- Ransomeware attacks are getting bolder in the post-pandemic world.
- Protection and preventive measures against ransomware attacks can provide some relief.
The first question that comes to your mind is, what is Ransomware? Ransomware is more of an advanced hacking style like cyber extortion, which is paid in cryptocurrency. They attack users’ important digital files and data by using malware and block the user out from the system or encrypt the critical files until a certain amount of ransom is paid. Recently, the United States department of justice has released a detailed report entailing the rising attacks.
How does a ransomware attack you?
Being human is not a bad thing, but it can cost you a price. Sometimes human error becomes the sole reason ransomware infects the system. Ransomware attackers are very smart, they fool you into downloading malware by simply clicking them, and you even don’t know that something is being secretly downloaded into your system. It can happen through emails that were infected by malware, attachments, or visiting some odd pages that are not secured.
What can you do to protect your system from Ransomware attacks?
- Maintaining a strong firewall is a crucial task as a strong firewall won’t allow malware to enter the system and encrypt it. While installing a strong updated antivirus that continuously scans the systems from potential threats on intervals.
- Taking a backup of your work on a daily basis is important to decrease the risk of losing important data. Sometimes it will help in disconnecting or wiping the system off after the attack and you can use backup to restore data.
- The website pop blockers should be enabled cause this is the main tactic that has been used to carry out ransomware attacks.
- The company should always give access to minimum websites by enabling proxy blocking and block certain activities like jamming the downloading access.
- A company should always limit sharing their confidential and important files or if they do that should be separated a more secure channel should be used to do so which is accessible to authorized people only.
- The critical softwares are needed to be installed to avoid getting infected by ransomware.
- A secure internet along with secured email sharing should be done and employees need to be guided or trained to avoid downloading files that are formatted with .exe, .js, and .wsf.
What needs to be done when you are attacked by Ransomware?
- Report to the cybersecurity or IT department about a doubtful activity on your system.
- Follow your internal official guide and respond according to the policies or practices provide for such conditions.
- Try to disconnect yourself from the network to avoid viruses spread into other systems.
- Shutdown all your system or data servers that are attacked by the hacker.
- Don’t try to negotiate with the hacker involve cyber authorities like the FBI cybersecurity task force or your relevant authority.
