As reported by cybersecurity experts Cylance, the best fix is to block traffic sent outbound from your computer through your software firewall or through your router, on TCP 139 and TCP 445. This will block SMB communication between your network and the Internet, and if the change is made on the network firewall, you will still be able to use SMB between devices on your local network. Our guide to the Windows Firewall explains how to create these rules in just a few seconds; for your router, you’ll need to check the device documentation.
Can you please distill into instructions suitable for sales reps like me (if you can even dumb it down that far)?
I can give you a general description, but the details necessary for useful "instructions" are going to be different for each situation, and this comment would be many pages long and anybody's eyes would glaze over, not just a sales rep's. :) But there's some hope... read on please...
The basic concept is that between your computer and the internet, there are a couple of devices, or software functions, which can selectively block connections between your computer and the internet. You can control what data is permitted to go in each direction, and that control function is called a "firewall".
1. A software firewall is present on your computer (you can find "Windows Firewall" in the ControlPanel), and it should be turned ON.
2. There's usually a firewall function in your Wireless (WiFi) modem/router in your home or small office.
3. And most corporate offices with networking have a fancy hardware firewall in their server room.
In each of those three situations, the firewall mainly blocks inbound connections (from the internet) and is very open about outbound connections (to the internet).
But for this vulnerability, you need to block some outbound connections.
Connections are made on "ports" that are numbered from 1 to 65535. The ports numbered 139 and 445 carry SMB information that lets you connect to network shared drives, like shared folders on your company server. When that connection is made, private information like your network password is transferred; this is normal.
The problem with this vulnerability is that it can allow a hacker on the internet to get that private information, if those ports are open to the internet.
So the ports 139 and 445 should be blocked at your Wireless modem/router or corporate firewall. The detailed instructions on how to do that are specific to each make and model of router and corporate firewall.
You generally do NOT want to block the ports on your computer's firewall because if you do, you won't be able to connect to network shared drives and folders.
The communications "protocol" that makes the connection is called "TCP"; there are a few different protocols used in these connections, and you want to block TCP on those ports.
If you know the specific make and model of the firewall device you need to work with, I can perhaps find instructions on the internet and help decode them for you.