Recent cyberattack headlines have reported the incredible impact that so-called ransomware can have on an organization’s computer systems. A simple click in an email or a file inadvertently downloaded from a website trigger the ransomware to halt all activities on the machine until a ransom is paid to unlock the system. A surprising number of people attempt to pay the ransom to avoid the embarrassing situation! Preventative measure are unsurprisingly the best antidote to these attacks.
Awareness
The last thing users want to do is report that they have been hacked and not able to perform their job duties because they were fooled into clicking on something that entrapped their computer. Instruct your users to never pay a ransom. When a ransom is paid, many are victimized again and attempts to extort more money may follow. Educating your users never to open unexpected email attachments, be extremely wary of links contained in emails and do not download untrusted files from websites is a critical preventative measure.
Prevent Users from Visiting Infected Websites
Content filters that prevent users from visiting problematic websites or downloading potentially risky files are extremely useful in organizations. It is of course important to keep the filter’s profile up to date so that restricted websites and files identified by professionals are continually part of the list prohibited by your organization. This coupled with placement of a leading antivirus tool on all endpoints (all the machines in your business) is a highly preventative measure that will often thwart these types of attacks.
Backing Up Data to Restore Infected Machines
Finally, should hackers succeed in infecting machines on your network that cause them to be inaccessible; the ideal solution is to have that workstation’s data backed up. If proactive measures are taken, the system can ideally be wiped clean and restored without losing too much doWith questions on protecting your business from ransomware attacks and building a comprehensive security plan, please contact Superior Technology at 845-735-3555 or online at www.superiortechnology.com.
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