Have you ever experienced a cyber attack? Just waking up one typical day, logging on to your computer, and realizing your data has been breached and now they’re asking for some ransom? That is a big nightmare for your business! All of your valuable data is now in the hands of some hacker.

 

If you are one of those lucky people who haven’t gone through this yet, then good for you. You still have a chance to prevent this from occurring. You still have time to prepare and protect yourself from all the stress and chaos a cyber attack brings to your business. 

 

What is Ransomware and how does it work?

To make it simple, ransomware is a virus that sort of kidnaps your data by encrypting it and you have to pay a ransom to have it decrypted. When a machine on your network contracts a virus, a ransomware attack begins. Hackers can infect your computer using a number of techniques, including spam links, email attachments, and even sophisticated social engineering tactics. After being downloaded onto an endpoint, the malicious file spreads throughout the network, encrypting any file it can access. You will be required to pay a price if you want to break through its encryption.

 

A cyber attack is costly and could even bring you out of business if you are not careful. In our times today, nobody knows which businesses a hacker or a group of hackers might try to breach.. 

 

Here’s how to recover if you are threatened by a Ransomware:

 

In an event of a Ransomware attack, depending on your industry and laws, you may be asked to report the attack first. In this way, authorities will know that you are in the middle of a cyber attack and in no way of accessing your company’s data. This is actually not a bad idea as they may help out and get you coordinated with counter-attack measures. 

 

Infection Isolation

You still don’t know what kind of a virus strain it is. There are others which spread faster that you won’t even have time to react to it. 

 

The first thing you will have to do is stop all types of processes that may help spread the ransomware. Turn off your Wi-Fi, your Bluetooth, and  unplug the machine from both any LAN or storage device it might be connected to. This controls the spread and prevents the ransomware from getting in touch with the perpetrators.

 

Infection Identification

It will be easier for you to comprehend how the ransomware spreads, what kinds of files it normally targets, and what options, if any, you have for removal and eradication if you are aware of the type of ransomware you have been exposed to. If you were able to alert the authorities about the attack firsthand, you’ll learn more about it.

 

Reporting of the Attack

Sometimes, you might think of just paying the ransom and not make the attack a public knowledge because of the nature of your business. But reporting could really be a great help. The authorities’ understanding of who is responsible for cyberattacks, how they get access to your system, and what can be done to stop them advances with each reported attack.

 

The Internet Crime Complaint Center is where you may report crimes to the FBI.

 

Your Options

There are times when you might think of the convenience of just paying up the ransom. Less time wasted and could be less expensive that trying to have the virus removed. But this method will only give the hackers encouragement to do it again. Moreover, paying does not guarantee that you will get your data back.

 

There are also ways to recover your data with the help from the authorities or IT companies that specialize with ransomware removal. 

 

You always choose what is best for your business. It is important to weigh your options first and pick what is best.

 

Restore and Refresh

To restore your computer or equip a new system, use secure backups, programs, and software sources. The safest way to be sure malware or ransomware has been eradicated from a system is to completely wipe all storage devices and start over with the installation of every component. Your system’s hard disks will be formatted to ensure that there are no malicious remnants.

 

You should be able to use backup copies that you are confident weren’t connected to your network around the time of the attack and were therefore safe from infection if you’ve been following a strong backup policy with both local and off-site backups. Both cloud-stored files and backup drives that were totally unplugged should be secure.

 

Here’s how to prevent a Ransomware Attack:

 

Educate Yourself About Computer Viruses

In order for you to be ready for any cyber attack, you must know the types of viruses there is. Since some ransomware spread faster than others that it will be too late for you to ask for assistance with removal, you can prevent the spread yourself by simply knowing the strain of the virus.

 

There are two types of attack vectors for which a virus can enter your computer: Human attack vectors and machine attack vectors. 

 

What are human attack vectors?

Hackers know how to exploit human error. Here are the common human attack vectors:

 

Phishing 

Ever get an email that seems legitimate and asks you to click on a link or open an attachment? Although the email may look credible, by simply clicking the link and opening the attachment, a malware will be delivered to your computer. The email may look like it’s from someone you know, that is why it is important to be vigilant. It is your job to have the knowledge to prevent phishing attacks.

 

SMSishing

Now this one is by the use of text messaging. SMSishing is the practice of using text messages to entice receivers to visit a website or input personal data. Authentication messages or messages that look to be from a banking institution or other service provider are common tactics. Even more cunningly, some SMSishing ransomware tries to spread by sending itself to every contact listed on the device.

 

Vishing

This one is actually happening a lot nowadays. Similar to email and SMS, vishing tricks the you by leaving a message on your voicemail instructing you to call a seemingly trustworthy number that is actually a faked one. When you call the number, you are forced to comply with a set of instructions that are purportedly meant to solve an issue. You are actually being duped into downloading malware onto your own machine. Hackers are getting more creative these days.

 

Social Media

You may be persuaded to view a downloaded image from a social media site or engage in other compromising behavior through social media. The carrier could be active content like as music, video, or other types that when accessed, infect your system.

 

Instant Messaging

This is also happening a lot today. With more than 4 billion users combined, IM apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Snapchat are popular targets for ransomware assaults. These messages may appear to be from people you know and include links or attachments that harm your computer or occasionally transmit to other people on your contact list, furthering the spread of the infection.

 

What are machine attack vectors?

This is where the attack mechanism is automated and your computer or network can be invaded without explicit human assistance.

 

Drive-by

When you visit a website with malware embedded in the code of an image or active content, this is what happens. All it takes is for you to pass by before you become a victim.

 

Malvertising

Malvertising is just like drive-by, but it spreads malware through advertisements. To reach a broad audience, these advertisements may be posted on well-known social media platforms or search engines. Adult-only websites are a frequent target for malicious advertising.

 

System Vulnerabilities

Systems that are not patched with the most recent security updates experience this the most frequently. Hackers can easily infiltrate into these systems.

 

Network Propagation

Businesses without sufficient protection may also have other network shares and their company file server infected. The malware will then spread as far as it can until it runs out of systems that are accessible or runs into security barriers.

 

Prevent Ransomware with these Steps: 

To prevent known payloads from launching, use security policies, anti-virus software, and other protection measures. Installing an anti-virus to your computing is the simplest way to prevent attacks.

 

  • All crucial files should be regularly backed up in full, isolated from local networks, and frequently. This is a precautionary measure in an event that your data won’t be returned or decrypted.
  • Users can preserve totally air-gapped backups with the help of immutable backup choices. Within the end-user-specified time limit, the data cannot be changed, removed, or corrected. You can swiftly restore clean data from your immutable backups, deploy them, and resume business as usual after setting immutability on key data.
  • To stop the ransomware from accessing your offline data backups, keep them in places that are air-gapped or unreachable from any possibly infected computers, like disconnected external storage devices or the cloud.
  • Use reputable OS and application suppliers to keep your security up to date. To fix known vulnerabilities in operating systems, browsers, and web plugins, keep in mind to patch frequently and early.
  • To prevent infections on endpoints, email servers, and network systems, think about adopting security software.
  • Maintain good online hygiene by being cautious when clicking on links and email attachments.
  • Split your networks to keep important machines separate and to stop malware from spreading in the event of an attack. Disable unused network shares.
  • For those who don’t need admin rights, disable them. Provide users the fewest number of system privileges necessary to complete their tasks.
  • On file servers, limit write rights as much as you can.

 

Knowing how to recover and to prevent being attacked by hackers can go a long way in saving and protecting your business from the hassle and cost of ransomware. In these times, you have to be extra vigilant when it comes to malicious links, emails, or even texts. THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK. 

 

Either you want to stay protected or you want to recover from ransomware, you can always rely on the experts to do the job while you focus on other vital parts of your business. With Intelecis, we will give you that peace of mind knowing your business is in good hands. Of course, every business is unique. That’s why, we will thoroughly assess your business first so we can create a customized plan that is tailored to your specific needs. We have top of the line technology and cybersecurity experts who will respond to your needs 24/7. What are you waiting for? Talk to us today so we can get you started on a world class cybersecurity experience.