Ransomware is a very troublesome issue that is becoming more and more serious. It has affected countless organizations and companies and unless you take this threat seriously and act immediately, there is no stopping these attacks.
Ransomware infects computers and encrypts them. It targets computer security and breaks it down through phishing emails, software vulnerabilities or by remotely compromising desktop protocols. It tricks its victims into installing the ransomware file on their computer and once they do, the malware searches for files on the computer and starts encrypting them. Documents, spreadsheets, images, videos and any other files that are important will all be affected and once the ransomware has encrypted enough of them, the victim will be notified that their computer has been infected and will no longer have access to their files because they will be locked out. This warning will also include instructions for payment with the promise that the key to decrypt the files will be delivered once payment is made. This is not true and many victims are unable to decrypt their files afterwards or can recover only a portion of them.
The reality is that once you are infected by a ransomware attack, there is no way to decrypt the locked files without the key. However, if your IT team takes the right steps, you can protect yourself against ransomware attacks. Having a properly configured back-up and recovery solution in place is the best place to start because it will allow you to successfully restore your files without paying the ransom. Your IT team should perform regular back-ups and must test them regularly to ensure that the restoration process works. If it does, you will have options and will be able to clean the infected computers on your network and can restore the files from your back-up storage as well.
Monitoring for malware is another form of protection from ransomware and this added layer of defense can help eliminate a number of digital threats. Anti-malware solutions will scan files for known malware and behaviour patterns found in different types of malware like ransomware and can detect attacks before your computers are infected. It’s important to remember that these types of solutions will only work if they are configured, updated and managed correctly.
Training your staff is another effective method of identifying potential attacks because the proper knowledge will not only allow them to spot a threat, but will help them deal with it as well. The right training will teach them what to do in the event of any suspicious activity and even if they are unable to stop the attack, reporting a threat early will make a big difference and help control any damage.
Micro Computer Consulting can provide you with more information regarding this problem and how to prevent it. We offer IT and cybersecurity services to help with this issue, so if you want peace of mind, contact us now!
