Wannacry, BadRabbit, CryptoWall, CryptoLocker, NotPetya and Reveton are some of the most famous ransomware used by cybercriminals on the world wide web today. Conduct a quick search on Google for ransomware, on any given day, and you will likely see a current news story on these malicious softwares and how clever cybercriminals are using them to extort money from individuals and companies.
When ransomware attacks first showed up on the scene in 2012, most targeted consumers. But, in the last few years, some of the largest organizations and corporations, like the UK’s National Health Services and Maersk, have been the targets of ransomware crimes. It may seem as if no one is safe from these attacks.
What we know is that the number of attacks have grown exponentially – doubling from 2012 to 2013, and growing each year as more sophisticated ransomware attacks are put into play. Cybercriminals are stealing millions, possibly billions, and that means that cybercriminals are unlikely that they are going to stop anytime soon.
While it is almost impossible to guarantee you will not be affected by these cybercrimes, there are security strategies you can put into place that will make it much harder for these cybercriminals to make you their next target.
Follow these three simple strategies to secure your computers:
- Install Ransomware Security Software – Install ransomware software packages on each computer. Licenses can be purchased for multiple computers. Software packages like Malwarebytes can help protect you against known ransomware threats. When it comes to your business, buy ransomware security software that will protect you against both locked ransomware (where the software simply locks your computer) and encrypted (where the software takes over your computer and encrypts data until a ransom is paid to decrypt data). This will not secure your mobile devices.
- Educate Employees To Avoid Ransomware Threats – Your employees can be your best defense. Conduct company-wide technology training with dos and don’ts about the types of threats to be on the lookout for. Set up technology security training for new employees and build in updates quarterly.
- Work With a Pro – Technology security professionals make it their job to stay up-to-date on the latest ransomware attacks. Professionals can offer more stringent software programs developed by cybersecurity companies and updated as global threats are made known.
Get peace of mind and reduce your cybersecurity risk today by calling us. We can help you implement a strategy that can minimize your risk of ransomware attack. We can work with you to develop a ransomware security strategy for both your business computers and mobile devices. Give us a call to discuss your options at 678-789-0629