With the world of technology ever-changing, viruses are evolving with IT; ransomware being the virus making news. Ransomware is a type of malware that allows the creator to lock the infected system’s files in demand for money – a.k.a ransom. How can your company be safe from this malware? As a company, it’s hard to know how to be protected from a ransomware attack. However, if you continue reading, we’ll cover some basic steps on how to protect your company from ransomware.
- Educate Your Employees (New and Old) on Ransomware
The ransomware virus is a hot topic in the tech world, and it should be a topic amongst your employees as well. Show the staff what a virus would look like – mainly keeping to emails and new downloads. A show and tell on what ransomware is and what it looks like will allow the employees to be on the look-out for potential ransomware attacks. Education and keeping the staff up-to-date on cyber threats, new and old, is essential to being one step in the right direction.
- Train Your Employees on What to Look For
Once your employees know what to look for, it is helpful to make sure they are trained on what to do next. Having the “see something, say something” mentality amongst your staff will give them prior knowledge on what to do. However, it’s essential to hold meetings and training events once or twice a year, thereby allowing your employees to refresh their knowledge of ransomware and to gain new information as the virus changes. Whether the employee is new or has been in the company for years, it is better to be safe when it comes to ransomware and computer viruses. So, train them now, rather than risking the company being attacked by ransomware later.
- Make Sure Your Company is Secure
Security is the biggest safety net against ransomware, but don’t stop at just antivirus protection. Updating your antivirus system and knowledge is equally as important for a company’s safety net. In the worst possible outcome – like being attacked by ransomware – having a continuous computer backup and plan will allow you to return to a point where it’s like the virus didn’t attack, thereby giving the company back the information it needs, without paying the ransomware virus. When in doubt, always backup your files.
Instead of thinking that a ransomware attack won’t happen to you, educate, train, and secure your company against digital threats. Use the steps listed above as a guideline for your company, before a potential attack happens.