What is Ransomware and How to Protect Your Business

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November 10, 2020 Business

Cybercrimes are extremely dangerous because your entire business can lose money through assets being stolen online. Even though this is confined to the digital world, it has severe consequences in the real world as well. Hackers are always targeting companies or firms to take control of their platforms, whether for stealing data and client information, disrupting daily operations to cause financial losses, or to hold the system and data for ransom. Ransomware is one of the most brutal cybercrimes in the world because it can be nearly impossible to get your data and servers back, forcing owners to pay the ransom or lose everything. Read on to learn more about ransomware and the different ways to protect your business.

What is Ransomware?

The digital world has malicious malware and crypto-virology programs that can infect your company’s devices with ransomware programs. It is called the perfect hack because it takes complete control of a company’s server and blocks any type of access to it, and usually, a fee has to be paid before you get back control. Most viruses and malware can be detected, but ransomware programs are often too elusive and hidden, causing them to slip through even the smallest of cracks in a company’s system. They are designed to disguise themselves as normal programs that your system needs, allowing it to bypass any protective software and antivirus programs.

It then encrypts all the data, hides it, and blocks your attempts to regain control, leaving you stuck without your servers. The goal is to force business owners to pay a ransom before data is leaked or permanently deleted. The unfortunate and sad truth is that the fear of losing all the data, trade secrets, and the halt of business operations can convince anyone to agree to the payment demands. When the malicious program establishes full control, it can expand to every device linked to the server, blocking access completely. All the data can be sold to the highest bidder on the dark web and business owners can’t let that happen.

Utilize Updated Software Programs

Technology can be confusing for many business owners because it constantly evolves and transforms, making your old software obsolete before you have even started using it. Updated software can cover the cracks and holes in your servers that leave it vulnerable to a hack, protecting you from any new threat that may emerge. Advice from several IT specialists suggests that protecting your businesses IT infrastructure will allow you to build the business you deserve, keeping your data and devices secure.

Upgrading your systems with the latest technology and software will help prevent cyberattacks, including ransomware programs. The developers of these protective systems update their programs frequently because the dark web is full of hackers that constantly come up with new ways to penetrate servers and hack them. Having the latest types of tech and the specialists that can oversee it will always keep your company safe.

Train Your Staff Well

Hackers are always looking for the weakest link in your company to penetrate the system, but training your staff well can prevent that. Every employee should know the importance of never clicking on links that aren’t verified, opening untrusted email attachments, sharing sensitive information on social media accounts, or downloading files from unknown websites.

No matter how simple the activity is, ransomware hackers will find a way to take control of the device and infect the entire system. Hiring a cybersecurity expert to educate your employees is worth the cost because your employees will learn how to operate safely in the digital world. The simplest mistake can lead to devastating outcomes, but knowing how to protect your data can make a huge difference.

Have Backup Plans

Companies should always have backup plans to protect sensitive data. Every piece of client information, legal document, trade secret, and the financial record should be backed up and saved on a remote server. The hidden and remote server will not be linked to the company’s devices and only the owner should have access to it, preventing all your data from getting deleted permanently.

The slightest mistake or wrong piece of information can ruin operations and if you’re threatened with complete deletion, you will have the backup to save you. Consider hiring IT specialists or web host experts that can set up this special server for you, giving you full control to update and backup new information whenever you want.

Scan External Devices

Implementing scanning protocols for every external device that enters the office building can prevent a physical hack. Security specialists will recommend that you use new external devices when creating any link to the company’s server, whether that be a phone or USB hard drive. However, that can’t happen all the time, which makes constant scanning a necessity.

Hackers may infect any external device and keep the ransomware program dormant and hidden for a long time. They can activate it whenever they feel that there is something worthwhile to steal. This is why scanning every phone and unfamiliar USB can stop an external hack.

Containment

The moment you believe that the server has been hacked, you should implement a containment protocol to prevent any closed device inside the building from turning on. The ransomware hack doesn’t affect devices that are turned off when the program is launched, minimizing the scope of the damages. Some devices can stay safe if you don’t connect them to the server until the problem is fixed. Chances are that these devices can save your business from crumbling.

Malicious programs and viruses can hit any business, whether it’s small or large. Hackers that practice these heinous activities don’t always have a reason, making it even more outrageous when they cause chaos and make money from it. Business owners must protect their servers and operating systems from every type of ransomware program, ensuring that they never lose control of their data. Law enforcement experts and digital analysts may help you get your system back without paying the ransom. However, preemptively protecting your system before anything happens is the best decision to make because it will save you a lot of trouble and effort later.