Ransomware is a very big threat and it could cause a lot of trouble for IT systems. Here’s how to protect your computer from ransomware attacks and keep your systems safe.
If you’ve sat through a cybersecurity training at any point in your life, you’ve probably heard of ransomware. But if you think that checking up once a year is enough to keep your computer safe, you’re whistling around the grave.
The cost of ransomware data recovery is a lot higher than you think.
Below, we break down a few ways to protect your computer from ransomware attacks. You may be surprised to find that they’re a lot easier than you think.
Back It Up
The single best way to outsmart hackers is to not be vulnerable in the first place. This means backing up important data daily.
It also means protecting both your computer and your backup data against hackers, as many ransomware hackers will first gain entry to your desktop or laptop and then work their way through the network to your backup servers.
So if you back up to a local server or storage device, make sure that these are offline and not directly connected to your desktop system. That way, even if a hacker got into your desktop, they wouldn’t be able to access your backups.
If you back up data to the cloud, make sure that the cloud has the appropriate security measures in place. If you share cloud space with other companies via a third-party provider, take every step to ensure your data is protected even if theirs is compromised.
And if you don’t know how to back up your computer? Take a look at this article.
Be Wary of Suspicious Links or Emails
Every hacker has a favorite starter bait: the “spray ‘n’ pray” phishing attack, usually through suspicious links or emails that carry a malicious attachment or instruct you to open a URL.
Once you do, congratulations: you’ve got malware crawling in your machine.
But hackers don’t just trick you with emails. Another successful method is called malvertising, which is when hackers embed malware into ads delivered by sites you trust, like The New York Times, compromising both the advertiser’s network and your machine.
On this front, adblockers are your best friend. Malicious ads can’t get through to you if your browser is blocking all ads from the beginning.
And if you’re not sure what a suspicious email looks like, here are three warning signs that something’s phishy.
Patch Your Software
It’s like flossing your teeth–something you should be doing daily and probably aren’t.
A software patch is when your software provider rolls out an update that will help eliminate any vulnerabilities. Windows, for example, has been rolling out security updates left and right.
Even though we all hate to deal with updating our computers, it’s a necessary part of keeping our data safe.
In the Event of Infection, Disconnect
And if you do get a ransomware infection? Disconnect immediately.
It’s a hassle and it’s inconvenient, but the ransomware can’t run if your system isn’t on, so shutting it down will keep the infection from spreading.
If you spot a ransomware infection, disconnect the infected systems from the rest of the network so the ransomware stays isolated and IT can get things back under control.
You should also disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on all machines on your system, even after the infected machine has been isolated–ransomware can spread through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Once the ransomware is isolated, you can determine what kind of ransomware it is, how much damage was done, and how to fix it.
Protect Your Computer from Ransomware
Of course, it’s a lot easier to protect your computer from ransomware when you have a team of professionals on your side.
We offer full-service managed cyber security solutions including cybersecurity audits, training for your team, and more.
If you need a security professional, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.
