Ransomware, where a hacker locks up your files and holds them for ransom until you pay a fee, has become the largest cyber threat to individuals and businesses alike over the past couple of years. In the first three months of 2017, ransomware attacks increased tenfold from the entire previous year, and according to McAfee Labs, these attacks have costed victims more than $200 million.
It’s unlikely that ransomware attacks will slow down any time soon; therefore, it is critical that business owners educate themselves with the best practices for defending against ransomware attacks.
Outline below our MRW System’s top 4 tips on how to protect your business against ransomware attacks:
Education: Education is essential to protect your business from ransomware. It’s critical that your staff understands what ransomware is and the threats that it poses. Provide your team with specific examples of suspicious emails with clear instructions on what to do if they encounter a potential ransomware lure. It’s a good idea to conduct quarterly training to inform staff about the risk of ransomware.
Security: Antivirus software should be your business’ first line of defense against ransomware. It is important to ensure your antivirus software is up to date to protect against newly identified threats. However, antivirus can only get you so far, you’ll also need an up to date firewall, edge security, and intrusion preventions to combat attacks.
Backup: This can foil the most aggressive ransomware attacks. If your files are backed up, you don’t have to pay a crook to get them back. A good backup should be automated and monitored; the worst time to test your backup is when you desperately need it to work.
IT Service Partner: If anything else, you need to make sure you are partnered with a reliable IT service company. Your IT service partner must be a verified provider with current and up-to-date knowledge on ransomware and cyber security. Hackers continue to evolve; therefore, your IT service partner must also grow and develop their security posture.