Hospitals, schools and businesses across the world continue to recover from "ransomware" cyber attacks launched Friday, May 12.

Vulcan's David Swan, a Director with the Cyber Intelligence Defence Centre says Canada didn't suffer too badly.

At least no yet.

"We did miss the Windows XP attack to a large extent because we (Canadians) have more copies, or a higher percentage of licensed copies of Microsoft software, and it's not as easy to attack."

Swan Says Friday's attacks were based at systems using Windows XP, but things like your Apple or Android smart phones are high on the list of targets.

"There are some very sophisticated criminals who've decided that if you own an Apple anything, you have money, therefore we want to get at your information."

Swan says a second round of attacks are expected as early as Monday, May 15.

Swan says even running the most well protected edition of Windows XP is like driving a 20 year old car.

No matter how well maintained it is, or what new parts are on it, it's still that same basic 20 year old car when you look at the frame.

He says old Windows operating systems, which are still used by Alberta Health Services, including those at the High River and Vulcan Hospitals, are particularly vulnerable to attack because they weren't designed against modern hackers.

He says the best way to avoid being hacked, or having your information held for ransom, is to upgrade your operating system from Windows XP, and to maintain your system updates and virus software.