How to Prepare for Ransomware

Last week we discussed the dangers of Ransomware and some of the negative effects it has had on businesses in the past several years. Unfortunately, people often give in to the fear and pressure of these attacks, and this keeps them successful and practical for the bad guys to use. As long as people keep paying the ransom, thieves will continue to use Ransomware regularly.

So how do we defend ourselves from Ransomware attacks?

The first step, which is generally a good procedure to have in place for most attacks, is to set a regular and consistent backup to an external hard drive. While this is not a way to truly “defend” yourself, this gives you a good option should your system fall victim to ransomware. This will allow you to restore your data, any important files, on another external hard drive, which should also be kept safe and secure. If Ransomware enters your system, you can simply then rebuild it. It does take time, but at least you won’t have to pay the ransom.

Keep in mind that some Ransomware will attack any drives connected to the system at the time of attack, so when you begin to set up a backup regimen, be sure to disconnect the external hard drive afterward. Make sure to make this a regular procedure, as the more recent your backup is, the less you have to redo in case of an attack.

Next, be sure to have a Firewall in place to defend your network and watch for these attacks. External Firewalls are excellent at watching what is coming in and going out of your network. Having them installed and configured for your business’ use can help watch for unusual behavior and even prevent you from visiting malicious websites in the first place.

Proper Antivirus and Antimalware software is also very helpful, and can further assist in blocking attacks. Be sure to use software from reputable, established companies, as many “free” solutions online are actually malware or spyware in disguise.

Finally, a healthy dose of caution can often prevent the large majority of these threats. Be careful of what emails you open, and especially so if you see they have attachments. Be careful of what websites you visit, being sure to only go to more reputable and established pages for your information and avoiding tempting ads with suspicious links. And most importantly, teach others in your workplace about the importance of information security and the best practices to stay safe online.

Next Week: We’ll continue our discussion of Ransomware on what to do should you find your system infected, and why you should never pay the attackers.