Ransomware developed a worrying new trend in 2018.
Ransomware statistics show a decline in attacks on individual consumers. However, attacks on enterprise showed a clear increase. In fact, the research found that there was a 12% rise in targeted attacks on businesses and a steep 33% increase in mobile ransomware. The workplace is no longer a strict office-based environment, this creates a need for protection.
Ransomware Trojans encrypt data stored on the device disk, blocking the user from accessing any information. As a result, payment is then demanded and if the extortion is not satisfied the data is gone for good. Consequently, an entire network can be brought down if the ransomware spreads. Hence, this is potentially disastrous for those with no protection or counter measures in place.
Nybble currently protect many large organisations in the UK against this threat and if you are vulnerable, please consider giving us a call. We can assess your business and offer solutions tailored individually to need. But, in the meantime here are 5 ways to protect your business from ransomware:
1. Update, update and update
If you are running an old version of Windows, you must update your system to Windows 10 or consider new computers. Believe it or not, some businesses still use XP or Vista making them extremely vulnerable to attack. If using Windows 7, ensure you have automatic updates enabled and take note that support will be withdrawn from this operating system soon.
Updates are designed to protect against ransomware attacks. Use the latest version of your browser and ensure plugins are current versions. Not sure what you have and what you need? Call us, we can upgrade your systems and software.
2. Educate Your Team
Trojans are often spread by email attachments. The hardest thing is that the people behind them are getting very sophisticated and it is easy to be fooled if you don’t know what to look for. Once the file is unzipped, your files are infected and suddenly all your data is locked down. Make sure staff are made aware of the deception and that to leave anything they are unsure of or that is unknown, unopened.
It is important to teach your team that sender names can be spoofed, if uncertain a quick call can authenticate before the file is opened. The study showed that 48% of malicious attachments were office files, an upward trend from the 5% of 2017.
3. Consider Outsourcing
You may be a small business with a person employed to look after your IT. At present, this may be all the budget allows but as you grow there is always the option of outsourcing to strengthen certain areas, like cloud services etc. Nybble can supplement your provision and work to your budget. Moreover, another advantage is, having expertise in all areas of IT, the nybble team can offer the best solutions to protect yourself from ransomware and other concerns thanks to our strong relationships with industry leaders.
4. Have backup in place
It simply makes sense to have a backup solution in place. Thereby, if you are hit by ransomware and all data is locked down, having a good backup solution means downtime will be minimal. Furthermore, we protect small to multi-site businesses and educational facilities with tailored backup solutions. Call us for more information.
5. Watch Those Links Protect Yourself
Symantec found 1 in 10 URL s posed a risk. Again, it is important that before opening anything, you know who the sender is and what they are sending. Obviously, having company files locked and encrypted will spell disaster for a company and with highly regulated data protection laws, it is just not worth the risk to turn a blind eye.
To summarise, if you think it will never happen to you, you are leaving yourself open to problems. We will advise you on the best anti malware products in the marketplace and monitor your systems remotely for any signs of a breach. Ready to protect your business? Call 01254 673806 today.
Watch how the city of Atlanta was held to ransom:
