There are a lot of threats to businesses in the current environment. Even though a lot of businesses rely on the internet to help them keep their employees working virtually, this also leads to critical vulnerabilities that businesses need to cover. One of the biggest vulnerabilities is ransomware, such as RYUK. What is ransomware, and how can businesses protect themselves against a ransomware attack?
What Is a Ransomware Attack?
There are a lot of people who believe that micro businesses are simply too small to be worth it for a ransomware attack; however, businesses of all sizes are being hit by ransomware attacks. What happens during a ransomware attack is that an attacker uploads a virus to the server of a business. Then, this virus spreads to just about every area of the business, encrypting their files. When these files are encrypted, they cannot be opened by anyone until the ransom has been paid.
There are a lot of businesses that try to unlock the files, but this is virtually impossible. The company would probably lose more money by wasting time trying to unlock the files instead of paying the ransom. As a result, the best way to deal with a ransomware attack is to prevent it from happening in the first place. What are a few key tips to keep in mind?
Teach Employees About the Dangers of a Phishing Attack
First, micro businesses need to teach their employees about the dangers of a phishing attack. In order for a hacker to execute a ransomware attack, they need to upload a virus to the server. One of the easiest ways for a criminal to gain access to a server is to trick someone into surrendering their username and password through a phishing attack. Companies need to train their employees to recognize a phishing attack and tell them to never surrender their username and password over email or text messages.
Make Sure Employees Use Two-Factor Authentication
There are some cases where employees might still surrender their username and password to someone by mistake. Fortunately, there is still a way for companies to prevent a ransomware attack from being executed. One of the best ways to do that is to use two-factor authentication, usually shortened to 2FA. What this means is that employees might need to use a second set of credentials to open certain files. After entering a username and password combo, the employee might be asked to enter a confirmation code that comes via text message. Without this confirmation code, a hacker cannot get into the files.
Practice Good Password Hygiene
Companies need to make sure their employees practice good password hygiene to prevent hackers from executing a ransomware attack. For example, companies need to ask their employees to use a capital letter, a lowercase letter, and symbols to make them harder to guess. Companies should also ask their employees to change their passwords every few weeks. That way, even if someone has a set of credentials, they will not be able to get in if the passwords are changed. Good password hygiene is important for preventing a ransomware attack from taking place.
Reach Out to the Professionals for Help
Finally, micro businesses need to reach out to professionals if they need help with their digital security. Ransomware attacks are a major risk in the current environment, and a typical company leader is not going to have time to stay up to date on all the information related to a potential ransomware attack. Instead, it is a good idea to trust the professionals for help. Professionals are in the industry and are able to stay up to date on the latest best practices related to ransomware attacks. This is one of the best ways for companies to protect themselves against a potential cyberattack.
Be Wary of the Threats Posed by Ransomware
These are just a few of the most important tips that micro businesses need to keep in mind if they would like to protect themselves against a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks have the potential to lock up critical files of a business, rendering the business virtually inoperable. Once a ransomware attack hits a business, the business will have a difficult time unlocking their files. The best way to deal with a ransomware attack is to prevent it from happening in the first place. There are trained professionals who are always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.