recent one being “Revealed! The Secrets to Protecting Yourself from Cyber-Criminals.” To obtain a copy, or to request Al Alper as a speaker for a business organization, please call (203) 936-6680. Absolute Logic maintains corporate offices at 44 Old Ridgefield Road, Suite 216, Wilton, CT, and also operates a satellite location at 300 International Drive, Suite 100, in Williamsville, NY. Please visit the firm’s website at www.absolutelogic.com, and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter.