Ransomware is on the rise – how you can protect your business

How much is your business’ data worth? An LA hospital recently paid $17,000 to reclaim their medical data and patient files after hackers accessed their system and held it to ransom.
It is not the first case of a business falling victim to ransomware, a form of malware crafted by cyber criminals that locks users out of their system by encrypting their files and demanding a ransom to restore access.
This type of cyber criminal activity is a growing threat to Australian companies, particularly small to medium businesses who may not be aware of the risk of cyber criminal activity or have any protective measures in place.
Businesses who fail to take precautions against this type of malware risk losing critical data and potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars to cyber criminals.

How to protect your business from ransomware attacks

Ransomware is often spread by fake emails containing a link or attachment that downloads the malicious software.
For example, Australia Post customers were recently targeted by a ransomware attack after a fake email was sent advising customers that a ‘courier’ was unable to deliver a package. The scam email was a fake intended to extort to money from unsuspecting individuals and businesses.
You can protect your business and your data from ransomware attacks by taking a few practical steps:

• Install virus and spam protection software. For the best protection, we recommend Bitdefender.
• Back-up your files regularly and ensure you have a thorough disaster recovery plan in place.
• Delete suspicious emails – do not open an email that looks suspicious. Delete immediately.
• Keep your software up-to-date –  having the latest software makes your system less vulnerable to cyber attacks.

TelTech Services can help protect your business from ransomware and other virus and malware attacks. Contact us for assistance with anti-virus protection, disaster recovery planning and back-up plans.