One of the services that your IT support provider in LA will offer is protection from ransomware. Ransomware attacks on businesses have been on the rise, with damages running into the billions. Projections predict that a new business will be hit by ransomware every 11 seconds in 2021. Some attacks are targeted to a particular company, making it even harder to recover. Here’s all you need to know about ransomware:
What is Ransomware?
Protection from all kinds of malware is a critical service of IT support providers in LA. Ransomware describes a kind of computer malware that locks users out of their systems. It will typically demand ransom for users to access their files and documents. The malware has been active since the late 1980s when it was first sent through snail mail.
The most common types of ransomware are screen-locking and encrypting ransomware. Encrypting ransomware is the more severe of the two, and you will be unable to access files, emails, and photographs.
How Does Ransomware Infect Your Computer?
Spam emails are one of the major ways cybercriminals use to send ransomware. These mails are designed to look safe by attaching a legitimate-looking address. It will contain attachments like Word documents and links. The email may assume the voice of a trusted company or friend to encourage the recipient to click on it.
If the recipient downloads and opens the attachments, the ransomware will take over the computer. Some ransomware developers will use social-engineering tools to trick users into offering administrative access to malware.
Another method of spreading ransomware is malvertising, where a user browsing the internet will be redirected to malicious sites. This method is particularly dangerous because the victim does not have to click on an ad.
How to Deal with Ransomware
Once ransomware infects one computer in a system, it will quickly spread across the network. The first action should be to isolate the affected devices and dismiss it from the network and any external storage devices.
If you cannot define the kind of ransomware you are dealing with, there are many sites to identify different kinds of malware. You should know how the ransomware spreads, how it is removed, and what kind of effects it has on a computer.
A common query with ransomware is whether you should pay for the ransom, which you should not. The FBI has endorsed this advice because paying also encourages more attacks.
You can remove your systems to get rid of malware, which is the most effective strategy. To use this method, however, you must have a solid backup strategy, which IT support experts will help you with.
Conclusion
Ransomware is big business, and cybercriminals are only developing smarter ways to infect networks. Working with IT support specialists in LA can help you prevent these attacks through strategies like offline backups, anti-malware software, security updates, and segmentation of your company’s networks. If you are concerned about any vulnerabilities in your system that open you up to ransomware, contact us now for a comprehensive diagnosis!
