Talk of the common cyberthreats, and most experts will name malware as a major concern. Malware, or malicious software, is used for causing harm, often to steal data, get access to system, remotely control devices, or spy on user activities. There is also ransomware, one of more serious types of malware attacks, where the hacker holds data hostage and asks for a ransom, promising a decryption key. Paying the money doesn’t mean that a business will always get the key they need. In 2017, “WannaCry” made headlines as a ransomware that infected over 200,000 systems.
So, what can your growing business possibly do to prevent ransomware attacks? Here is a list of basic but important steps to consider.
- Updates. Ensure that all security patches for software, firmware, operating systems, and browsers, are installed immediately after release.
- Backups. In case of ransomware attack, having data or resources in backup always helps. Ensure that you have a periodic system for backups.
- Passwords. Strong passwords are a must. In fact, it is now a norm to use passphrases that have 16 characters at the least, including special characters.
- Multi-factor authentication. Just because a hacker has a password doesn’t mean they have to be successful with ransomware attacks. Try including multi-factor authentication where possible, so that additional layers of security protect your data.
- Emails. Emails are often source of malware files and downloads. Make sure that employees know what ransomware is all about, so that they can keep an eye on spams and phishing emails.
- Penetration testing. There is a need to do frequent penetration tests, so that existing vulnerabilities in networks can be detected and fixed.
- Invest in cyber liability insurance. Although expensive, but having a cyber liability insurance is a great way to stay protected from a possible malware attack, which may have devastating consequences.
Collaborative effort
No matter whether it’s about ransomware or any other cyberthreat, the idea is to bring everyone together. Cybersecurity without trained employees can fail in no time. Also, it is important to have an incident response plan, because sometimes despite a proactive approach, security breaches do happen. For such circumstances, it is important to have planned steps, so that consequences can be minimized.
Get every team involved in proactive cybersecurity with the goal of preventing security breaches, data thefts, and ransomware attacks. If needed, call experts from other companies to train your people on basics of security.
