How to protect your business from ransomware

As a small and medium-sized business, you are just as much at risk of a ransomware attack as large enterprises. In fact, you may be even more susceptible. That’s because hackers know you have limited resources with which to defend the attack, making your business a much easier target.

Don’t be an easy target. Here’s how you can protect your business from ransomware.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a computer virus that will threaten to delete your files unless you a fee (the ransom). Hackers download software onto your device without you or your employees knowing about it, which will automatically start encrypting files. This is usually achieved through a phishing email.

How you can protect your business

Here are several steps that you can use to make sure your business is protected against ransomware attacks.

Back up your files

The entire threat of ransomware is that businesses are unable to access their files. But this isn’t a problem for businesses who have backed up their files in the cloud or on separate devices. Either way, these files won’t be affected by the attack meaning you can wipe your machines and download the backed up data.

Update everything

Yes, updating every piece of software you use can be a huge pain, but there is a good reason for it. A lot of updates are patches to security issues that make them vulnerable to attacks. It can be tempting to leave updates until the program stops working, but you should always update as soon as one is available.  

Use an antivirus software

Antivirus software is essential for any business. A robust antivirus solution will automatically block some malware or ransomware downloads. The better the solution, the more ransomware attacks it will block. Of course, you’ll need to keep this updated, too.

Keep your staff informed

Small and medium-sized businesses often make easy targets for ransomware attacks because they don’t train staff on the dangers of opening unsolicited emails or visiting unsecured websites. Regular training is essential to avoid your employees accidentally downloading ransomware onto their computers.

Don’t pay the ransom

Do you know what paying the ransom does to hackers? It encourages them to target your business again and to target other businesses like yours. Besides, if you have followed the advice above they’ll be no need to pay the ransom as all of your files will have been backed up.

If you’re at all concerned about ransomware, the most important thing is to seek professional advice. For expert information on protecting your business from a ransomware attack, get in touch with our team. Call our sales and support team on 281-768-4800 today.