A pipeline in the eastern United States was recently affected by ransomware and forced to pay the associated fee before they could resume transporting petroleum products. Their ransomware debacle impacted a vast portion of the country. IT services experts in Los Angeles point out that even some of the biggest businesses are subject to ransomware fraud. From Androids to international businesses, ransomware is an issue.

So, What Do You Do?

Contacting an IT consultant in Los Angeles can be a smart move for companies that have a lot of android devices, and even for individual android users; they can give you very specific tips for security. In general, these tips should apply to your device:

Avoid WiFi That Can’t Be Trusted

IT services professionals in Los Angeles advise that you should never use WiFi networks that you don’t know you can trust. This is one of the main ways cybercriminals infect mobile devices like smartphones. Most cafes, hotels, and coffee shops will be alright; but if you’re searching through available WiFi options and find some random open network, that’s probably going to expose your device. Be careful with the networks you use.

If Infected, Disconnect the Device from All Networks

If you’ve discovered you’ve got a device that’s been infected with ransomware, immediately disconnect it from any network. This will help reduce how many devices a virus can infect. Sometimes, if you catch ransomware early enough, you can keep it from spreading.

Establish Backup Protocols Utilizing Cloud Networks In Case You Must Initialize

Back up data on smartphones that have varying operating systems, including Android options. In the event you get infected, you can wipe the device then reboot it from a cloud backup that happened before the virus got on your Android device.

Safeguarding Your Android

IT services experts in Los Angeles advise that you should avoid “sketchy” WiFi, ensure infected devices don’t incidentally infect other devices on the network, and back up devices to the cloud in case you need to totally initialize a smartphone or tablet. That way, you won’t lose data. For more information on how to keep your devices safe from cyber threats, reach out to us at Advanced Networks.