Threat of Ransomware: 3 ways to protect yourself

The threat of ransomware is on the rise, and attacks on small and medium businesses have increased dramatically. In the modern age, most companies store their information in the cloud. A great deal of valuable information flows through company servers, even if they don’t have all of their data on premises.

You are at risk if your company is online and uses technology, which basically makes up most of us these days.

According to statistics, at least one ransomware attack occurs every five seconds, which is an underestimate of the real danger. The best thing to do is prevent damage from occurring.

You can protect your company and yourself from ransomware attacks by following these three steps.

1. Backup of data to avoid the threat of Ransomware

Whether a company is small or large, its backup should be a key component of its action plan.

Off-site backup servers aren’t permanently linked to the main company servers, so they are kept off-site. As a result, the overall level of cybersecurity is enhanced, and even in the case of an attack, the company’s most critical data is protected.

Any data that a company doesn’t want stolen or hacked is considered essential. These can include things like contact information or email servers.

Protect your company by hiring a professional team.

2. Protect yourself from phishing emails.

Getting phishing emails – emails that appear legitimate but are not – is one of the biggest risks to any company or server. It’s one of the main ways ransomware attackers gain access to sensitive company information.

Ensure your company is aware of phishing emails:

• Ensure that all emails from the seeming sender are legitimate. Be sure that an email is legitimate by getting confirmation from the sender that it is genuine.
• Avoid clicking links in email
• l messages. It is common for email links to go directly to a third-party site, with many of them leading directly to ransomware attack sites.
• Whenever possible, advise people not to provide personal information, such as passwords, when contacted by any email (even if it appears legitimate).
• Take steps to ensure no one uses company computers for personal purposes, such as checking their home email or using social media. This would result in an increased risk for a business.

3. Unsafe files from unknown sources

In today’s world, even files that appear to come from known senders can pose a threat to a company’s server and security. Do not open attachments on company computers or mobile devices.

Unsafe files can contain ransomware and backdoors, leaving your company vulnerable.

IT or cybersecurity teams should be notified as soon as possible. In this way, they can avoid a ransomware attack or fallout. Teach your team about these threats, this way they are ready to handle these types of challenges.

If you have any questions regarding the threat that ransomware poses to your company feel free to reach out to our amazing managed IT services Albuquerque at 4Leet. We are here to help answer any questions you may have.