Alison launches free course on NotPetya virus protection

© Benjawan Sittidech – 123RF.com

On 27 June, 2017, the NotPetya virus initially appeared to be ransomware, as the virus claimed to be holding computer files hostage until a sum was paid, but it soon became clear that even upon payment, files would not be returned to the user.

Thus, NotPetya has been labelled a cyber-weapon, due to its intention to wreak chaos and havoc. This free online course will teach you about how the NotPetya virus has been spread, what the virus does once it takes hold of a network, and furthermore, what you can do to prevent an attack. If the NotPetya virus has already infected your computer, you will learn about potential solutions that may be able to assist you in the restoration of your device.

This free online course will be of great interest to those who believe they may be at risk to ransomware and cyber-attacks, those who wish to protect themselves from NotPetya or those who wish to understand how these cyber-attacks take place.

In May 2017, the ‘WannaCry’ ransomware virus was released causing severe difficulties across many computer systems worldwide. The free NotPetya course is the second course in a series to help protect the public against these attacks by raising awareness and expertise in dealing with these threats.

As one of the world’s first massive open online course (MOOC) providers, Alison is a for-profit social enterprise, with a goal to drive the cost of all education and skills training to zero. It provides over 800 free courses on a broad range of subjects including project management, IT skills, learning languages and business management skills.

For more information, go to alison.com/course/protect-your-pc-against-the-notpetya-cyber-attack.