Unless you’ve had your head buried in the sand for the last six months, you’ll know what ransomware is.
For those still in the dark, ransomware is a virus that infects PCs and servers, causing all your data to become encrypted.
There are two types of ransomware, both of which render your data useless and cannot be reversed:
- Encrypting Ransomware – This type blocks system files and demands payment to provide the decryption key needed to unlock the content.
- Locker Ransomware – This type locks you out of the operating system, making it impossible to access the desktop, apps, or files. The files are not encrypted, but the attackers still demand a ransom to unlock the infected computer.
Businesses are often forced to pay a ransom of between £500 and £5000, and there is nothing anyone can do to “fix” the situation.
Most worryingly, anti-virus technologies are not guaranteed to detect or prevent these devastating attacks.
These attacks have been happening for several months, with the most famous being the one that targeted the NHS, resulting in widespread anarchy.
How do I protect myself?
The good news is that having a reliable backup provides total protection. If your files are encrypted, you can simply delete the infected files and restore them from your backup.
I’ve got a backup, why should I worry?
Up until recently, if you were infected, it didn’t take long to notice — you’d try to access files, and they wouldn’t work. However, hackers have recently learned that many people’s backups have a 30-day retention window, so they allow the virus to lay dormant for 31 days. After the 31 days (when many backups have overwritten), the virus becomes active and data is lost.
So, what can I do now?
The solution is simple: All Everything Tech customers are protected. Your backup should have at least a 12-month recovery window, which means you can restore a file at any time within that 12-month period.
Other ways to protect yourself
There are several other ways to protect yourself from ransomware attacks:
- Be cautious with emails, websites, and apps. Hackers must download harmful software onto your PC, which then encrypts your files. The most common method is through spam emails asking for personal information or malicious ads on websites. To protect yourself, always be suspicious when opening unsolicited emails or visiting unknown websites, as you don’t know what they could contain.
- Keep your systems up to date. Download the newest version of your software as soon as it is available. These software updates fix vulnerabilities that ransomware can exploit. If you’re an Everything Tech customer, we automatically ensure your systems are up to date for you.
- Train your staff. Everyone is vulnerable to malware attacks. By ensuring that all your staff are trained to identify potential threats, you can prevent an attack from ever happening.
- Run regular risk assessments. A risk assessment identifies both internal and external threats to your PCs or servers. It highlights risks, sorts through the data, and helps you determine the best plan to reduce them. Regular risk assessments help you spot trouble spots and develop strategies to prevent these issues from harming your business.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of ransomware and better protect your data and business.
