Imagine you’re about to work on a task on a business computer. It involves opening an encrypted folder with sensitive financial data. So, you put the password in, but as soon as you do, it tells you that your code is incorrect.
Immediately after, you see a note on your screen telling you the folder is under someone else’s control. It also says you must pay an amount to retrieve the stolen contents.
That’s a ransomware attack. If you don’t pay, you may never be able to get your stolen data back.
The good news is that ransomware detection and prevention strategies can help you avoid such predicaments. With these in place, you can reduce the odds of business data falling into the hands of bad actors.
This guide discusses the best practices for detecting and preventing a ransomware attack, so read on.
Train Everyone in Your Business
Cybersecurity training educates people to understand, identify, detect, and avoid security threats.
An example of a threat that often precedes a ransomware attack is phishing. It accounts for as many as one in three data breaches in the U.S. alone. They’re so prevalent that over eight in ten companies experience a phishing attack yearly.
Bad actors can use phishing scams and messages as a vector of ransomware. For instance, they may include a link in an email that, when clicked, redirects the victim to a website hosting the ransomware file. That file may then get downloaded and executed automatically on the victim’s computer.
Cybersecurity training teaches people to know what phishing messages look like. This can help them become more cautious when opening emails, chats, and SMS messages. And by being more aware of such threats, they can avoid being a human cyber risk.
Never Delay Security Updates
One of the most well-known ransomware attacks is the 2017 WannaCry incident. It impacted Microsoft Windows OS users worldwide. It also resulted in an estimated recovery cost of almost $4 billion.
That damage was preventable because Microsoft rolled out a security patch a few months before the attack. It contained an update meant to protect against the WannaCry ransomware.
However, many users failed to download and install the security patch. Because of this, chaos ensued, and victims lost billions of dollars.
That should tell you how the timely installation of software updates is critical to ransomware prevention. This applies not only to operating systems but to anti-malware protection programs, too. In many cases, patches update their security protocols, letting them scan for, detect, and block more advanced malware.
So, as early as now, set all your software to check for, download, and install updates automatically. If these features aren’t available, do it manually as soon as the updates are available.
Use Phishing Filters
Since phishing attacks can lead to ransomware attacks, blocking the former can help reduce your risks of the latter. You can do this by using phishing filters.
Phishing filters analyze websites and incoming emails and messages for suspicious activity. They use content inspection and URL block listing to identify suspicious links and attachments. They will then reject emails and messages they suspect have such content.
Install Ransomware Protection Software
Ransomware protection software proactively monitors your devices and activities. If it detects that something, such as a file you are about to download, is a potential ransomware threat, it will immediately block the download.
Some anti-ransomware programs also perform active scanning that lets them hunt down existing malicious software. For instance, they may look for folders and files with scrambled names and contents. These are typical signs of a ransomware or malware infection.
Once found, they will notify you immediately and give you options to address the issue. For example, they may have a feature that you can use to remove the malware and clean your device.
Invest in a Comprehensive Cyber Risk Assessment
A cyber risk assessment analyzes an organization’s existing and potential cybersecurity threats. These may include the following:
- Outdated or legacy information technology systems
- Network vulnerabilities
- Unmonitored devices used in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies
- Lack of data access and control
- Irregular or untimely downloading and installation of security updates
- Poor password management and requirements
Those problems can put your business at risk of malware, including ransomware, spyware, adware, viruses, and Trojans.
One method used to reveal those threats is a penetration test (pen test). This involves cybersecurity specialists launching simulated attacks on your IT infrastructure or system.
After identifying the threats, the specialists will recommend the appropriate cybersecurity solutions for your business. This may include password management, managed multi-factor authentication, and 24/7 malware monitoring. They may also suggest a patch management plan to keep all your IT components up-to-date.
Maintain Good Backups
While being able to detect and prevent infections is critical, you must also understand that no one is 100% safe from attacks. Thus, preparing for the worst is just as crucial, which you can do by implementing proper data backup practices.
The 3-2-1 data backup practice is an excellent place to start.
The “3” means to have three copies or backups of your data. The “2” refers to using two types of storage media, such as a physical hard disk drive and the cloud. The “1” pertains to storing one of your backups off-site.
Maintaining good backups can help mitigate the effects of a potential data loss if you get hit by a ransomware attack. Even if the criminals encrypt your files and folders, you can still access their contents through your backups. You may not even have to pay the ransom if they take control of non-sensitive data that you have copies of.
Implement These Ransomware Detection and Prevention Strategies Today
Without appropriate ransomware detection and prevention strategies, bad actors can gain control of your business data. When this happens, the only choice you may have is to pay them the ransom to recover what they’ve stolen.
So, before that happens, follow the tactics discussed in this guide. The sooner you do, the sooner you can protect your data from cybercriminals.
Check out our other blog posts and guides for more data safety and protection tips!
