Chances are that at some point in time you have been or known someone who has been the victim of a ransomware attack.If not, then you are either very lucky or very prepared.There are plenty of terrible people out there willing to hold your business hostage until they get what they want.However, if you take the proper steps in preparing for the worst, they won’t stand a chance at even getting a glimpse of your data.Here are some of the most important steps you can take to prevent or stop ransomware.
1.Backup
Your files are the lifeblood of your business.
You should be backing up your files constantly and storing this information somewhere offsite, if possible. If these are lost to thieves or some sort of disaster, you just lost weeks or months of precious information with no way of regaining it outside of paying the ransom.
Make sure that you are backing up your information as consistently as possible, and that it is stored somewhere out of reach from prying eyes.
2.Macros
A lot of ransomware is distributed through documents by tricking the user into enabling macros. There are checks in place to make sure that this doesn’t happen, but your employees should always be aware that macros should not be enabled no matter the case.
The most recent edition of Microsoft Office disables the use of macros of material downloaded online, at the user’s request.
Also, look into installing Microsoft Office viewers, which let you see Word or Excel documents without macros. The viewers don’t support macros, so there is no chance of accidentally enabling them, either.
3.Opening Attachments
Make sure you read your emails or links very carefully. Ransomware is often disguised as attachments to emails. If it is not otherwise explicitly stated what the attachment is or who sent the email in the first place, you should always be wary of what is in the email.
4.Patch
Keep your software up to date.
Malware use existing bugs in programs to sneak into your system. By keeping everything up to date, you are making it that much harder for these malicious programs to sneak into your business.
Update and check your software to make sure it’s been recently patched. Read up on potential bugs in this patch that could be exploited so that you can avoid tripping them and inviting ransomware into the company.
5.Train
Make sure that everyone is well-trained on the dangers of malware and how to best avoid it. They should be taught what it may look like, how they could run across it, and what to do if they find themselves in possession of an email or link that is highly suspect.
Information is the bane of malware, and teaching people how to spot it and handle it is the best way to prevent disaster.