The latest data from the U.S. Treasury Department shows that $ 1 billion was spent to pay off ransomware attacks last year. Right now, Hacking is a major national security issue. It’s the reason the FCC is urging Congress to ban the China-based social media app TikTok. It’s also the reason U.S. officials and allies have spent this week having round table discussions to search for a solution. According to CNN, the five hacking tools used for most payments last year are all connected to Russian hackers.
As government officials work to find a way to make organizations more resilient to hacks, there are a few simple steps you can take to protect your small business. Mimecast.com lists phishing scams, remote desk protocol, and software vulnerabilities as the most common ransomware attacks. To protect your business from the attack, the first thing to do is back up your data.
Mimecast says backing up data is an essential step to take. This means your company’s data should be recoverable from both a cloud-based service and an alternate physical location.
The next step to follow is using anti-ransomware detection. You need a service that scans and monitors malicious emails. Personal antivirus software doesn’t always work. The service you choose needs to detect and analyze threats before entering your IT network.
The last simple step, educate your employees on the best anti-ransomware practices. Cybercriminals often change their strategies, so keeping your employees updated on the latest ransomware attacks reduces your vulnerability.
Just in case you are ever hacked, here’s a word of advice from the government. Do not pay the ransom.
Add comment