Last Updated on February 1, 2021 by Larious

Ransomware is a form of malware. Although there are different kinds of ransomware, many encrypt the files of the victims. Basically, ransomware may find its way onto your devices in various ways, but the most common one is through a phishing attack. The attacks are not going away. As a matter of fact, the attacks have worsened, with around 40 threats in the last five months.

This is not a surprise, given that victims still pay fraudsters to free their infrastructures from crippling the malware. Professionals urge companies to avoid negotiating with hackers, but most, like Lake City and Riviera Beach governments, feel compelled to meet all their demands. It is unfortunate that these ransom amounts continue to become bigger. Therefore, if you need to protect your money and files, here are tips for preventing ransomware:

• Patch and Keep Software Updated

In the patch absence, malicious actors might exploit a vulnerability in your antivirus tool, operating system, browser, and other kinds of software programs with the help of exploit kits. These threats have to exploit code for known vulnerabilities, which allows them to drop ransomware as well as other dangerous payloads.

As such, you have to ensure your vulnerability management covers every connected software assets so that security experts may prioritize their mitigation and remediation efforts accordingly.

• Only Visit and Download from Trustworthy Sites

To alleviate the risks of downloading ransomware, avoid downloading media files or software from unknown sites. Always go to trusted and verified websites if you have to download files. Many reliable sites have markers of trust, which you may recognize. Just to be sure, look in the search bar to see if the websites use ‘https’ rather than ‘http.’ A lock or shield symbol might also show in the address bar to verify that the website is safe.

If you are also downloading software on your phone, ensure you use reputable sources. For instance, iPhone users need to use the App Store, while Android phones can use Google Play Store to access apps.

• Consider Security Awareness Training

The individuals within your business are usually your biggest security risks. In recent years, there has been a growth in Security Awareness Training programs that focus on training people about the risks before them when using the internet at home and in the office.

Awareness Training programs also teach users what attacks within their emails look like and the perfect security practices they can follow to handle the ransomware removal process. This may include ensuring that the endpoints are updated by using the latest security software programs.

Security Awareness Training programs also offer phishing simulation technologies. This simply means that admins might create customized simulated phishing emails, then forward them to workers to assess how properly they might detect these attacks. Phishing is a great way to view security efficacy across the organization, and it can serve as an ultimate tool to identify users who require security training to avoid the spread of this malware.

• Have Many Backup Copies

If ransomware infects your primary data, you may think you can restore everything from your current backup. Though cybercriminals might infect both your backups and primary data. This is why it is important to have other copies in the cloud.

The files’ copies in the loud will serve as a gridlock to your data and stoppage to other backups kept on-prem. Duplicating copies and managing all the versions are important to maintaining an airtight plan against cybercrimes.

• Use a Secure and Strong Authentication

Usually, cybercriminals use RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and other similar tools so that they might gain remote access to the company’s systems using stolen or guessed login credentials. Once inside, cybercriminals may drop ransomware on your machines, encrypting all the files stored there.

This attack vector might be closed by using strong and secure authentication. Enforcing strong password policies and using multi-factor authentication are important components of cybersecurity strategy in your organization.

• Improve Security Settings

Checking the security settings on your computers is the best line of defense. Limit your administrative privileges and particular software programs, which you don’t use.

You might also adjust the privacy settings of your browser to enhance security. If possible, install ad-blocker extensions to your browsers to potentially block malicious ads from affecting your computers and other devices.

• Put Early Threat Detection System into Consideration

You may install ransomware protection software programs, which can identify all the potential attacks. Early threat management software might find intrusions as they prevent ransomware attacks. These software programs also serve as a gateway antivirus system.

Alternatively, you can use a traditional firewall, which blocks unauthorized access to your network and computer. You can integrate it with a software program, which filters web content specifically focused on websites that introduces malware.

• Learn How to Identify Unknown Attacks

Immediately you block known attacks, it is vital to identify and block all the unknown threats. This is important because cybercriminals may continue developing new ransomware variants and deploying zero-day exploits. The first process to achieve this goal is to analyze and detect unknown attacks in URLs and files. While submitting new files, it is always important to look and denote malicious behavior in something you have never seen before.

In addition, you have to automatically push the protection down to various parts of the infrastructures as quickly as possible. This needs to include context so as to understand the campaign, malware, and indicators of compromise related to the attack. This process’s key goal is to change the unknown into known threats and enhance the security system with new protection at a fast pace.

Final Remarks!

Businesses are becoming common targets of ransomware. Cybercriminals use this type of malware attack to freeze mobile devices or computers. Basically, ransomware infiltrates business servers and networks, resulting in the loss of important data and information.

In recent years, ransomware attacks have been on the rise, both in the US and globally. The attacks continue to capture headlines, mounting concerns and heightening public awareness concerns regarding how to prevent them. Therefore, securing your company from a ransomware attack is important to make sure business continuity.