Ransomware is not something you can resolve with a few clicks of the mouse. You can’t install a new anti-virus solution and expect it to work its magic. And you can’t call up your IT Provider and hope some nerdy tech will make everything new again within the hour. Ransomware doesn’t work that way.
Your business will be stuck. There will be downtime; there might be lost data, and there will probably be some angry clients and frustrated employees thrown into the mix somewhere. Ransomware will take your data, encrypt it, and force you to pay for the decryption key. If you attempt to decrypt your data without paying for it first, the malware might automatically destroy your data.
Obviously, none of this is necessarily considered a good thing. It’s not like any business out there is just asking to have their data kidnapped and held for ransom or that they’d welcome downtime with open arms. In fact, those are probably two scenarios no business ever wants. So, to avoid both of them, here’s what we suggest.
Keep everything updated.
Never let any part of your technology go without the updates they need to operate effectively. This includes your browser, software, plug-ins, and your operating system as a whole. When you postpone updates or fail to check for updates on a regular basis, you might be leaving gaps and vulnerabilities in your system that don’t need to be there. Hackers can use these holes to infect your system with malware like Ransomware.
Rely on a layered security solution.
You should never go without a full and legitimate security solution installed and implemented on your system. And you should always make sure this security solution is layered – which means you should have everything covered from anti-virus and firewalls to admin privileges and spam protection. If your solution isn’t layered, then you’re potentially creating unnecessary vulnerabilities. Someone somewhere can slip by where your defenses are weak or non-existent.
Stay away from phishing.
Phishing becomes a bigger problem with each passing day. All anyone has to do is email you a malicious link or attachment. If you make that fateful decision to click or download, then you can say hello to any form of ruthless malware that wants to come your way. Including Ransomware. Never click or download anything unless you’re positive it comes from a trusted source. And this expands beyond email to include any random website you stumble on.
Train your employees
Just because you know how to avoid Ransomware doesn’t mean all of your employees know how to. And if your employees don’t know how to avoid Ransomware (or if they don’t even know what it is), then your business is running on luck. Provide your team with regular cybersecurity training sessions and keep your team up-to-date with how-to’s, advice, and must-know’s.
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