Want to know how to protect against becoming a victim of the cybercrime trend known as “ransomware?” This insidious form of hacking – targeting individuals and organizations alike – uses malicious software to hold the information on a computer or network hostage until the data owner pays a ransom to have it returned. Surveys conducted by cybersecurity experts indicate that up to 40% of companies have been attacked with ransomware and that the threat is growing.
Ransomware attacks can take a number of forms. Frequently, the cyber criminal will encrypt the information being stored, which renders it unreadable and unusable. To regain access to their data, the victim is instructed they must pay a specified sum of money within a certain timeframe to receive the encryption key to unlock their data. Other types of ransomware disable a computer’s operating system, preventing it from being used until money is paid. Further compounding the threat, payment of the ransom in no way guarantees access will actually be returned to its rightful owner. Too frequently, ransomware victims are out both the money and their data files.
The implications to an organization like a school district in having their critical data held hostage can range from disrupting operations, loss of revenue and compromising the privacy or safety of people and security of property. What can you do to protect yourself? Three simple things can make your systems safer and help you avoid paying anything to get your data back should you be attacked by “info-nappers.”
Educate yourself and your colleagues about the tricks hackers use to get unsuspecting computer users to give them the backdoor keys to their systems. Hackers use sneaky “social engineering” techniques like spear phishing to get employees to open access to an intruder. Keenan SafeSchools online training includes cyber security courses to help them learn how to avoid assisting a hacker unwittingly.
Because ransomware schemes evolve to become ever more elaborate, it is essential to keep your system and antivirus protection up to date. Software patches eliminate the known vulnerabilities that allow cyber criminals to take control of your computer. However, hackers are too often a step or more ahead of the good guys, and the latest and greatest protection may not prevent every attack from succeeding.
That’s why your best protection is having a current backup copy of your data. If your data files are locked up and held for ransom, with a backup, you can always restore the information and get back in business with a minimum of delay.