Ransomware Can Cause Serious Damage

If you have been watching the news lately you might have heard about ransomware. As you may already know ransomware is a type of virus that encrypts your files and asks for a ransom ranging from $380 to $2000 (most common versions) and up to $23,000 in some cases paid in BitCoin (1 BTC > $3300). Some newer versions are designed to be smarter and to encrypt more file types causing more harm to your business. They also rename your files making it very hard to recover them. It’s also not guaranteed you will get your files back even if you pay the ransom.

How To Protect Your Network

 

1. Educate your staff about ransomware and how it spreads. The most recent version infected computers using a Windows exploit. Email attachments with extensions .Zip or .Rar are also known to carry the virus. Forward this blog post to your contacts as a start. Education in my opinion is the number one way to protecting your network from ransomware.

 

 

 

2. Install a business grade network firewall with advanced malware protection and content filtering. This helps filter incoming traffic and block threats that pass through from connecting to their managing servers. This works hand-in-hand with the centrally managed antivirus.

 

 

 

 

3. Install a centrally managed antivirus and keep it updated. Configure it to scan daily during lunch time. An antivirus can protect your computer from a threats that spreads through USB storage devices. Antiviruses complement the network level firewall to offer a better network security solution.

 

 

 

 

4. Maintain and patch your computers and servers on a regular schedule. This plugs the exploits and prevents threats from sneaking in. The most recent attacks used a Windows exploit named Eternalblue. Those attacks caused a lot of panic and infected 10’s of thousands of computers.

 

 

 

 

5. Use a strong disaster recovery plan (DRP) and perform test file restores on a regular schedule. CompuFix recommends using ioSafe products to ensure your backups are disaster proof. Storing your backups on a fireproof and waterproof device ensures your backups are protected from environmental disasters.

 

 

 

 

Are you worried about your network security? Are you concerned about getting infected with ransomware? CompuFix can help with your your network security! We worry about ransomware so that you don’t. Contact us today for your complimentary security and disaster recover plan (DRP) assessment. Make the move towards better security today to avoid dealing with the consequences tomorrow. CompuFix | We Got IT Covered…