We hear it nearly every day on the news. More and more companies are getting hit by Ransomware, which makes it one of the fastest growing areas of cyber crime. Ransomware is exactly what the name says, a malicious software installed on the victim’s computer, encrypting data and demanding payment in exchange for decrypting the data. Additionally, malware like Bucbi or Locky are not targeting large organisations only, but small and medium sized ones too. Our security experts at Smarttech offer 5 tips for protecting your organisation against ransomware.

1. Back up your files on a regular basis

The best way to ensure you do not lose your files to ransomware is to back them up regularly. Storing your backup separately is also key – as discussed, some ransomware variants delete Windows shadow copies of files as a further tactic to prevent your recovery, so you need to store your backup offline.

2. Perform regular software and security updates

All applications come with bugs and vulnerabilities. It is highly critical to ensure that your system and applications are up-to-date, patched and monitored. This gives you the best chance to avoid your system being exploited using drive-by download attacks and software (particularly Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, Web Browser, etc.) vulnerabilities which are known for installing ransomware.

3. Browse and email responsibly!

Practice safe browsing to reduce the risk of drive-by attacks. Most ransomware arrives via spam email either by clicking the links or as attachments. Having a good email anti-virus scanner would also proactively block compromised or malicious website links or binary attachments that lead to ransomware.

4. Stop using easy passwords

Most people are using simple passwords and the same password across multiple websites which is a major vulnerability. Use complex passwords and change them frequently. Here are some best practices in terms of using complex passwords:

• Use a mix of alphabetical and numeric characters.
• Use a mixture of upper- and lowercase (passwords are case sensitive).
• Use symbols
• Use a combination of letters and numbers
• Pick something obscure:
  • an odd character in an otherwise familiar term
  • a combination of two unrelated words
  • Two words separated by a non-alphabetic, non-numeric, or punctuation character

5.  Install a Firewall – block Tor and I2P, and restrict to specific ports.

Preventing the malware from reaching its call-home server via the network can disarm an active ransomware variant. As such, blocking connections to I2P or Tor servers via a firewall is an effective measure. Use special software at Server level to prevent file encryption on File Shares.

The conclusion is that the best cure for ransomware is rigorous prevention. Once a company falls prey and gets infected, the options may be limited, expensive and unpleasant. If you want more advice on how to prevent or remediate ransomware attacks, contact our security experts today!