The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has created guidance and resources for businesses and organizations on how to deal with ransomware. It outlines what actions to take to prevent infection and what to do if you do get infected. It also offers resources for individuals and families to protect their computer systems and data.
Educate your staff on ransomware
The most crucial step in protecting your company from ransomware is to educate your staff on the dangers of this type of malware and make them aware of ransomware guidance and resources. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts files and holds them, hostage, until you pay a ransom. You can do this by conducting training sessions and ensuring that your employees understand the basic concepts.
First, educate your employees about ransomware and how to recognize a ransomware email. These emails are a common type of malware that aims to steal your information. Often, they contain links or email attachments that ask for money to access your files. Employees should be taught not to open these emails or click on any links. It is important to note that hackers can make emails look like they came from people they know.
Next, educate your staff about the risks and ways to avoid being targeted by ransomware. Ransomware attacks can be costly. As the threat of ransomware continues to grow, SMBs need to take action to protect their systems. Educating your staff on this threat is a vital first step in protecting your business.
Maintain backups
Companies must maintain backups of their data regularly. Ideally, full backups should be taken daily to ensure they capture changes and updates to the data. However, less frequent backups may take longer to recover, so it’s recommended to perform full backups as often as possible. In addition, if ransomware has already hit your organization, you should look for a recent complete backup.
Regardless of size or complexity, maintaining backups is crucial in the fight against ransomware. It would be best if you created a backup environment with high isolation from the rest of your IT environment. This is known as air gaps backup. However, this approach comes with its challenges, including complexity and cost. In addition, it may not catch a ransomware infection in time to trigger a scheduled backup.
Cybercriminals continue to target computer users and organizations. However, proactive companies can protect themselves from ransomware attacks by utilizing adequate backups and a proven recovery process. In the event of a ransomware attack, restoring data from backups is far more reliable, cheaper, and safer than paying a ransom.
Avoid downloading ransomware
Ransomware is a genuine threat to your computer. This malicious software encrypts files on your computer and demands payment in bitcoins. Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent ransomware infections.
Ransomware spreads by exploiting a vulnerability in Windows. However, there have also been cases where ransomware has infected Macs. One of the most common ways to spread ransomware is by attaching malicious files to phishing emails. These emails are often sent to thousands of computer users.
To avoid becoming a victim of ransomware, you should update your equipment. You should ensure that the latest operating system versions are installed. This will limit the damage that ransomware can cause and reduce recovery costs.
Avoid paying a ransom demand
Paying a ransom demand in ransomware is a business decision with serious risks. As a result, the FBI advises against paying a ransom. While the average ransom demand is not as significant as it used to be, it’s growing, and the amount is increasing at an alarming rate. The FBI estimates that by 2021, ransom demands will rise by 500%, and the average ransom payment will be $570,000. This means that premiums for cyber insurance policies that cover ransomware payments will increase by double-digits every month.
While there are many risks in paying a ransom demand, it’s important to remember that most of these hackers are motivated by money. They often threaten to expose sensitive information or disrupt the operations of their victims. By paying the ransom, you’re giving the attackers your organization’s reputation and social license. In addition to the risks associated with producing a ransom, it’s also against corporate ethics to pay a ransom demand. Instead, if you want to avoid a ransomware attack, you need to have an effective incident response plan.
The number of ransomware victims is increasing every year. It can affect government agencies, hospitals, private businesses, and individuals. In the past year, ransomware has affected municipal governments. Most ransomware is delivered through phishing emails, which imitate legitimate organizations to collect personal information.
