We all hear the news: Ransomware attacks are an unfortunate part of cyber life. To make matters worse, business is so good for these criminals that they are developing increasingly sophisticated threats. This results in companies losing access to their data and potentially putting their entire business at risk. These poorly protected organizations are often forced to pay the ransom in the "hope" that their data will actually be released. Ransomware recovery is very expensive and time-consuming.
Data security provides the services to protect critical business data from unwanted access and misuse. Plus, it secures large amounts of files from deletion, viruses, and theft. Data security providers support companies with data protection through steps like authorization, authentication, encryption, and password management. Other common data security methods include masking and erasing data. Enterprise security also offers data protection services in the event of file loss or corruption.
Ransomware begins by downloading malicious software into any device, such as a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. This usually occurs due to user error and ignorance of enterprise security risks. A common way to spread malware is through phishing attacks. An attacker attaches an infected document or URL to an email. While disguising it as legitimate to trick users into opening it, thereby installing the malware on their device.
Ransomware can cause massive business damage, lost productivity, and often financial loss. The most obvious is the loss of files and data, which can cost hundreds of hours of work, or customer data, which is critical to the smooth running of your business. Added to this is the loss of productivity as machines become unusable.
In most cases, organizations take at least a week to restore their data. Then, of course, there is the financial loss of having to replace the infected computers, having to pay an IT company to fix the attack. Plus, putting a service for cyber attack protection. That’s why the recovery from ransomware is very vital for all type of businesses.
Detecting ongoing cyber attack protection is not enough. You should focus on preventing ransomware infection in the first place. You can do this by following the security measures listed below.
If you receive a call, text message, or email from an untrustworthy source requesting personal information, do not respond. Cybercriminals planning a ransomware attack may attempt to collect personal information in advance, which is then used to personalize phishing messages specifically for you. If you are in any doubt as to whether the message is legitimate, please contact the sender directly.
To minimize the risk of downloading ransomware, never download software or media files from unknown websites. Trust verified and trustworthy websites for downloads. Websites of this type can be recognized by their trust marks. A shield or lock icon in the address bar can also indicate that the site is secure. Also, be careful when downloading anything to your mobile device. Depending on the device, you can trust the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
In recent years, more and more ransomware attacks have become a business headline, and many companies are reconsidering and looking for different types of backup to protect their organizations from these growing threats. However, there are two types of backups. If your backup your data online, it could be hacked. On the other hand, local offline backups (backups that are stored in your organization’s physical space but are not connected to your organization’s electronic systems) are more secure and help you get back to normal faster if an attack occurs.
The ransomware can also enter your device through email attachments. Avoid opening attachments that appear untrustworthy. To ensure that the email is reliable, pay close attention to the sender and verify that the address is correct. Never open attachments that ask you to run macros to view them. If the attachment is infected, it will run a malicious macro when opened, allowing the malware to take control of your computer.
Never connect USB sticks or other storage media to your computer if you don't know where they came from. Cybercriminals may have infected the storage medium and stored it in a public place to trick someone into using it. Avoid these
Sargio Smith is a cybersecurity specialist who has extensive experience in handling ransomware attacks (from detection to recovery). He has been assisting companies to ward off and recover from every possible cyber-attack for quite some time. He has learned everything from risk management to networking basics, ciphers, and algorithms to security protocols.