NSA secrets, foreign espionage, manufacturing plants temporarily shutting down, emergency rooms turning away patients were just a few aspects of the most recent Ransomware code named Wanna Cry. Given this level of risk what can the average company or employee do to prevent this?
Ransomware is by far the most impactful malware in existence today. Why? It locks a user or company out of critical data by encrypting files and demanding a payment (a.k.a. ransom) to unlock the files. Kaspersky Lab, a cyber security research company, recorded one ransomware attack every 40 seconds against companies and every 10 seconds against consumers last September.
5 critical things everyone can do to prevent Ransomware and other malware/viruses.
- Always use a modern browser like Google Chrome and keep it updated.
- Run an ad block plugin such as Adblock Plus
- Enable Google Chrome click-to-play which requires you to knowingly select a plug-in or flash video to play
- Ensure your computer has the latest software patches.
- Hover before you click on a link.
In addition to preventing Ransomware it is always a good idea to back-up your personal and business files. Given the number of cost effective and secure cloud providers it’s easier than ever to protect your information. Google Drive provides 15GB of free storage and a great photo editor. There are numerous other solutions such as Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Apple iCloud or Amazon if you prefer a specific company. The key is to ensure your critical files are backed up against malware and just a normal computer crash.
If you follow these simple guidelines you can prevent yourself from a frustrating time trying to recreate all of your files.
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