The Ultimate Cyber Nasty: Ransomware. How to Avoid it and What to do if you Fall Victim

Today, we’re looking at perhaps the meanest bully in the cyber world: Ransomware - a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or encrypt files until a sum of money, or ransom, is paid. It is one of the most prevalent and damaging types of cyber threats today and one you want to swerve at all costs. Pardon the pun.

While ransomware has been around for several years, it's becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cybercriminals often target businesses, including small and medium-sized companies, with ransomware attacks, causing significant operational and financial disruptions, not to mention a humungous amount of stress on victims.

The most common way that ransomware infects a computer is through phishing emails. These emails appear to be from trusted sources and convince individuals to click on a link or download an attachment that contains the ransomware. Once the ransomware is on a computer, it can quickly spread throughout an entire network, encrypting files and demanding a ransom for the decryption key.

Other methods of infection include visiting unsafe or compromised websites, clicking on malicious pop-up ads, or downloading unsafe software.

To protect against the cyber-nasty, it's important to maintain good cybersecurity practices, such as regularly updating and patching software, using strong and unique passwords, and educating yourself and your team about the dangers of phishing emails and other cyber threats. I always stress that backing up your data effectively instantly alleviates the majority of the damage caused by ransomware so don’t skip it!

I also recommend using security software that includes ransomware protection. This can detect and block attacks before they cause damage, providing an additional layer of protection.

Though I sincerely hope it is never relevant to you, in the event of am attack, it's important not to pay the ransom. Paying the ransom doesn't guarantee that you'll get your data back, and it encourages cybercriminals to continue being *insert a not so nice name*. Instead, contact local authorities and consider seeking advice from a professional cybersecurity firm, both to mitigate the damage and potentially recover your data.