The rise in cyber attacks has a lot of businesses on edge and wondering how they can protect themselves from being the next target of cyber criminals. Ransomware, a popular method of attack, is a type of malware that locks up your devices through encryption and holds your information hostage until you pay a ransom to have your files decrypted. Between April 2015 and March 2016, 718,536 users were attacked. That is five and a half times more users hit than in the previous year.
How can you protect your business from hackers or cyber attacks? Having a good prevention plan in place can protect your business from one of these malicious attacks. The following are 5 ways to protect your business from cyber attacks:
- Install the latest versions of anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware software on all of the devices used within your company. If you or any of your employees use any personal computers or mobile phones for work purposes, make sure they are updated with the proper security software also.
- Complete software updates and security patches as soon as possible. Often when computers have automatic updates, security patches are included in the updates. It can be easy to just put it off and press the button to be reminded later but doing it as soon as possible could mean avoiding future problems.
- Back up your data periodically in case of attack. If you are the victim of a ransomware attack, backing up your data may be the only way to retrieve files that would otherwise be lost.
- Avoid phishing emails and websites. Do not click links in emails from unknown sources or in suspicious looking emails. Some phishing emails include links to web addresses and ad banners that look real. Be careful what you open and click on.
- Keep your employees updated on phishing scams and how to avoid them. It is important that everyone using company equipment know about these potential threats and to know what to do if they believe any devices have been infected with a virus or ransomware.
Combined Systems Technology 