Why You Need to Protect Your Business From Ransomware attacks
When businesses aren’t concerned, they don’t prepare, and that makes a vulnerable target for ransomware attacks. Then, it continues to bypass security measures like antivirus, employees, pop-up blockers, email filtering, and even endpoint detection solutions. Attacks tend to create a considerable amount of downtime as the infection spreads. Many SMBs simply pay the ransom to get back to normal operations since paying the ransom is almost always cheaper.
Who’s Getting Targeted?
The top industries being targeted for ransomware attacks we have seen include:
- healthcare
- finance
- insurance
- government
- professional services
- education
How to Protect Your Organization from Ransomware
It begins with the replication of your company’s data on all workstations, servers, and even storage appliances. Then, future backups need only make updates, saving storage, bandwidth, and time. By backing up your company’s data consistently, you significantly lessen the sway that a cybercriminal has over you. Then, all critical backup files should be given strong encryption and stored in a safe, secure, and accessible location only to authorized personnel. By doing this, you gain additional protection should the cybercriminal intend to attack backups.
Having a backup doesn’t solve all your problems, however. If the cybercriminal threatens with doxware, you could still have confidential data go public.
Recovery Policy
This ensures that any critical data that was lost and not backed up is at least recoverable.
Of course, having strong recovery policies will help make the process of data recovery smooth and efficient.
- Which files are more critical than others?
- Is your data organization effective? Is there a better way?
- How long to restore backups?
- Who are the key players in charge of restoring data?
To learn more about data recovery, see our article on Data Backup and Recovery (BCDR).
Use Next-Gen Firewall Security Software
Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) are incredibly effective at defending against ransomware attacks. This sophisticated firewall software grants your company protection from malware that attempts to enter your network. Traditional firewalls fall short. A longtime player is a vendor called Sophos XG.
If you do get a next-generation firewall, be sure to update it so it works properly. This goes for any security applications your business uses.
Safe Internet Practices
Phishing attacks are still the primary method that hackers use to break into SMBs, so practicing safe internet and email usage areas is a must.
First, ensure your employees are using secure networks as they browse and avoid clicking on suspicious links within emails. Second, if an email looks legitimate but it’s asking for something unusual, employees should know to notify IT. A solution could be to implement a company-wide security awareness program. The program would support employees by helping them stay informed about changes to cybersecurity, cyberattacks, and rising threats.
Avoid Unnecessary Downtime with Ransomware Security
To give your own business a reliable level of ransomware protection, consider opting for our Managed Security Services.