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You’ve probably heard the term “ransomware” in relation to business security and know that it’s an extremely bad situation, but do you know what a ransomware attack will look like? If your network is not fully secure and backed up, ransomware can be a nightmare for your business. Staying secure when your information is available on any network is more difficult than ever before, and your business can be infiltrated in a moment. Here’s what you need to know to get up to speed on the threat of ransomware.
What is Ransomware?
In a ransomware attack, cybercriminals essentially take your files or your business systems hostage and demand a ransom before releasing the files back to your business. There are a variety of ways the attack could appear to users: you might log into your computer and suddenly find that all your files and folders have been renamed to unrecognizable strings of characters or you could simply get a pop-up on your computer screen demanding that you submit a ransom to a specific user before you’re able to access any of your business documents or systems.
How Do You Pay a Ransom?
Generally, hackers want to be paid to release your files in some sort of untraceable form of currency such as Bitcoin. If you’re not familiar with Bitcoin, CIO.com has a great article showing you how to safely purchase Bitcoin if you simply must pay the ransom. Most security professionals recommend against paying the ransom, but that may not be an option for some businesses.
How Can My Business Survive Ransomware Attacks?
Here’s the reality: there are few if any ways to prevent every type of ransomware attack that could possibly hit your business. The good news is that with a thorough backup and recovery procedure in place, there may be no reason to pay the ransom! When you have an active scanning process in place and a robust cybersecurity posture as well as a good backup and recovery model, you’re in great shape in the event of an attack. Your local IT security professionals are able to help you prepare for and recover from a ransomware or other cybersecurity attack.
If you think your business has suffered a ransomware attack — or better yet, you want to plan ahead to protect your organization — contact the professionals at LAN Infotech today at 954-717-1990 or fill out our quick online form for more information. Businesses of all sizes are vulnerable to attacks, and these attacks can happen at any time and without warning. Planning ahead and working with the cybersecurity team at LAN Infotech will help ensure that your business operations are maintained in the face of rising threats to your business systems and data.