Ransomware attacks are on the rise these days, and they can wreak havoc on your entire life thanks to the stress they cause. Anyone who works with a computer is vulnerable to these attacks, but fortunately there are things you can do to reduce the odds that an attack will happen to you. People who initiate these attacks on unsuspecting computer users are continuously thinking up ways to be more discrete and therefore more successful, which means there’s no such thing as being too careful. If you’re interested in learning a few ways to thwart any type of attack on your computer, the following tips will help.
- Make Sure Your Software Is Always Up-to-Date
Software programs should always be kept up-to-date, and this includes all of your applications and operating systems as well. The more up-to-date your computer programs are, the more difficult it will be for a hacker to get into your system and demand a ransom for your files. Don’t tell yourself, I’ll do this tomorrow, because tomorrow might be too late.
- Work with Leaders on a Plan B
If you’re worried about your computer at work being attacked, make sure the top leaders have a plan in case an attack does happen. Most leaders get together and decide if they will pay the ransom or go straight to the authorities. The decision is up to them, of course, but it feels good knowing that the people above you have already decided what to do if the company is ever the victim of a ransomware attack.
- Work with Your IT Department to Locate Any Vulnerable Areas
Some areas of your business are more vulnerable to these attacks than others, but your IT department can perform penetration testing to determine how many of those vulnerabilities are there and which ones are the worst. While this task might seem complicated to you, it is simple as pie for IT professionals, and the sooner they run their diagnostic tests, the sooner your entire company will be much safer from all types of attacks.
- Keep Accurate Inventories and Records
Make sure you know exactly where every single one of your digital assets is located. If you do this, attackers won’t be able to wreak havoc on a system that you didn’t even know you had. This might sound a little ridiculous, but the bigger your business becomes, the more likely you’ll have digital accounts that are easy to forget about, and knowing what you have and where they are is the first step to protecting these accounts from hackers.
- Make Sure Everything Is Backed up Properly
Not only is it crucial to back up your data on a regular basis – daily works best – it is also better to back up everything at an off-site location; or better yet, in the cloud if that is possible. If you own a business, make sure you’re backing up everything on all employee devices as well. There is no such thing as doing too much backing up, so make it a habit to do this every day and you can greatly reduce your chances of being the victim of a ransomware attack.
