4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Ransomware

Ransomware like Cryptolocker is a growing threat in the world of IT. Most recently, a ransomware attack known as “WannaCry” infected over 200,000 victims, using a hidden backdoor in systems that were running outdated versions of Windows.

These ransomware attacks encrypt your company’s valuable files and hold them hostage until a ransom is paid – usually through the form of Bitcoins. Once infected, many companies have no choice but to pay, and it’s estimated that ransomware damages reached over $1 billion in 2016. 

So how can you protect yourself from ransomware attacks? Here are 4 ways to lock down your systems, and reduce your risk of being targeted.

1. Implement A Comprehensive Disaster Recovery & Backup System

This is the most important thing you must do to prevent data loss in case of a ransomware infection. A well-designed backup and disaster recovery plan can help you restore your valuable data even if you do suffer an attack. You should be using proactive on-premises and cloud-based backup systems with powerful security features, and ensure that they are not vulnerable to infection.

In the event an infection does happen, having good, reliable backups ensures that won’t have to pay to unlock your data. You can simply restore your critical systems from your backups. This results in maximum responsiveness and minimal downtime while restoring your information.

2. Follow IT Best Practices to Avoid Infection

Experts and trusted advisors agree – the best way to prevent malware infection is to follow IT security best practices, and share documentation about preventing ransomware infection with all employees.

You should educate users to avoid clicking suspicious links, limit the ability of end users to download and install third-party applications, and spread the word about the risks of ransomware and its most common delivery methods.

3. Invest in Smart Security Technology – And Keep Systems Updated

Security solutions such as firewalls, anti-virus, and predictive DNS screening are very useful at preventing malware infections. Though not infallible, a multi-layered approach to security can provide you with powerful anti-malware tools that can prevent ransomware from spreading.

In addition, your IT staff should be focused on updating and patching critical IT infrastructures as soon as possible – including the systems of end-users. Most ransomware takes advantage of outdated technology with security vulnerabilities to spread, and minimizing this risk is a great way to protect yourself from ransomware, and ensure productivity is unaffected by a malware infection.

4. When in Doubt, Disconnect Infected Systems

Ransomware can quickly spread from one infected system – and if you don’t take steps to disconnect infected systems, your entire IT infrastructure could be vulnerable.

If you suspect an infection of ransomware, disconnect everything immediately. Disconnect infected systems from the network, disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on infected machines, and isolate critical IT infrastructure. By doing so, you can minimize the spread of infection and reduce downtime from an event.

Want to reduce your risk of ransomware infection in Winnipeg? Talk To 365 Technologies Today!

At 365 Technologies, our motto is “Worry-Free IT!” We worry about your IT systems – so you don’t have to!

With all-inclusive support, IT managed services, and virtual CIO consultants, we can help you reduce your risk of ransomware infection – without breaking your budget!

So don’t risk being infected by ransomware like WannaCry or Cryptolocker. Contact 365 Technologies for a free consultation today, and see how we can help your business fight back against malware!