There has been a lot in the news over the last few weeks about ransomware attacks and we want to help clarify some things.
First, what is a ransomware attack? During a ransomware attack, a criminal gains access to your data and then encrypts it. The data is still there, but you can no longer read it or use it.
If you don’t have secured, unaffected backups in place, the most common way to get your data back is to pay a large ransom fee, typically in Bitcoin. (Do you know how much downtime costs your business? Check out our calculator to help determine what your potential recovery costs could be!)
Second, what effect can ransomware have on your business? It can be devastating. It can cost your business thousands of dollars to reinstate your data and secure your network even without paying the ransom. It can also cause days of downtime.
Third, how do criminals get in? There are typically three ransomware attack methods:
Exploit kits: These are used to compromise a website with hidden code in advertisements (known as malvertizing). They secretly redirect you to an unsecure page and download a malicious payload which infects your system.
Malicious attachments in email: Often, malicious emails look genuine and appear to be sent by someone you know and trust within your business, a supplier, or even your bank. When you open the attachment, the ransomware is triggered and infects your device.
Malicious links in email: You receive a link via email, which infects your device when you click it. These emails also seem to be from a believable source which is why so many people are tricked into clicking them.
The more prepared and protected you are, the better off you will be. Give us a call at 716-373-4467 x 15 or email info@databranch.com to learn more about how our team can help prevent malicious attacks and keep your organization safe!
