There’s been a lot in the news over the last few weeks about ransomware attacks. As the media can give people the wrong impression let me clear up some things for you.

What is a ransomware attack?

It is where a criminal gets access to your data, and then encrypts it – the data is still there, but you cannot read it or use it and the bad guys demand a ransom for you to gain access again.

If you don’t have unaffected backups, the only way to get your data back is to pay a large ransom fee, typically in Bitcoin.

What effect can ransomware have on your business?

It can be totally devastating. Even without paying the ransom, it can cost your business thousands of dollars to reinstate your data and secure your network – and this doesn’t include the days of downtime and subsequent wages of your staff sitting around with not much to do!

So how do criminals get in?

There are typically three ransomware attack methods:

1. Malicious attachments in email: Often, the emails look genuine and appear to be sent by someone you know and trust. That could be someone within your business, a supplier, or even your bank. When you open the attachment, the ransomware is triggered and infects your device.
2. Malicious links in email: You receive a link via email, which infects your device when you click it. These emails seem to be from a reliable source, which is why so many people are duped into clicking them.
3. Exploit kits: These are used to compromise a website with hidden code in adverts (known as malvertizing). These secretly redirect you a bad page and then download a malicious payload, which infects your system.

The more prepared and protected you are, the better. Let’s talk about malware and keeping your business safe. Contact us now to discuss your businesses security requirements.