If you are running a business that heavily relies on the internet, you need to find a way to protect your online image. Ransomware is a multi-million-dollar crime operation that is used by hackers around the world to steal important information from businesses and then blackmail them into giving money.
In this article, I am going to highlight some of the best ways you can use to ensure that you don’t find yourself trapped in a ransomware attack. So, without further ado, let’s get right down to it.
Restrict Network Access
The very first and the most important thing that you need to do is to make sure that you have segregated your network. By doing that, even if a certain user or computer is hacked, the virus won’t be able to pass its way onto the whole system and leave you vulnerable.
As soon as you realize that your network has been attacked by ransomware, you need to disconnect as soon as possible. On top of disconnecting the infected computer from the rest of the network, you should also turn off your Wi-Fi so that the hacker can’t make more attempts.
Regular System Back-Up
When it comes to a business that depends on an online database, you need to be as careful as possible. The best defense against any kind of virus is to outwit the attacker. If you have regular backups of all your data, the hacker won’t have anything as leverage to blackmail you.
So, in case of an attack, even if you get locked out of your own server, you won’t have to be left at the mercy of the hacker or have to pay him money. You can simply download all your data from the recovery folder and ensure that nothing is lost.
Raising Awareness
While the internet has made a lot of things easier for business, you can’t deny the fact that it is also the cause of security vulnerability. Hackers are becoming smarter day by day, which is causing lots of businesses to lose a huge amount of money.
When it comes to internet security, it doesn’t matter how many protocols you put in place if your employees don’t know how to keep themselves safe. Human interaction is always going to remain the weakest link in the chain of security, so you need to educate your employees regarding how to keep themselves safe online.
Strong Password Policy
Most hackers get into your system because they don’t have to bypass strong network security. Social engineering is one of the easy and most prevalent methods of a ransomware attack, which is why you need to ensure that you have a strong password policy in your office.
For instance, instead of using the same weak password for every computer on the network, you need to implement strong passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Such passwords are almost impossible to hack, and you won’t be an easy target for them.
Patch and Block
Last but not least, on top of implementing the best security protocols, you need to keep updating your system on a weekly or monthly basis. You need to understand that no security product in today’s world is impenetrable. So, you need to stay on your toes and don’t let the hackers get into your system through a loophole.
Your online data is only as strong as the security protocol protecting it, which is why you need to consistently update and patch it. An old security system tends to have lots of loopholes, making it easier for a hacker to exploit your system for information.
