Be Prepared for When Ransomware Strikes

There is a seemingly infinite number of cybersecurity threats out there, but there are few threats more dangerous than ransomware. If a business hasn’t taken precautions against it, ransomware can (and will) find ways to extort money, hold data hostage, and threaten that organization’s continuity. Today, we want to cover what ransomware does, what you need to do to prevent it, and what to do if you’re attacked.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware locks down your business’ files through encryption, then demands a ransom from you in exchange for your files’ safe return.

In recent years, ransomware has doubled down on its threats and expanded into the realm of double or even triple-extortion. If you don’t pay the ransom, hackers will threaten to leak your data on the dark web. Worse yet, they’ll threaten even further attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service attacks, contact third parties to cause reputational damage, or even sell access to your network to the highest bidder.

Yes, the data encryption is really just the tip of the iceberg; you’re looking at considerable loss with ransomware, no matter how you slice it.

What Precautions Can You Take?

The big precaution we always recommend for ransomware: don’t let it on your network, period.

The problem with ransomware is that it’s notoriously difficult to get rid of once it’s sunk its teeth into your business. It’s good practice to have comprehensive network security protections in place, but don’t stop there. Be prepared to educate your employees on how to avoid phishing attacks and other common ploys hackers might use to gain access to your network.

When all else fails, a well-timed backup could save the day, but it’s safer to not let it get to that point in the first place.

What Should You Do If You’re Attacked?

You might be tempted to give in to the cybercriminals’ demands, but we urge you to take a step back and think.

What guarantee do you have that the cybercriminal will actually return your files? You have none, and you shouldn’t expect any mercy from those who are out to steal from you. If you’re ever struck by ransomware, remember to never pay the ransom. Doing so only serves to reward the cybercriminal for their efforts and funds future attacks against other victims—including you, perhaps, further down the road.

Instead, you should be prepared to initiate a data backup (if you have one) and contact your trusted IT resource for further instruction.

Ransomware might be scary, but with the right precautions in place, your business will be less likely to have a run-in with it. To learn more about the preventative measures and response mechanisms we can employ to keep your business safe, call Horne & Benik today at (603) 499-4400.