The nature of online security always changes. As individuals and organizations adapt to older methods of attack, hackers invent new threats, forcing their targets to come up with even greater safety measures. One of the most important recent developments in this arms race is Ransomware, a pernicious program with the ability to disable poorly-defended computer systems.
Ransomware typically enters a computer system through email attachments or web links. Once inside, it denies users access to their systems, either by filling the screen with a message they cannot close or, more commonly, by encrypting files. As the name suggests, the program holds files for ransom, demanding payment to decrypt them. Ransomware usually comes from large criminal organizations and can be difficult to fully recover from, especially if it encrypts individual files.
Because it is so difficult to recover from ransomware, preventative measures are crucial. Your small business can reduce the risk of an attack by:
In addition to protecting your primary computer systems, it is also important to have a redundant system in place. You can back up all sensitive data on this system, isolate it from the main computers, and develop a similar set of security protocols. This limits the damage from even a full-fledged ransomware attack.
Despite your best efforts, you may nonetheless be subject to a ransomware attack. If this happens, make sure to:
Although none of these steps guarantees a successful recovery from ransomware, the sooner you implement them, the more likely you are to recover at least some of your files. The more files you save, the lower your company’s losses will be, especially if you have unnecessary data to fill in some of the gaps.
Computer Rescue studies ransomware and all other cyber threats, developing robust countermeasures to keep Calgary computer systems safe. To learn more about protecting your small business, call (403) 686-4567 or contact email@example.com today.