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Ransomware is a dangerous threat to individuals and businesses alike. Ransomware attacks can cause you to suddenly lose all your personal files or important business data. With ransomware and other malware attacks constantly evolving and becoming more difficult to avoid, it’s vital that you learn how to protect yourself and your data. Learning more about ransomware protection will help you to avoid an attack.
What Is Ransomware?
How does a ransomware attack work? Before an attacker can gain access to your data and take over your computer, they have to get the malicious software onto your computer. Attackers are using increasingly effective tactics to introduce ransomware onto computers. Oftentimes, a spam email or fake advertisement is used, and once someone clicks on the ad or opens the email or file, your data becomes encrypted, or your computer freezes, making it impossible to access your data. But in some cases, an attacker doesn’t even need to trick you in order to infect your network. They can take advantage of outdated software to infect a device as well.
Once this occurs and your data is encrypted and impossible to recover, the attacker will offer to restore your access to your data in exchange for a ransom, hence the name ransomware. Usually, they instruct their victims to pay them using cryptocurrency, since it’s harder to trace and keeps their identity concealed. In some cases, they’ll threaten to release or sell the stolen data if the victim doesn’t pay.
Cybercriminals are constantly improving their methods, and ransomware is a powerful weapon in their arsenal. Everyone should be concerned about how to protect against a ransomware attack.
How to Protect Against an Attack
How can you protect your data and avoid falling victim to a ransomware attack?
Back up your data. Nobody is completely protected from a ransomware attack, so you should regularly back up your data in case of an emergency. You can use a hard drive or a cloud storage system to back up important data. This will allow you to restore your data if you fall victim to an attack.
Install security updates. Software and operating systems need constant updates to fix potential security weaknesses that cybercriminals can exploit. Regularly installing updates ensures that your programs and devices have the most up-to-date security features and reduces the risk of a ransomware attack.
Use antivirus software. Good antivirus software can protect your data and alert you to suspicious programs and sites. They can detect and eliminate viruses and malware on your network. Many programs automatically scan for and eliminate threats.
Standalone antivirus software can be used as portable software since it can be downloaded onto a USB drive and used to scan an infected device. While useful, they typically don’t give you real-time protection. Security software suites provide multiple programs that not only protect your device from malware but also provide features like parental controls and a firewall. These are designed to regularly scan your device for threats and eliminate them, keeping your network safe 24/7. You can even get cloud-based antivirus software that won’t use up as much of your computer’s resources.
Don’t open sketchy emails. Just because an email looks legitimate doesn’t mean it’s safe to open. Many cybercriminals know how to disguise their malware in official, important-looking emails. You should be especially cautious about opening email attachments. Use your antivirus software to scan an attachment before opening it. If it appears to be from a friend or coworker, ask them personally if they sent it. If it appears to be important information from your bank or a government agency, it’s wise to call and ask someone directly if important account information has been sent by email. Never send passwords, account information, credit card information, or any other sensitive personal information by email. Learn about the signs of online scams and internet fraud to keep your information safe.
Use caution when connected to public Wi-Fi networks. Avoid public wifi networks for sensitive business or transactions involving personal information. Public networks leave your device more exposed to cyber-attacks. A virtual private network, or VPN, can provide some protection when you must use a public Wi-Fi network.
How to Recover From A Ransomware Attack
If your network has been infiltrated by ransomware, don’t be quick to pay up. Although it might seem like a quick and easy solution, there’s no guarantee they’ll give you access to your data again. Paying a ransom also makes them more powerful, since it gives them the money they need to continue with their criminal activities.
You have some options for getting your data back if you’ve been hit by a ransomware attack.
Restore your backed-up data. If you’ve been diligent about backing up your network’s data, it should be ready to restore once you’ve reset your device. This is the easiest way to get your data back, but it requires planning ahead.
Use data recovery software. If you don’t have backups, you can try data recovery software to get your files back. These programs can be used to extract deleted or corrupted data, and is a possible solution for recovering your lost data.
Try ransomware decryption tools. There are many ransomware decryption tools online that can be used to break the encryption on your files affected by ransomware. Always be careful and download tools from safe, protected sources. These tools, however, don’t work on all ransomware encryption.
It’s important to take steps to protect against ransomware and other malware before you become a victim of an attack. All companies should have a ransomware disaster recovery plan in place in case an attack affects their network. If you take precautions and prepare ahead, you’ll be able to prevent and quickly recover from ransomware attacks.