Top 5 ways to prepare for a ransomware attack

A top cybersecurity threat for businesses today is ransomware – a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. In fact, 12 Connecticut state agencies were just attacked with ransomware, with 160 computers affected. Luckily, the attack was thwarted by the state’s excellent multi-layered cybersecurity strategy.

Your business needs to be prepared too. And just like the state of CT, the multi-layered approach is the best way to do it.

Here are the top 5 ways to prepare for a ransomware attack:

#5 – Keep up-to-date with patching – this is a critical component to preventing a ransomware attack from affecting your systems. This includes patching your operating systems, firewalls, wireless hardware, and third-party patching. While it may seem mildly annoying to keep up with these patches, consider the alternative and you may find it’s not so bad after all!

#4 – Email/Spam filters – while this security protocol may not catch everything under the sun, it will catch a huge percentage of malicious incoming files and emails.

#3 – Anti-virus/anti-malware protection – Again, simple but effective. This software will protect your systems from viruses and malware and will alert you as soon as any malicious files are found.

#2 – Education – a great method in avoiding a ransomware attack is to make sure everyone in your company, from the top down, knows the risks, what to look out for, and follows the axiom “if you see something, say something!”

#1 – Be prepared for the worst – make sure your backup and disaster recovery systems are top quality. If disaster does strike, and your business is affected by ransomware, you won’t need to cough up cash to decrypt your files or worry about extensive downtime. You’ll be fully prepared to recover your data immediately.

Fill out the form below if you’d like more information on how to protect your business from ransomware and malware.