Ransomware Protection Tips

Heard of ransomware? Worried that you’ll be hit next?

Here’s how it works, and what you can do to best protect yourself.

How it works.

Essentially, you’re duped into clicking on an infected popup advertisement or you visit an infected website. However, instead of just trying to trick you into buying fake antivirus software, the bad guys hold your computer hostage and attempt to extort payment.

In some instances, ads for pornographic websites appear on your screen each time you try to click on a Web page. The ads cover a portion of the page you’re trying to view.

Imagine if you’re sitting there at work and this happens to you!

One wrong click and you can find yourself in a world of pain, as the criminals state that a piece of your data will be destroyed every 30 minutes if you don’t pay up.

They often ask for a nominal payment, figuring you’ll be more likely to pay to avoid the hassle and heartache of dealing with the virus. They may ask for as little as £10 to be wired online, paid through a premium text message or sent through a form of online cash (bitcoin for instance).

How to best protect yourself from ransomware

As with other attacks, you can work to avoid ransomware.

Experts advise taking these steps to avoid attacks or protect yourself after an attack:

    • Use reputable antivirus software and a firewall. Maintaining a strong firewall and keeping your security software up to date are critical. It’s important to use antivirus software from a reputable company because of all the fake software out there.
    • Back up often. If you back up files to either an external hard drive or to an online cloud based backup service, you diminish the threat of losing ALL of your data.
    • Enable your popup blocker. Popups are a prime tactic used by the bad guys, so simply avoid even accidentally clicking on an infected popup. If a popup appears, click on the X in the right-hand corner. The buttons within a popup might have been reprogrammed by the criminals, so do not click on them.
    • Exercise caution. Don’t click on links inside emails, and avoid suspicious websites. If your PC does come under attack, use another computer to research details about the type of attack. But be aware that the bad guys are devious enough to create fake sites, perhaps touting their own fake antivirus software or their de-encryption program.
    • Disconnect from the Internet. If you receive a ransomware note, disconnect from the Internet so your personal data isn’t transmitted back to the criminals. Shut down your computer and make sure you’re disconnected from the internet (either by pulling out your network cable, or by disconnecting from the WiFi. If you have backed up your data, you can re-install your data.

Did you find this useful?

At Cloud Plus we regularly send out tips and advice to our customers, helping them run and grow their businesses, whilst also keeping them safe and secure by providing them with top notch I.T. Support.

Cloud Plus I.T. Support provides the perfect fit for businesses, small or large, ranging from 1-99 computers, that require support or an expert ‘helping hand’ when it comes to all things I.T.

As an entrepreneurial business ourselves, we know exactly what it’s like to run a business – and the frustrations and slip ups that I.T. can cause along the way.

That’s why our highly trained helpdesk heroes (based right here in the UK) are on hand to ensure that your I.T. set-up is in ‘tip top’ shape, enabling your business to run, grow and succeed.

That way should any technical difficulties or problems arise, our team are primed and ready to make sure any issues are fixed quickly and professionally, to minimise disruption (and cost) to your business.

If you’d like to receive a free quote and brochure, detailing how we can support and enable your business to grow and succeed, click on the orange button below.

We’ll get a custom-made quote put together and sent direct to your email inbox right away!

So what are you waiting for? Get your free quote today…