Ransomware is a type of malware that upon infecting a device, blocks access entirely or to some or all the information stored on it. In order to unlock either the device or the data, the user is required to pay a ransom however even after paying the ransom there is no guarantee that the users will recover their data.
The different types of Ransomware malwares are as follows:
- Screen Lock Ransomware – blocks access to the device screen for the user.
- Pin Lock Ransomware – changes the device’s access PIN therefore preventing the user from accessing the device.
- Disk coding Ransomware – encrypts the disk itself thus preventing the user from accessing the operating system.
- Crypto-ransomware – encrypts user files stored on disk.
Why should small and medium businesses need Ransomware Protection?
A 2017 Ponemon survey on the state of cyber security in small and medium enterprises showed that within 12 months every second firm from the survey has faced ransomware attacks and in some cases, repeatedly.
Based on the chart above, the statistics clearly show that all though the attacker’s first choice is large scale business, medium and small-scale businesses are not far behind. Nowadays the attacks are increasing rapidly on medium and small-scale businesses because they do have proper protection against ransomware.
So How to protect your business from Ransomware?
Basic steps to prevent and possibly recover data:
- Back up your data regularly and maintain at least one complete backup of your most valuable offline data.
- Keep all applications and software including operating systems up to date by installing updates and patches.
- Use a reliable multi-layer security solution that is regularly updated.
- Reduce possible attack targets by disabling or uninstalling any unnecessary services and software.
- Restrict or disable the use of Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) from sites that are not on the network or enable Network Level Authentication (NLA).
- Check your firewall settings and close any unimportant ports that might be infected.
We hope now you have a basic understanding of what ransomware is and the different types. Ransomware is one of the fastest growing cyber security threats in the world therefore the above tips will be sure to help you to avoid ransomware.
